Social Justice
Read about the newest efforts to overthrow systemic inequalities and address injustices in terms of wealth, opportunities, and privileges to make the world a better place.
Optimist View: "Pain pushes until ...Vision pulls" a conversation with Rev. D.
June has been a powerful month. Pride Month honors the fight for inclusion and celebration for the LGBTQ+ community. Juneteenth finally became a national holiday the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. And, the Optimist Daily completes a week focused on ancient wisdom featured at the World Read More...
Canada finally allows Indigenous peoples to officially reclaim their names
Canada is coming to grips with the horrific discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools that contain the remains of children—some as young as three years old. The exposure of these mass graves puts a spotlight on the country’s terrible colonial past and has Read More...
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday in the US
Story Update: Since this story was written, the bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday has been signed into law. Tomorrow is Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the official end of slavery in the United States, and this year, the holiday is closer than ever to becoming a federal holiday. Read More...
Save children from malnutrition by playing LifePack video games
The Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) in collaboration with social impact agency Hive has launched a new initiative called LifePack that uses video games to address severe malnutrition, the cause of almost half of worldwide deaths of children under the age of five. For every 25 cents raised through Read More...
This initiative provides refugees with refurbished bikes
Following the outbreak of war in western Sudan, Darfuri refugee Adam fled to the UK in search of a better life. Not long after his arrival in 2009, he struck up a friendship with Jem Stein, a student, and mentor, who found out that one of the biggest challenges Adam was facing at the time was Read More...
Honorary Pulitzer awarded to teen who filmed George Floyd murder
The Pulitzer Prizes came out last week and one honorary award went not to an established journalist, but a teen who showed immense courage and quick thinking in the face of a crisis. Darnella Frazier, the young woman who filmed the murder of George Floyd last year, was honored for her Read More...
Developers permanently pull the plug on Keystone XL pipeline
After a 13-year environmental battle, the Keystone XL pipeline has finally been canceled for good. After the permit for the project was revoked by the federal government in January, Calgary-based TC Energy, the sponsor of the project, announced this week that the project has been Read More...
Amsterdam residents can pick up a free book on the city's history of slavery
Last year, on behalf of the municipality of Amsterdam, the International Institute of Social History explored the city’s historic role in the global slave trade and published its findings in a book entitled Amsterdam and the History of Slavery. Now, all residents are offered a free copy of Read More...
Community rallies around bakery criticized for Pride celebration
After Confections, a small bakery in Lufkin, East Texas posted an image of a rainbow-colored cookie with a message in support of Pride Month, the shop, unfortunately, lost many followers and had several large clients cancel orders. In an inspirational move, people from around the world stepped up Read More...
Volunteers in Myanmar build a library for orphans out of discarded plastic
Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady River intercepts an estimated 119 tons of plastic waste per day, making it one of the most polluted waterways in the world. It is not uncommon to see plastic waste littered on the country’s roadsides and clogging up sewage drains. The excess of plastic litter inspired Read More...