How Seattle Made Dark Alleys Safer—By Throwing Parties In Them
Since nearly a third of the city's walkable spaces are filled with cars, these residents decided to take back the alleys.
YES! Article archive
How One San Francisco Neighborhood Became “Immune” to Gentrification
With more than a quarter of the Tenderloin’s housing stock owned by nonprofits or the government, longtime residents have staying power.
At the World’s First Empathy Museum, Visitors Walk a Mile in Another Person’s Shoes—Literally
Founders of the first ever empathy museum are calling for a revolution of human relationships. Here's how you can help.
Video: 10 Years After Katrina, Has New Orleans Recovered?
This new documentary looks at gentrification in New Orleans and its effects on the city's low-income communities.
I Learned More by Leading a Student-Debt Strike Than I Did at College
After graduating from Everest College with a bad education and no job prospects in sight, I refused to pay my student loans. Now I’m helping lead the first student-debt strike in America.
On Rooftops of Paris, Expect Green Roofs and Solar Panels
The new French law, which requires renewable energy or plants on all new commercial buildings, is the first of its kind at the national level.
The Crunch: The Michigan Town That’s Sending All Its Kids to College (And Other News to Chew On)
This week we're talking about universal parental leave, how California's winning the drought, and $5,000 scholarships for every kid in Baldwin, Michigan.
Call for Submissions: Life After Oil
How do we confront the political power of the fossil fuel giants? And when we imagine a planet in recovery, what do we see? Send us your pitches by Sept. 15!
These Former Debt Collectors Decided to Ditch the Industry, Buy Up Medical Debt, and Forgive It
Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico spent decades hounding debtors to pay their bills—until an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street inspired them to find a way to pay struggling people's debts.
Sad Puppies, Rabid Chauvinists: Will Raging White Guys Succeed in Hijacking Sci-Fi’s Biggest Awards?
More and more women have been nominated for Hugo Awards in recent years—until this year. Here’s what’s at stake.
Pardon the Interruption, Bernie: Why Black Lives Matter Is in Politics to Stay
The criticism aimed at Marissa Johnson and Mara Willaford has ranged from the deeply piercing to the explicitly racist. But what they did was necessary, a welcome harbinger of more direct disruption.
After 20 Years Reporting on Solutions, I’m Going on a Journey to Find Where Hope Lies Now
YES! co-founder Sarah van Gelder sets out on a road trip to find the edge of change.
School Behind Bars: How College Kids and Incarcerated Youth Benefit From Learning Together
Graduates of an “Inside-Out” program in Oregon say that the experience transformed the way they see the prison system—and themselves.
The Crunch: Why Washington D.C. Hired a Herd of Goats (And Other News to Chew On)
This week we’re talking about the future of work, a "masculine studies" program... and goats.
The Rad History Book Every Girl (and Boy) Should Have on Their Bookshelf
A new feminist children's book honors 26 awesome women who changed the world.
Four Ways Mexico’s Indigenous Farmers Are Practicing the Agriculture of the Future
How can we get the most out of our farmland without harming the planet? I traveled to rural Mexico to learn from indigenous farmers.
This New Rule Will Bring Secretive Corporate Tax Breaks to Light
Every year, governments spend tens of billions of dollars on tax breaks for private companies. Now, state and city governments will have to start reporting it as lost income.
New David Foster Wallace Movie Shows a Regular Guy Who Happens to Be a Genius—That’s Why It Works
Jason Segel steers away from his usual funny guy persona in "The End of the Tour," and plays the late "Infinite Jest" author David Foster Wallace.
Study Shows Mindful Meditation Helps Reduce Racial Bias
A new study shows that meditation can transform racial bias at any age.
The Weekly Crunch: Zero-Waste Grocery Stores, Black Women’s Business Boom, Robocops for Cyber-Bullies
Like reading the news while chomping on granola. Here’s what we've been chewing on lately.
Nearly 80 Percent of Germany’s Power Came From Renewables In An Afternoon
For a few hours in July, 78 percent of Germany's power was generated by renewables like solar and wind. The country is spending €200 billion to move away from fossil fuels permanently.
This NYC Real Estate Co-Op Helps Small Businesses Stay Put
A New York City co-op raises $1.2 million in pledges to fight gentrification and provide affordable rent for local business owners.
LA’s New Car Share Program Offers Electric Vehicles to Low-Income Drivers
Funded by state cap-and-trade revenue, Los Angeles' program will introduce an electric car-sharing fleet to lower carbon emissions and serve disadvantaged communities.
The Weekly Crunch: Tiny Houses in Vancouver and Why the South Is the New China
This week: Bee activists step up their game, Bernie Sanders lays out his views on all thing politicals, and fracking takes its toll on Oklahoma.
A North Carolina Textile Co-Op Gives Immigrant Workers a Stake in the Business
In a state that lost 88 percent of its textile industry jobs in just 10 years, small worker-owned cooperatives are islands of rights and resilience.
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