Activism

YES! Media’s coverage of activism centers on the ways that grassroots mobilization and activism work to change the political zeitgeist around the most pressing social issues we are facing.

MN Marriage Equality photo by Fibonacci Blue

Marriage Equality for Minnesota? You Betcha!

In just six months, the “Land of Lakes” went from debating a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, to legalizing it this week. One proud resident on celebrating change in one of our more politically quirky states.

Leigh Finke | May 17, 2013

“Modified Social Benches”: An Experiment in Outdoor Socializing

An installation of creatively shaped benches in Belgium pushes the edge of urban sit-ability.

Cat Johnson | May 14, 2013

Mothers Day Cards that Actually Depict Our Moms

The reality of motherhood in America has little in common with the comfortable images portrayed in cards and on TV. A set of Mothers Day e-cards you can send for free shows moms that better reflect our diverse society.

Corey Hill | May 11, 2013

Silhouette Holding Sun photo by Lenneke Veerbeek

Why Sharing News About Solutions Is a Revolutionary Act

Scary stories of kidnappings and explosions lead our news feeds, but it's the good news that helps break down the myth of our own powerlessness.

Frances Moore Lappé | May 11, 2013

Marriage Equality Victories Show How Change Happens, One Step at a Time

Before 2004, no state allowed same-sex marriage. Today, it's legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia. If you want to see how political progress is made, look to the local level.

Gar Alperovitz | May 10, 2013

Would Smokey the Bear Get Arrested to Stop Fracking?

When artist Lopi LaRoe used Smokey the Bear imagery to encourage anti-fracking activism, the Forest Service threatened her with a lawsuit.

Peter Rugh | May 10, 2013

Jobs

Not Your Father’s Union Movement: NYC’s Young Workers Committee

The Young Workers Committee of New York’s transit union was out on the streets in a vibrant march. This video shows the group rallying, taking over an official’s office, and using the Occupy-style “people’s mic.”

May 4, 2013

Rights, Not Riots: What Seattle’s May Day Was Really All About

The largest march on May Day in Seattle was about immigrant families and their supporters standing together for human rights. Not to be confused with the rowdiness that took place later in the day.

Peter Pearsall | May 3, 2013

Star Trek’s George Takei: Putting Facebook Fame to Good Use

Famous for his role as Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, today George Takei uses the popularity of his kitchy humor to promote discussion about the rights of women and LGBT people.

Mark Engler | May 1, 2013

Love Your Books? 4 Ways to Share Them With Others

From mobile libraries to tiny libraries, how to get others to read the books you love.

Fabien Tepper, Signe Predmore | Apr 23, 2013

Newly Released Tim DeChristopher Finds a Movement Transformed by His Courage

Tim DeChristopher, who was just released from federal custody, is best known as the man who disrupted an auction of pristine public lands. But there’s more to his story than his role as “Bidder 70.”

Melanie Jae Martin | Apr 23, 2013

Citizens United

Florida Farmworkers March 200 Miles for a Fairer Tomato

After marching halfway across the state of Florida, members of the Immokalee Coalition of Farmworkers got fired up at a rally in front of Publix headquarters in Lakeland, Fla. Here’s some of what they had to say.

Apr 4, 2013

Live from Denver: The Fight for a Stronger Media

A contingent from YES! is in Denver this week for the National Conference for Media Reform, where we’ll be hosting a panel on solutions journalism. Check out the conference’s livestream here.

Apr 2, 2013

Remembering Chinua Achebe, Nigeria’s Master Storyteller

The great Nigerian author and essayist Chinua Achebe died on Thursday in Boston. In this interview with Bill Moyers, first broadcast in 1988, he explains why “The storyteller has a different agenda from the emperor.”

Mar 23, 2013

Three Tactics for a Stronger Climate Movement

In January, the Sierra Club reversed a 121-year-old ban on civil disobedience to reflect the urgency of climate change. The move presents an opening for radical groups to try new tactics like the three discussed here.

Melanie Jae Martin | Mar 20, 2013

Hugo Chavez: Friend of the Poor, Demagogue, or Both?

From 1999 to 2013, Hugo Chavez served as president of Venezuela. He leaves behind a mixed legacy that includes admirable efforts to empower the poor, but also a disturbing tendency toward authoritarianism.

Sarah van Gelder | Mar 9, 2013

Reliance Waist photo courtesy of Kheel Center

Jobs

Where Did International Women’s Day Come From?

Today, the world honors advancements for women’s rights—and it all started with a courageous group of garment workers.

Steph Solis | Mar 9, 2013

Renewable energy

Why You Don’t Frack With John Lennon’s Farm

When fracking hits close to home, Mark Ruffalo, Debra Winger, Yoko Ono, and other big names find common ground with small towns.

Lisa Mullenneaux | Mar 5, 2013

Clean elections

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?

Rob Richie | Feb 26, 2013

Jobs | Sustainable food and farming

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.

John Cavanagh, Robin Broad | Feb 26, 2013

Largest Climate Rally in U.S. History Comes to Washington

What does it sound like when 40,000 people raise their voices for climate justice at once?

Sarah Kuck | Feb 20, 2013

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.

Fabien Tepper | Feb 19, 2013

Green Housing: In Buffalo, It’s Not Just for Rich People Anymore

Can we build sustainable housing that's affordable, too? The city of Buffalo did, and created a community jobs pipeline in the process. Here's what can happen when neighborhoods take the lead.

Mark Andrew Boyer | Feb 16, 2013

Arrests in Washington Signal Increasing Urgency on Keystone Pipeline

Forty-eight leaders of environmentalist groups such as the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and 350.org were arrested today while participating in civil disobedience. They were demanding that President Barack Obama stop construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Chris Francis | Feb 14, 2013

Idle No More Group photo by Marcel Petit

Native rights

Why Canada’s Indigenous Uprising Is About All of Us

When a new law paved the way for tar sands pipelines and other fossil fuel development on native lands, four women swore to be “idle no more.” The idea took off.

Sarah van Gelder | Feb 8, 2013

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