Changemakers of the week: Third Act and HeartMath
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, the ones that emerge from our local communities often have the greatest impact. Welcome to the fifth round of The Optimist Daily’s Read More...
Unraveling the layers and complexity of the great force of hate
Hate—what a loaded term, full of tremendous emotions and complicated connotations. But have you ever paused to consider what lies beneath the surface when we casually use the word "hate"? Let's take an excursion into the web of human emotions, shining light on the intricate fabric of hatred and Read More...
Native Nations without reliable internet take broadband networks into their own hands
A major chunk of the Hopi Reservation's dry mesas in northeast Arizona is underserved by internet service. Hopi Telecommunications, which provides internet and telephone services in the area, is dealing with the restrictions of an out-of-date copper wire network. The company's service order Read More...
California becomes first state to issue an "Ebony Alert" to prioritize missing Black youth
California became the first state in the country to enact the "Ebony Alert" law, which is intended to prioritize the search for missing Black youngsters. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 673 into law last Sunday, marking an important step forward in tackling the missing Black children and Read More...
Raising diverse voices and celebrating progress this Pride Month
With the arrival of June comes Pride Month, a time to gather together to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and reflect on the progress achieved toward equality. Despite the ongoing challenges, such as anti-2SLGBTQIA+ laws, (according to the ACLU, there are currently almost 500 anti-2SLCBTQIA+ Read More...
Youth activists in Vanuatu score a major climate win
BY SIRI CHILUKURI, Grist This story was originally published by Grist. Subscribe to its weekly newsletter here. Young environmental activists from a small South Pacific island earned a climate win that could cause major problems for the world's largest polluters. The nation of Vanuatu Read More...
New report indicates that extreme poverty might be eradicated by 2050
A recent economic estimate predicts that the end of extreme poverty could be reached by 2050, thanks to economic growth in low-income countries. According to a Center for Global Development (CGD) assessment, even though the Covid epidemic reversed some progress in eradicating extreme poverty Read More...
From pilot to policy: a closer look at guaranteed income initiatives in the US
Michael D. Tubbs, mayor of Stockton, California, initiated a daring experiment in February 2019. He randomly selected 125 residents at or below the city's median household income to receive $500 a month for 24 months. Two years later, the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, as the pilot Read More...
How to be an ally part I: performative allyship
In recent years, and especially in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, social advocacy and activism around the world have evolved and continue to evolve at an admirable pace. The emergence of activism in the era of social media, which, whether we like Read More...
How to be an ally part II: effective allyship
Welcome to part two of this two-part series on allyship --- click here to read part one --- one of the neologisms born out of contemporary English-language social justice activism. More specifically, this piece will discuss what it takes to move from performative allyship to effective allyship, Read More...