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.
Chicago suburb slated to implement the country’s first reparations program
The concept of reparations has gained traction in recent years as a starting point for compensating for the racism and discrimination Black Americans have historically experienced and continue to face in society. Now, one Chicago suburb is on the verge of becoming the first in the country to pilot Read More...
New project aims to make the world’s longest hiking trail more accessible
As the longest recreational trail in the world, The Great Trail in Canada has really changed the way Canadians can experience their country’s natural heritage. It officially opened in 2017, after nearly 25 years of planning, to connect 27,000 kilometers of multi-use trails in ways that are safe Read More...
The Optimist View: The power of investing in inclusion
“When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more inclusive, and better as an organization.” — Pat Wadors As we start off the new year with back to back celebratory months of Black History and Women’s History, we are reminded of the long journey Read More...
Minneapolis nonprofit creates first-of-its-kind village for the homeless
While homeless shelters can be pivotal in providing short-term housing and protection from the elements, there are tradeoffs to staying in a shelter. Many shelters feature communal sleeping arrangements, with dozens of beds packed into a room. This can make homeless shelters particularly Read More...
Netflix launches Fund for Creative Equity to promote industry-wide diversity
We recently wrote about how Netflix works to improve diversity and inclusivity in its corporate culture, but the streaming platform is also committed to taking these values into the shows they produce. The company has announced the launch of their new Fund for Creative Equity which will invest $100 Read More...
This teen’s nonprofit has donated 30,000 pairs of shoes to the homeless
When Lindsay Sobel was 13, she needed a community project to meet the requirements of her Bat Mitzvah. That’s when she came up with the idea of collecting lightly used shoes and donating them to the homeless. Lindsay, who is from Chatsworth, California, started collecting shoes in her own Read More...
Virginia slated to become first southern state to abolish capital punishment
The United States is one of the few developed countries that has not discontinued capital punishment and it is estimated that over four percent of incarcerated individuals on death row were wrongly convicted. Although 22 states have discontinued capital punishment, the practice is still used, Read More...
More and more Native American tribes are buying back their ancestral land
When the Klamath Tribes of southern Oregon purchased a 1,705-acre patchwork of meadows, wetlands, and timberland that had once belonged to them this past summer, it represented the latest example of Native American tribes taking back their homelands via the real estate market. The loss of Native Read More...
Nonprofit hires homeless people to make coats that double as sleeping bags
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are more than 500,000 people in the US experiencing homelessness on a given night. This means that about 17 people out of every 10,000 people in the country don’t have a stable roof over their heads. A nonprofit seeks to overturn that Read More...
These chefs are using dumplings to bridge racial divides in the Bay Area
As you may have seen in the news, attacks on Asian Americans are on the rise this year. One particular video from Oakland’s Chinatown drew demands for action after it depicted a 91-year-old man being shoved to the ground in the city. Unfortunately, the perpetrators of the violence captured on Read More...