“Parable of the Sower” Is Now, Says Gen Z
Young people who have read Octavia Butler’s 1993 novel say it’s not only prescient, but also carries lessons for today.
Culture
Where Communal Art Is Resistance
In Tijuana, Uganda, and Gaza, refugees facing dispossession, displacement, and constant violence are finding moments of solace in the art of dance.
Women on Deck: Skateboarding’s Untold Gender-Inclusive History
As skateboarding becomes an Olympic event, “Drop In” chronicles the women, nonbinary, and queer skaters who have made the sport more equitable.
Little Gaza’s Kitchen Brings a Taste of Home to Displaced Palestinians
Palestinian refugees are settling in the Philippines, and bringing their cultural foods with them.
Murmurations: Queering Abolition
”Atoms Never Touch“ offers a revolutionary premise: The love between trans women is the key to the new world we imagine.
Trans Youth Are Teaching Schools How to Actually Support Them
The education system is failing transgender youth, but one school in Canada is striving to create a new support model.
Back When TV Was Gay
Despite political repression in the 1980s and 1990s, LGBTQ people enjoyed surprising freedom on public access television networks.
Serj Tankian Says “Down With the System”
System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian has performed in front of millions, but, as he explains in his new memoir, his real passion is social justice.
A New Hollywood “Origin” Story
With her latest film, Ava DuVernay is modeling a new way of financing impactful films and ensuring creative freedom.
What “Access” Means for YES! Magazine
The summer 2024 issue of YES! Magazine explores myriad issues, from electoral power and abortion to disability justice and recreation.
Rap Is Art, Not Evidence
A new documentary chronicles efforts to keep rap lyrics from being used by prosecutors, combatting a long-standing trend of criminalizing this particular art form.
In Cuba, Afro Hair Honors Identity and Cultural Roots
As a historian and hairstylist, the owner of community salon Rizo Libre wants her services to go far beyond hair.
How to Bury Your Abusive Husband and the Laws That Shielded Him
Domestic violence isn’t funny. But Alexia Casale’s debut novel finds humor in survivors taking matters into their own hands.
Who Gets to Be a Mother?
Making motherhood accessible for all requires moving away from punitive models—including foster care—that criminalize poverty.
Beyoncé’s Requiem for Black Country Dreams
With “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé is not only topping the country charts, but also challenging old narratives about genre.
Chronicling the Messy Truth of Cancer
After her cervical cancer diagnosis, Caitlin Breedlove sought connection and stories from other survivors, but found them few and far between.
Gun Violence Prevention on the Basketball Court
In her documentary “Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia,” filmmaker Kyra Knox highlights Philadelphia communities creatively addressing gun violence.
Reviving Radio: An Old Technology Remains Relevant
It's true that far-right groups are relying on radio communications. But radio’s connection to movement organizing has a much longer and richer history.
Hollywood Finally Starts Skewering White Wealth
The caucasity of television shows about the casual cruelty of excess is critically important. Succession didn’t shy away from that, and neither should other shows profiling the rich.
Why We Need Pirates
Exploited sailors escaped to form egalitarian outlaw societies under the Jolly Roger.
The Romantic, Failed Experiments of American Utopias
The history of American communes is one of imperfect people trying to make a perfect place.
How “Whitey on the Moon” Perfectly Captures Bezos’ Space Joy Ride
The themes of Gill Scott-Heron’s seminal poem written decades ago resonate more strongly than ever as billionaires like Jeff Bezos spend their money on lavish vanity projects.
A Former Olympic Fencer Brings Her Sport Back to Her Community
The Olympics puts the spotlight on many sports that ordinarily don’t get attention. For some youth athletes, those niche sports become a vehicle for upward mobility.
How Black Women Are Reshaping Afrofuturism
The science fiction subgenre known for its utopian and liberation themes has become a vehicle for Black women artists.
Fight Fascism With a Dance Party
Where fascism aims to instill fear, joy is the perfect resistance.
Our Vision to Create the Best Stories Imaginable
In 2025, we will temporarily pause the printing of YES! Magazine.
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