You’ve Come a Long Way, Feminism (But You’re Not There Yet)
In the 1970s, women called for abortion rights, universal child care, and equal pay. So why are we still waiting for these rights?
Democracy
What the Oscars Can Teach Us About Elections That Work
Academy Award-winners are selected by algorithms that allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, selecting backups if their first choices lose. What if we elected our leaders that way?
Behind the Kitchen Door: A Must-Read for Anyone Who Eats at Restaurants
Review: More than half of the nation’s worst-paid jobs are related to food. Saru Jayaraman’s new book dives into the explosive movement for better rights for those who plant, process, and cook the food we eat.
California Teachers Divest Pension Fund from Assault Weapons
Just hours after Sandy Hook, the managers of the teachers’ pension fund sold off their stock in a manufacturer of semi-automatic rifles.
Rapper Brother Ali on Privilege, Hope, and Other People’s Stories
In this exclusive interview, hip-hop artist Brother Ali talks to YES! about the personal transformations that have shaped his life and lyrics.
An Oasis of Community and Support for Latina Moms
In California, many Latina moms find themselves cut off by domestic responsibilities and language barriers. But with the help of trusted mentors, they’re learning new skills and strengthening their support networks.
Is There Inspiration in Your Media Diet?
Video: At TEDx, YES! magazine editor Sarah van Gelder discusses the “mean world syndrome” caused by excessively negative news coverage, and describes how solutions journalism creates a more balanced—and hopeful—point of view.
Care about Your Food? Then Care about Your Farmworkers Too
It’s organic. It’s local. But did the workers who picked it have health insurance?
The Last of the Big Money Elections?
The movement to overturn Citizens United might just make 2012’s record election spending into the end of an era.
To Follow in MLK’s Footsteps, Join the Fight against Foreclosure
How can today’s Civil Rights leaders follow in the tradition of MLK? Lester Spence argues that foreclosures are the issue and the church may just be the solution.
The Trillion Dollar Coin: A Debt Solution for the People
Far from being a gimmick, having the U.S. Treasury mint high-denomination coins is a solution that cuts to the root of America’s financial problems. And Benjamin Franklin would have liked it, too.
Remembering Aaron Swartz, “Alpha Geek” and Defender of Online Freedom
Aaron Swartz took his own life at the age of 26, after years of legal trouble over academic articles he downloaded and intended to share. He leaves behind a legacy of thinking about the power of the internet to shape our political lives.
Movement to End High-Stakes Testing Steps Up in Seattle
Teachers at two Seattle high schools violated district policy and their union contracts by refusing to administer a mandatory test. And signs abound that teachers around the nation are ready to stand up, too.
Idle No More Rises to Defend Ancestral Lands—and the Planet
Bill McKibben on the tradition of environmental activism he’s seen among members of First Nations, and the unique role of the Idle No More movement in the fight against climate change.
Why First Nations Movement Is Our Best Chance for Clean Land and Water
In an urgent pursuit for environmental justice and basic human rights, First Nations gather across North America under the banner of Idle No More.
Idle No More: Indigenous Uprising Sweeps North America
Idle No More has organized the largest mass mobilizations of indigenous people in recent history. What sparked it off and what’s coming next?
A Feel-Good Movie about Fracking? YES! Interviews Producer of “Promised Land”
Chris Moore, who co-produced “Good Will Hunting,” has a new film starring Matt Damon as a corporate salesman trying to open up a small town to fracking. Here, YES! publisher Fran Korten gets Moore’s take on the ideas behind the film.
Why Post-Sandy America Needs State Banks More than Ever
If we the people want the sort of security in emergencies that is available to the owners of Wall Street banks, we need to own some banks ourselves.
Remembering Rebecca Tarbotton
A tribute to the beloved environmentalist, human right activist, and executive director of the Rainforest Action Network.
9 Stories That Will Change Your World in 2013
2012 was a year of superstorms, mass shootings, debt strikes, and the most spendy election ever. Here’s how last year’s most important stories will shape 2013.
3 Ways to Make Your Vote Count in a Money-Soaked Election
Your favored candidates may be outspent, but if they out-organize, they may be able to prevail.
How Voter Suppression Could Swing the Election
It won’t be easy to protect our votes from being sidelined and stolen this year, but here are a few simple things we can do.
Dear Bank of America, We’re Not Leaving Our Homes
The fight against unjust evictions just got fiercer as the national Occupy movement joins forces with community anti-foreclosure groups.
YES! Recommends: StoryCorps
StoryCorps records and archives interviews of everyday Americans to preserve history and personal stories. Its National Teachers Initiative was created to celebrate great teachers and to highlight their invaluable contributions and influence on students and all of us.
Can There Be “Good” Corporations?
When companies are owned by workers and the community—instead of Wall Street financiers—everything changes.
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