A new law in Zambia makes free education much harder for future governments to take away
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There’s a particular kind of law that changes nothing overnight. The classrooms look the same the morning after it passes. The teachers haven’t changed. The children getting on buses are the same children who got on buses yesterday. But something has Read More...
France finally votes to strike the Code Noir from its books, its last slavery law
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There is something disquieting about the idea that a law governing slavery could still exist on the books in 2026. Not as an enforced law. Not as a policy. Just sitting there, formally unrepealed, in the archive of French legal history. That was the status Read More...
How to be an ally part II: effective allyship
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Continuing the conversation: What effective allyship really looks like Today we are continuing to revisit our 2020 series on allyship. If you caught Part I, you’ll remember we explored the rise of performative allyship: how well-meaning gestures can fall Read More...
How to be an ally part I: performative allyship
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Why we’re revisiting our series on allyship this Pride Month At The Optimist Daily, we believe that allyship is a lifelong practice; one that demands reflection, humility, and, most of all, action. This June, we are celebrating Pride Month but also Read More...
Unraveling the layers and complexity of the great force of hate
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM 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 Read More...
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...