Zapatista Communities Celebrate 20 Years of Self-Government
The Zapatistas are still running their own schools and hospitals, raising new generations, and carrying on a dialogue with the outside world that has enriched both sides.
YES! Article archive
How a Great Man Put Down His Guns: Martin Luther King’s Path to Nonviolence
It took years of political evolution for King to understand nonviolence not merely as a moral force, but as an effective strategy for leveraging political change.
How Restorative Justice Changed This Colorado Cop’s Views on Prison
In restorative justice, those who commit crimes have to face the consequences of their actions. After this Colorado policeman tried it out, he came to believe it's part of the answer to America's prison problem.
Video: An In-Depth Look at North Carolina’s Progressive “Moral Mondays” Movement
Alarmed by the ultraconservative policies of their state government, North Carolina residents are taking to the streets to say that social justice is the moral way to go.
How a Fruit and Vegetable Auction in Rural Ohio Helps Appalachian Farmers Thrive
Produce auctions are getting fresh vegetables into food deserts, building community, and helping rural farmers earn a living.
Travel Companies Boycott “Human Safaris” and 13 Other Victories for Tribal People in 2013
Times have never been tougher for indigenous people living in traditional ways. Yet 2013 saw them winning land rights, fighting misrepresentation in the media, and winning solidarity from unexpected allies.
Beyond Classic Disney: 5 Great Animated Kids’ Films Without the Racial Stereotypes
Many of the Disney classics contain outdated images of racial and gender groups. Luckily, recent animated masterpieces provide alternatives without sacrificing anything in the way of imagination.
10 Clever Ideas From Around the World to Root Out Inequality (Like Fining Extreme CEO Pay)
From Switzerland to New York, it seems like people are talking more than ever about inequality—and its antidotes. Here are some of the most promising and provocative ideas from last year that could shift our course in 2014.
Movement to Resist Tar Sands “Megaloads” Brings Together Northwest Tribal Members, Environmentalists
The struggle pits the tribes and their allies in the environmental movement against the General Electric subsidiary that manufactured the evaporators and the hauling company that is providing transportation for them.
What a Progressive, Lesbian Fox News Pundit Learned About Emotional Correctness—From Sean Hannity
Enough with political correctness. Sally Kohn on why persuasion doesn't begin with ideas, facts, or data, but in having the compassion for others that we want them to have for us.
Sitting Is the New Smoking: Why Walking Is the “Secret Sauce” for Better Health and Happier Communities
Whether you live in the ‘burbs, the city, or the middle of nowhere, the "wonder drug" of walking is just what the doctor ordered.
After 20-Year Fight, Bronx Community Wins Big on Development Project Committed to Living Wages and Local Economy
The people of New York’s poorest borough fought to ensure that redevelopment of its castle-like landmark will benefit those who live there. Will it be a gamechanger?
What I Learned from a Month on the Ten-Mile Diet
"It was a different kind of diet. I didn't count calories. I didn't count carbs. I just took 12,500 miles of food off my plate."
Get Hopeful For 2014: YES! Founder Sarah van Gelder Talks to Democracy Now!
From new leadership in the fight against climate change to an uprising in the education system, there's a lot to be excited about in 2014.
Can the Stuck-in-Place Economy Help Us Face Climate Change?
New studies show that people with deep roots in the place where they live are better equipped to handle upheavals of the type that come with climate change.
10 Hopeful Things That Happened in 2013 to Get You Inspired for What’s to Come
Beyond the headlines of conflict and catastrophe, this year’s top stories offered us some powerful proof that the world can still change—for the better.
The Ancient Greeks’ 6 Words for Love (And Why Knowing Them Can Change Your Life)
Looking for an antidote to modern culture’s emphasis on romantic love? Perhaps we can learn from the diverse forms of emotional attachment prized by the ancient Greeks.
Philly’s New Land Bank: Will It Give Blighted Communities a Boost?
The city is home to more than 40,000 vacant properties. Now neighborhoods are hoping a new public entity can help them bounce back from the post-industrial blues.
Less “Big Bang Theory,” More Dana Scully: What It’s Going to Take to Lead More Girls Into Science
Only 25 percent of STEM jobs are held by women. YouTube science sensation Emily Graslie on how we can inspire them with better-quality pop-culture role models.
6 Habits of Highly Grateful People
Wearing yourself down with worry? It’s time to thank outside the box.
After This Indian Nun Witnessed a Woman’s Murder, She Saved Thousands More from Domestic Violence
As India honors the first anniversary of the Delhi gang rape that rocked the nation, YES! talks with Sister Lucy Kurien—whose life was changed forever when she saw a young woman set on fire.
This Christmas, Try Compassion at the Dinner Table
In the spirit of the season, Reverend James Forbes shows us how compassion at the dinner table can bring people from all walks of life together—and reminds us that our work isn't done until that happens.
This Guy Turned a 2,000-Page Report on Climate Change into 19 Stunning Haikus
By stripping a technical report of its jargon and unfathomably large numbers, Gregory C. Johnson's haikus offer an arresting and informative entry point into climate science.
Nelson Mandela’s Brilliance Came From Knowing When to Talk—and When to Fight
He was not just an extraordinary practitioner of dialogue, but also a fighter who understood that if we take fighting too far, we risk destroying what we are trying to create.
Meet the Texas Farmer Challenging the Keystone Pipeline from the Courtroom to the Plains
Julia Trigg-Crawford claims that the state of Texas has no process to determine whether projects that seize landowners' property are really in the public benefit.
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