“Wild” Could Have Been a Standard Hollywood Weeper. Here’s How Reese Witherspoon Saved It
To call “Wild” a redemption film is to minimize the wide range of emotions it works with—not to mention the subtlety of Reese Witherspoon’s performance.
YES! Article archive
Kids on Chicago’s West Side Break the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Restorative Circles
For these Chicago students, restorative justice isn’t just about causing less harm to those around us. It’s also about actively creating safety, on their own terms.
Neighbors Helped This Immigrant-Owned Dry Cleaner in Boston Go Nontoxic—and Stay in Business
Organizations that aim to reduce the use of toxic chemicals have long focused on shutting down offending businesses. But this story from Boston shows another way.
We Don’t Need Santa’s Magic When We Already Have Our Own
Magic is about stepping into our power, about uniting our intentions with the natural world to create something better, something deeper.
Northern California’s Railroads Are Carrying More Crude Oil Than Ever—But These Neighbors Aren’t Having It
Residents who have joined the fight against transporting oil by train have also come to understand aspects of the wider context.
Ridley Scott’s Weak Defense of “Exodus” Casting Will Help You Understand Why Hollywood’s So White
All the main characters are played by white people. It doesn't really have to be that way.
“Forgiveness Is Liberating”: Desmond Tutu On Healing A Nation’s Racist Past
In 1997, he asked: "Who could have thought we would ever be an example, except of awfulness; who could ever have thought we would be held up as a model to the rest of the world?" Today, South Africa's healing process is a beacon of hope for the United States.
UN Climate Negotiators Drop the Ball in Lima—Now It’s Up to the Grassroots to Pick It Up
Negotiators have stopped trying to win a binding international agreement on carbon emissions. Now it’s up to the people to push our governments to action.
These 3 Colleges Stopped Investing in Fossil Fuels—One Year Later, Their Endowments Are Doing Just Fine
Colleges argue that divestment is not financially responsible—but those who’ve already done it say the risk is minimal.
Everything You Need to Know About the Radical Roots of Wonder Woman
Her enigmatic creator believed women were destined to rule the world. 10 facts about the iconic heroine.
An Insurance Policy for Climate Change? How Seed Banks Are Protecting the Future of Food
“While not every traditional variety tastes great or looks great, its genetics may be invaluable 50 or 100 years from now when the climate is different.”
From College Campuses to Conflict Zones: Violence Against Women Is Both Personal and Political
Ending gender-based violence is not just about changing laws. It's about changing how we think.
An Indigenous View on #BlackLivesMatter
I was reminded over and over this week that black and indigenous communities of struggle are deeply connected through our experiences with colonialism, oppression, and white supremacy.
Why I Want to Burn Everything Down Right Now—And Why I’m Not Going To
What I learned from James Baldwin’s writing about race, in a moment of great anger.
The Radical Homemaker’s Reading List: 8 Books for Happier Families, Healthier Guts, and Saner Lives
A short list of books that have kept discovery alive and well in 2014 at Sap Bush Hollow farm.
Science Fiction and the Post-Ferguson World: “There Are as Many Ways to Exist as We Can Imagine”
Radical science fiction and fantasy are a remedy for the belief that there is no alternative to the violence and inequality that surround us.
The Battle in Seattle, 15 Years On: How an Unsung Hero Kept the Movements United
A lead organizer of the protests against the World Trade Organization in 1999 remembers Tyree Scott, a quiet presence in the labor movement who urged unity when it mattered most.
Mentally Ill People Often Face Violence From Police—But These Cities Are Trying to Fix That
Crisis Intervention Teams train police officers to understand mental illness without resorting to violence.
Police Violence Is Not Inevitable: Four Ways a California Police Chief Connected Cops With Communities
“A critical look at any institution with as much power and authority invested in it as the police is probably a good thing.”
Inside Palestine: 3 Families On What Life is Really Like, From Making a Living to Staying Together
Missile strikes in Gaza and home demolitions in the West Bank make headlines, but rarely are they presented in the context of everyday life. Meet three Palestinians trying to make ends meet and keep their families safe.
#Ferguson Thanksgiving: A Former Slave Proposed the Holiday 55 Years Before Lincoln. Why His Version Matters Today
“For some, racial inequality and fear are raw realities every day, and anything inspiring in American history rings false and remote. For others, the call to reflect on injustice feels like a personal accusation. But we are caught in this history together.”
Why It’s OK to Be Angry on Thanksgiving
Quite often it is our darker side that illuminates the best part of us, that brings us to where we need to be.
Undercover University: Palestinians Study Up in Israeli Prisons
More than 40 percent of Palestinian males have spent time in Israeli prisons. The schools that operate within are increasingly important.
New Film Shows How Florida Farmworkers Won Fairer Pay From America’s Biggest Food Companies
"This is not a film about oppression," said Food Chains executive producer Eva Longoria. "It's actually about transformation."
Dutch Company Powers Streetlights With Living Plants; Will Your Cell Phone Be Next?
Forget potato clocks. This promising new technology derives substantial amounts of electricity from living plants.
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