First He Came Out as Undocumented. Then As Gay. Here’s What It Means For Immigration Debate.
Felipe Matos told his story in three words: "I am undocumented." It was an act of desperation—but it gave him a sense of agency and power.
Democracy
Return of Hometown News: Old-School Reporters and Citizen Journalists Unite to Bring it Back
Filling a void left by big city newspapers, online projects combine community news, journalism, and conversations with our neighbors.
Zydeco and Justice: Louisiana’s Hyperlocal KOCZ Builds Community and Self-Reliance
Low-power FM radio stations bring a much-needed focus on local issues and culture.
Watch the Beautiful One-Minute Ad Asking the Washington Football Team to Change Its Name
With the owner of the team vowing "NEVER" to change its name, Native American tribes around the country launch a national campaign to do just that.
Meet the Solutionaries: Kids Skip Scary Climate Coverage to Focus on Local Changemakers
These high school students created a series of podcasts to tell the stories of inspiring people in their community.
Language Matters: How #YesAllWomen Named a Problem With No Name
If you lack words for a phenomenon, an emotion, a situation, you can’t talk about it—which means that you can’t come together to change it.
Seattle Wins $15 Minimum Wage—Will Your Town Be Next?
Activists built support for the ordinance by demonstrating that it would reduce poverty in the city.
The Boomers “Failed” Us: Climate Activist Tim DeChristopher on Anger, Love, and Sacrifice
First the anger, then the love—overcoming generational anger to find the courage required for the difficult work ahead.
Tennessee Tied Teachers’ Jobs to Standardized Test Scores. Here’s How They Pushed Back—And Won.
The teachers found their careers at risk when an erratic statistical tool became a key measure of their success.
From Stand-up to Twitter, A New Generation’s Fresh Take on Storytelling
Today's storytellers show that each of us can be part of something more powerful, diverse, and creative than we might have imagined.
How Stories Shape Our World
This issue of YES! looks at the ways new voices are being heard, and at how their stories are transforming our culture.
Meet 6 Nutrition Blogger Moms Who Crashed the McDonald’s Shareholder Meeting
Current trends suggest one in three kids will develop Type 2 diabetes as adults. These moms told McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson what they think about the fast food industry targeting their kids.
Our Economy Wants You to Be In Debt—5 Things You Can Do to Take Charge
We pored through a debt-resistance manual created by former Occupiers to bring you these practical tips.
Portland Is First U.S. City to Divest Funds from Walmart
The initiative also prohibits the city from purchasing Walmart bonds in the future.
The War on Drugs Destroys Lives—Here Are 6 Things You Can Do About It
The movement to end the violence through the decriminalization of drugs has never had so much momentum. And it's never been easier to get involved.
Meet the Girl Who Sparked Brown v. The Board of Education With a High School Walkout
The stories of people behind the landmark decision—like that of 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns—are even more compelling and inspiring than the sea-changing ruling itself.
Can We Keep the Internet Free?
The struggle to save the world's greatest communication network.
When It Comes to Shaping Public Debate, What Can a Magazine Do?
"Education Uprising," the Spring issue of YES!, connected people across the country and helped catalyze the movement to reclaim education—a living example of how national conversations can change.
Fans Move to Buy LA Clippers After Owner Is Banned From NBA
The fans hope to buy the team and make it into a nonprofit organization like the Green Bay Packers.
How a “Black Snake” in the Heartland Brought Spirit to American Environmentalism
It's possible that the Cowboy Indian Alliance offers a glimpse into what a spiritually integrated environmental movement might look like, honoring diversity while resisting cooptation.
Why Politics at the Dinner Table Is Good for Democracy
Our political process, Robert Jensen reminds us, begins with conversation.
Tennessee Teachers Score in Fight for Fair Evaluations
A new law will end the practice of evaluating teachers based on their students' standardized test scores.
To My Friend the Climate Defeatist: Here’s Why I’m Still In the Fight
It is good to mourn for what's being lost. But giving up just gives the fossil fuel industry what it wants.
When Big Money Controls Big Media, There’s a Big Decline in Democracy
“Dollarocracy” examines innovations in other democratic nations to solve our money-in-politics crisis.
They Started by Blockading a Bus Full of Detainees—And Went on to Shake Up the Immigration Debate
A look at the growing influence of undocumented voices in the movement for immigrant rights.
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