If you are seeking a career in web journalism or communications and are interested in issues like social justice, environmentalism, and sustainable economic development, then this may be the internship for you.

What we offer:

Online interns receive training and guidance in all the essential skills of web journalism, including contacting sources, conducting interviews, organizing information, writing articles on deadline, fact-checking, headline writing, and uploading text and multimedia into our content management system.

Since we expect each intern to develop their own reporting beat, we spend a considerable amount of time helping them visualize the arc of their beats, cultivate sources, seek out the most interesting stories, and deliver them.

In order to facilitate the rapid acquisition of these skills, we stop the presses on Friday mornings for our “J-School Boot Camp,” in which editors use various textbooks and articles to teach essential journalism skills—as well as an awareness of emerging issues in the industry. We cover traditional journalistic skills like interviewing and structuring a story, as well as analysis of the funniest viral trends and story packaging on the Internet. The J-School is flexible and has recently accommodated requests for topics like resume preparation. (And just because it’s called “school” doesn’t mean it can’t happen outside by the garden with beer.)

Interns are key members of the online team and active participants in regular strategy-building meetings. They are invited to attend and contribute to organizational board meetings and all-staff retreats. We place a high value on their input and seek out their advice.

Although interns are unpaid, the organization supplies housing in a five-bedroom house near the office. Past interns have said that communal living helped them build friendships and encouraged exploration in the Seattle area.

What we ask:

This internship requires an in-office time commitment of 30 hours per week for a duration of six months. This duration makes sure that there’s enough time for you to build skills to a point of fluency and then write a number of strong stories.

Because this is a small team, this program requires interns to take substantial responsibility for writing and producing stories. Interns on the team will be assigned a beat and will be expected to complete a number of stories each month. Click here for some examples of writing by current Online Reporting Intern.

Most successful applicants have a BA in journalism or a related field, although this is not required.

Responsibilities:

• • Cover a beat through cultivation of sources, newswires, and other methods.

• • Contribute to our team’s social media strategy through Facebook and Twitter posting.

• • Participate in weekly “game plan” meetings and in “J-School Boot Camp” trainings.

• • File stories regularly in a given beat.

• • Upload and manage website content, including text, video, and photos.

• • Fact-check and research information on an ongoing basis.

• • Contribute to the development of infographics.

• • Carry out other projects as assigned by the editors.

Skills:

• • The ability to research, interview, and write on a tight deadline, preferably demonstrated by past experience.

• • A passion for the topics we cover, including social justice, environmental news, and alternative models of economic development.

• • An interest in being a key member of a small team in a fast-paced environment.

• • An interest in thinking through problems and developing solutions.

• • A sense of humor.

To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, two writing samples, and two references to internships [at] yesmagazine.org with “Online Reporting Internship” in the subject field.

Bainbridge Island-based YES! Magazine is the winner of the 2013 Utne Media Award for General Excellence. Now in its 24th year of celebrating the best in independent publishing, Utne Reader chose YES! Magazine for the top slot in recognition of its solution-oriented coverage both in print and online during the past year.

Christian Williams, editor-in-chief of Utne Reader, said of the recognition, “YES! Magazine’s message of hope and optimism is both inspiring and essential in these uncertain times.”

In its forthcoming July/August issue announcing the 2013 Utne Media Award winners, Utne Reader notes: “Despite the precarious state of independent publishing these days, YES! has remained committed to its nonprofit, ad-free, and Creative Commons-friendly ideals.”

Utne cites several YES! stories that factored into the award recognition, including:

• How a citizen-led effort in Boulder, Colo., is trying to replace the corporate-controlled power utility with their own renewable energy utility;
• how a veteran-led coffee shop in Lakewood, Wash., supports returning soldiers with PTSD;
• and how a grassroots movement to forgive student loans and medical debt is gaining momentum across the country.

“We’re thrilled and honored to have won the General Excellence award,” said YES! Magazine co-founder and executive editor Sarah van Gelder.

With modest beginnings in 1996 (“We started out in the basement of a rental house on Bainbridge Island,” Sarah reflects), the ad-free, not-for-profit YES! Magazine now reaches more than 150,000 readers with each print edition, has close to a quarter million web visits each month, and is widely recognized for its pioneering role in the field of solutions journalism.

Why the strong interest in solution-oriented stories? Sarah van Gelder says: “We believe there is a need for quality journalism that spotlights solutions to the extraordinary challenges we face at this moment in human history. People are hungry for stories and analysis that show what’s possible and what’s already happening in communities across the United States and around the globe.”

In her column for the new issue of YES! (Love and the Apocalypse, Summer 2013) publisher Fran Korten elaborates: “We don’t focus on just any solution. The practical actions we feature fit together to reveal large societal shifts that hold the potential for a better world. Our journalism offers a lens that reveals an emerging world nearly invisible to most of the media.”

That unique journalistic lens has focused on issues like:

• the growing role of cooperatives in building a 21st century economy
• alternatives to punitive prison terms (see Beyond Prisons, Summer 2011);
• solutions to the climate crisis;
• and sources of genuine happiness.

Jo Ellen Kaiser, executive director of The Media Consortium, a national network of more than 60 leading independent journalism organizations, including YES! Magazine, says, “YES! is a model—not only for their commitment to covering grassroots, community-based solutions that we rarely hear about in larger media, but for their excellent journalism. YES! was doing solutions journalism before the term was created!”

Why the Future of Journalism is the Story of Solutions
Taken all together, the practical actions YES! Magazine features reveal large societal shifts that hold the potential for a better world.

Increased recognition has led to national media partnerships for YES! Magazine: With PBS host David Brancaccio (of PBS’s NOW program) on the production of his television broadcast, and later feature-length documentary, Fixing the Future; with Denver-based Free Speech TV on coverage of the U.S. presidential elections and the Occupy movement; with Berrett-Koehler Publishers in bringing out the first substantive book on the Occupy movement (This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement, November 2011); and with Project Censored, which features YES! prominently in their annual published compendium focused solely on under-reported stories.

Sarah adds, “I’m proud of how far the organization has come, I’m honored to work with such talented writers and editors, and I’m indebted to the social change makers and innovators whose stories fill the pages of each issue of YES!”

Photos by Autumn Azure, Hans Mansson, and Roger van Gelder.

On September 12, 2014, YES! welcomed Thom Hartmann, the New York Times-bestselling author, historian, and acclaimed radio and TV host to Seattle.

Our venue, Town Hall, was packed with an enthusiastic crowd of more than 800. Editor in Chief Sarah van Gelder interviewed Thom on stage about one of the keys to solving our society’s many challenges—namely, reducing the influence of big money in politics.

A musical trio, Chassez, played a tribute to our late beloved friend, Pete Seeger. Through donations at the event, by mail, and online, we met our $20,000 matching goal for the event. We’re very grateful to everyone who joined us for the event and who helped us reach the goal.  Those contributions keep YES! thriving.

Here’s some video of the conversation between Sarah and Thom:

And here are some pictures of the event. Photos by Autumn Azure Photography.

Many thanks to our event sponsors:

Champion Sponsor	Welcoming Partner

Visionary Sponsors

Innovator Sponsors
Changemaker Sponsors

A portrait of Ferguson one year after Michael Brown’s death–in pictures

Sunday, August 9 marks the first anniversary of Michael Brown’s death. In this photo essay, get a glimpse of what the streets of Ferguson are like one year after the protests that sparked a national conversation about racism and police brutality. (via The Guardian)

What’s changed in Ferguson’s justice system?

The Department of Justice reproached the Ferguson courts for ticket and fines systems that exploit those who are least able to pay. This investigative report revealed that a year later, not much has changed. (via CNN Money)

The future of work

As the job market turns toward freelancing and contract positions, the need for a safety net that would uncouple benefits and salaried jobs is arising. But the transformation also allows for more flexibility and creativity. Some ask the question, is this the next industrial revolution? (via The Pacific Standard)

River of Tang

Three million gallons of waste water poured into the Animas River in Colorado. The spill, which gave the river a bright orange hue, was more than just a mess up on the part of the Environmental Protection Agency. It was a disaster waiting to happen. This article examines the the long-term impacts of mining, and how to help clean-up efforts and force mining to be responsible in the longer term. (via High Country News)

Can financiers save the planet?

Because running an investment fund involves a certain amount of insight into the future, the people who run them have often been forward-thinking on climate change. And as the planet heats up, money is beginning to move. According to this piece from The New Yorker, efforts to incorporate climate change into financial thinking have altered the definition of fiduciary duty to include “active stewardship of global average temperature.” (via The New Yorker)

Renewable energy- the cheaper alternative

As fossil fuels become a liability and the infrastructure for renewable energy grows, everyday people switching to an eco-friendly energy alternative might find renewables are actually cheaper than the carbon-heavy option. What does that mean for the prospect of nation-wide energy independence, once deemed impossible? (via The Nation)

DC cemetery gets a herd of goats

While the president of Zimbabwe has written an “anti-goat manifesto,” Washington, D.C., has found a way to put them to use. “We get our land cleared, we get it fertilized, and the goats attract thousands of people,”says John Williams in the NPR article. “A lot of families with kids are coming into the cemetery and often seeing a goat for the first time.” (via NPR)

Can you teach doctors empathy using patients who can’t feel anymore?

By allowing medical students to learn about and celebrate the lives of the donated cadavers they dissect, medical schools hope to prevent students from becoming emotionally detached from the people they treat in the future. (via The Atlantic)

Want to be more manly? There’s a class for that

What is a good man? A real man? The new master’s degree program in “masculinities studies” at Stonybrook University explores the many ways this generation of men are men—from social work to literature to health. (via The New York Times)

Was Netflix on to something?

This Washington Post articles asks, “Is Parental Leave Unfair?”  The piece argues that paid parental leave shouldn’t just be a perk for the elite, but something that all employees in the U.S. should get. (via The Washington Post)

Despite Drought, California is “winning”

California may be in its fifth year of drought, but, as this New York Times author puts it, the state is faring fabulously. Its population and economy are booming and its farmers are getting innovative with their water sources. So, what’s in store for the drought of 2045? (via The New York Times)

What do activists do?

What outcomes does activism really have? Are activist actions just stunts? Or can someone really create change by rappelling off a bridge? (via Counterpunch) 

“Trickle-down justice”

This article answers the question of why Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted Bernie Sanders, and how necessary it was. White liberals don’t get how blind we are to systemic racism, and how, as Van Jones says, “trickle-down justice” doesn’t cut it. (via CNN)

What happens when a community sends its kids to college?

A town in one of the poorest counties in Michigan is sending all of its students to college—or it’s trying to at least. It promised $5,000 scholarships to all students. Baldwin has seen the effects, with higher college enrollment rates and kindergartners already planning for their degrees. Turns out, helping kids go to college makes them want to go to college. (via The Atlantic)

Alternative currencies spring up in Greece

In the wake of Greece’s financial crisis, citizens are turning to a barter system, using alternative currencies and finding it does good for the community, and the individual. (via The Guardian)

All photos from Shutterstock.

Don’t buy that

On Black Friday, a group of 80 artists replaced 600 ads throughout the city of Paris with posters calling out the destructive effects companies have had on the planet. The works are intended to point out the connections between consumerism and climate change, the artists said in a statement. (via Addicting Info)

What do private companies have to do with COP21?

184 nations sent representatives to Paris this week with individual plans to reduce carbon emissions. But private companies are also getting in on the conversation with initiatives and pledges to do better, as well as lobbying to stop progress. (via The Ethical Consumer)

What we need from Paris

Is the answer to climate change as simple as counting calories: keep the concentration of CO2 to 350 parts per million and keep the temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius. Are these the same old goal posts we can expect from the Paris climate talks? Hopefully not. (via The Guardian)

Is the internet ruining your productivity?

You know the answer already. The internet is addicting and while our first response might be denial, there are huge benefits to taking even just a week off from the over-stimulating web. (via The New York Times)

Who’s reading your emails?

Congress is starting the process of updating a nearly 20-year-old internet privacy act. Under consideration is a bill that would require government agencies to obtain a warrant before searching through old emails. A similar initiative failed in 2013. (via Associated Press)

The last time we redesigned our site was in 2009. In Internet time, six years ago may as well be a century ago. Smartphones weren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are now, social media drove only a small portion of web traffic, the iPad hadn’t come out yet, and multimedia and blogs were still considered novel. Our site redesign in 2009 reflected the trends of that era.

The gorgeous photos, infographics, and videos we’re posting deserve a contemporary presentation.

The biggest motivation for redesigning our site was an external one—the growth in mobile users. Just two years ago, only 20 percent of our visits were from a mobile device. Now, despite our old site’s mobile-unfriendly design, that’s doubled to 40 percent. To address this, our new site is responsive—that is, it displays content differently depending on the size of your screen. This should release you from the “pinch-zoom hell” you were trapped in when viewing our old site on your phone.

The other motivation was more internal—we’ve changed. At the time of our 2009 redesign, our goal was to move from posting quarterly print articles to publishing online daily. We had about 60,000 site visitors a month, and launched a weekly email roundup of our best articles called YES! This Week.

Since then, the number of visitors has almost quadrupled, we have more than 90,000 people receiving our weekly email newsletter, and close to 150,000 people accessing our stories via social media. The volume and sophistication of our online coverage has grown tremendously, offering in-depth coverage of positive social change you won’t find anywhere else.

We wanted to make it easier for you to read and share this coverage with your friends and networks—and to engage with us and each other via our commenting section. The gorgeous photos, infographics, and videos we’re posting deserve a contemporary presentation. For those of you who somehow avoid the allure of our award-winning print magazine (you can subscribe here—hint, hint), the only face of YES! you see is digital, and we want to present our content to you with the same attention to reader experience as we do in our print magazine.

The redesign process mostly involved a team of YES! editorial, IT, design, and marketing staff and interns. We met weekly for two months, studying our site analytics, trends in digital media, and doing case studies of other media sites. The resulting list of requirements and features were debated and honed before our creative director, Tracy Loeffelholz Dunn, began creating mock-ups. Through several rounds of feedback, we converged on the final site design. We were fortunate to be able to work with Bryan Wilson—a web programmer with expertise in our open-source content management system, Plone—who implemented the responsive design, converted the thousands of pages from our old site, and with some help from Alec Mitchell and the folks at Jazkarta, upgraded our web hosting.

It’s also fortunate for us that many of you answered our call for donations to fund this redesign. Thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you!

What’s changed?

• Mobile-friendly: Visit us from your phone and you’ll find all our content at a readable, touch-friendly size with minimal fuss. An external test site shows that our mobile user experience has gone from a score of 65/100 to 99/100. With the luxurious width of a tablet or laptop, you’ll get enhanced options for navigation and interaction, plus big, beautiful photos. (For our geeky readers, we used the Bootstrap framework and Diazo theme engine.)
• Enjoyable reading experience: We wanted a more contemporary, spacious feel to make reading our articles a pleasure. Moving from a 3-column layout to a 2-column layout allowed us to make the content well wider and reduce distractions from side columns, giving the words some room to breathe, and allowing bigger, high-resolution images.
• Easy to share: Above and below every article, you’ll find a simplified share bar, with the tools our readers have been using the most—Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and email.
• Speed: Page load times are important, especially when using mobile data. We’ve upgraded our web hosting to be much faster and more scalable, and optimized the number and size of images, fonts, and code we download in each page. Much of this still needs to be tweaked, so bear with us in the coming weeks.
• Fewer, clearer options: When we analyzed our old site, we found many redundant navigation options and calls to action that simply weren’t getting clicked. So we started with a clean slate and added only the most essential items, effectively decluttering the site.
• A homepage that’s always current: Our old homepage required our editors to manually choose articles to slot into various boxes. It was time-consuming and often got put off, leaving older content on the homepage. The new homepage automatically puts the freshest content front and center.
• Lifting up key voices: We have a number of prolific contributors to our site that have developed their own following, and now we can feature them in the new Voices section, in the right-hand column.
• Easy to follow us: When you want to get more of our unique brand of solutions-oriented content, we make it easy by putting our email signup and links to our Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages right at the top of the right column.

So why the “Beta” tag above the logo? With thousands of pages created by dozens of editors over our 20-year history, you can imagine that there are inconsistencies in how pages were posted. Some could be easily converted to the new system; some could not. While most newer articles will look great, many older ones have issues. In addition, it’ll take us a few months to fully work out the kinks in the site.

Therefore, we ask you, our readers, for your patience and feedback. If you have general comments, please join the conversation by commenting below. If you have specific issues to report, please email us at SiteLaunch2015@yesmagazine.org. We may not be able to answer every message, but we’ll be sure to read them all and use them to make improvements.

Thanks, and we hope you enjoy the new site.

But the signs of progress, large and small, are there if you know where to look.

YES! Magazine is seeking concrete, timely, and carefully reported stories that make those signs of progress clear. We’re interested in articles about progressive candidates and campaigns, and communities working to getting their agendas addressed. We’re also interested in thoughtful reported essays that assess the health of our democracy.

For example:

• In 2014, Arkansas passed legislation prohibiting corporations from making contributions to state and local candidates. Meanwhile, Oregon’s “Motor Voter” law went into effect on January 1. What impacts are those laws having in 2016?
• 2015 saw bold organizing by social movements around issues like climate justice, better wages for fast-food workers, and police killings of African Americans. What candidates or campaigns are carrying that momentum forward?
• Recent years have seen new restriction on voter access in many states, with important implications for racial justice. What effects will that have on elections in 2016, and what are people doing about it?

 
We’re also open to creative pitches about the implications of national races on progressive issues.

Please send pitches to jobs@yesmagazine.org with “politics” in the subject line.

Breast milk: the ultimate food story

Potent medicine, means of communication, and fat-burner: These are just some of the qualities of the ultimate form of nourishment, as this mother and food writer explains. (via The Stranger)

Pope Francis will allow priests to forgive abortion

Pope Francis has announced that during the “holy year” Catholics are preparing to enter, priests will be allowed to forgive abortions. While it’s a radical move, some folks are holding their applause, arguing that abortion is not a sin to be forgiven. (via The Takeaway)

New Orleans’ culture of resistance

With the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina having just passed, the country is taking stock of what is happening in New Orleans now. One of the positive outcomes: new, innovative, and grassroots organizing.  (via The Nation)

D.C. sides with renewable energy advocates

Four states approved a big utility merger of companies that would push renewables to the side. The government shocked everyone by unanimously denying it over clean energy. (via Think Progress)

What can high school feminists teach us?

A high school club that met at lunch to discuss feminism grew into a school-wide education program. Eventually, the student-led group formed alliances with other Sacramento schools in the hopes that the lower classmen will carry the torch forward. (via The Sacramento Bee)

Are hipsters causing gentrification in New Orleans?

While new residents might have genuine intentions, the changes made to a community may sometimes be questionable. Which leads one to ask: Do wealthier newcomers destroy the very thing that drew them to that place? (via Take Part)

Stock market vs. Real economy

In this news segment, Amy Goodman and economist Michael Hudson discuss how stock market growth since 2008 does not reflect growth for the rest of the economy. (via Democracy Now)

All photos from Shutterstock.

The forces behind debt are complicated. Loans aren’t always made fairly and borrowers can end up paying interest for decades—a trend that compounds over generations. What are the implications of this for social justice? What is debt really doing, and where did our current debt system come from? How do current policies set people up for runaway debt—or help them avoid it? And if access to fair credit is key to bolstering local economies and jump-starting families’ ability to build assets, how can we think about the dynamics of “good” debt?

We’re also interested in the idea of debt as a potential source of solidarity. Since people burdened by debt cross all political parties, there’s an opening to organize and find a voice and power. What are the leading-edge strategies that are building on this potential? In the shorter term, what practical steps can people take to get out of debt? And if debt’s not the way to build a house, get an education, start a business, or pay for health care—what is?

YES! Magazine is launching a multiplatform editorial project designed to shift the conversation on this issue. We’re looking for story pitches, leads, and referrals to people who are working on these issues. We are open to all types of articles, including investigative pieces, personal essays, data visualizations and infographics, humor, quizzes, and photo essays. We are a solutions-oriented outfit, so we’re looking for stories that show forward movement, success, potential, and ingenuity—not just problems.

We’d love to hear your ideas. Please respond to debt@yesmagazine.org by 04/13/2015.

Here are some of the ideas we’re interested in:

Morality of Debt

Why is it wrong to not pay a debt that you cannot afford? Can we shift the moral obligation from debtor to creditor? How do the attitudes of different generations play into our moralizing: grandparents (“all debt is bad”), parents (“debt is how you get ahead”), millennials (“debt is the drain on my life”).

Debt Strikes and Debtors’ Rights

What happens when people collectively refuse to pay? If debtors organized themselves toward collective action, could banks be forced to negotiate with debtors as equals? How can we develop the deep trust that such a tactic would require? Are there organizations currently building the foundation for a debt strike? What about historical precedents? Is this even a good idea? What other collective strategies are emerging, and how do they draw on historical precedents, particularly in economically marginalized communities?

The Trap of “Affordable Debt”

Some legislators and bankers are working hard to make debt affordable through policies such as lower interest rates, and say that this is the best solution to the problem. Yet these approaches maintain a situation in which lenders retain all the power to grant relief.

The Double Standard About Bankruptcy

When corporations walk away from bad debt through bankruptcy, the business world applauds them. When individuals with underwater mortgages do it, it’s seen as a drain on the economy. What’s behind this double standard?

Debt That Works

When we look at history, there are whole eras when debt plays a different role than it does today. Debt can liberate as well as enslave. Doing for others and owing to others are certainly transactions that knit communities together. Can we envision a sustainable economy in which credit and debt become socially productive? What does that look like?

Life Without Debt

What’s it like to go through life without credit cards, car loans, and mortgage? Any personal stories about who is pulling that off?

Other Cultures

Croatia just canceled the debts of its poorest citizens. Some European countries educate their students for free and send them into the workforce without debt, while Australians only repay student loans when they can afford to. What can we learn from other countries, cultures, and communities about reasonable approaches to debt?

Dealing With Your Debt

Even though we’re angry that our mortgages are underwater and the money we saved for our children’s education got sucked up by medical bills, many are not ready to participate in a debt strike. What can people do right now, within the system we have?

What does the data show?

A tremendous amount of information exists about who holds debt. We’re interested in using data resources to learn more about how debt affects different groups of people. How does it affect one generation to the next?

We’re looking for story pitches, leads, and referrals to people who are working on these issues. We’d love to hear your ideas. Please respond to debt@yesmagazine.org by 04/13/2015.

YES! Magazine is a national, nonprofit media organization that covers ideas and actions that address some of the most urgent economic, environmental, and social problems today. We publish a quarterly print issue as well as a website, both of which are ad-free.

What the frack?
Kathryn Schulz’ recent article in the New Yorker may have us all imagining the mega earthquake that’s due in the Pacific Northwest. But Oklahoma is feeling the shakes here and now: residents have experienced 40 earthquakes in the last week. Scientists have confirmed that the dramatic uptick in the state’s quakes is linked to increased fracking in the region. (via EcoWatch)

Save the bees
When the European Union banned neonicotinoid pesticides back in 2013 because they were probably making bees sick, YES! celebrated the decision. But the Guardian reports that the U.K. government has temporarily lifted the ban. Bee allies came out in full force and sent more than 500 petitions opposing the decision. (via The Guardian)

What would free college cost us?
Less than what the U.S. government currently spends subsidizing college costs with Pell grants, work study and other programs. (via The Atlantic) 

Weekend at Bernie’s
In this conversation with Vox, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders explains his positions on health care, economics, and foreign policy—and the grassroots movement we need to achieve policies that benefit all Americans, not just the billionaires. (via Vox)

Lawless on the high seas
We knew things were rough out in the deep blue, but this series pulls the human component to the story. It left many readers wondering, “What can be done to change these circumstances?” In a follow-up to this question, author Ian Urbina put together a nice list of solutions to stop the abuse workers at sea face—and to protect our oceans. (via The New York Times)

The great debate
We’ve all had debates before, whether in person, on Facebook, or at a bar. Columnist Jef Rouner, however, says some opinions are just wrong. He makes some good points. After all, facts are facts—and some opinions are just plain ignorant.(via Houston Press)
 
Seventy percent of Hong Kong’s public rental units are “tiny”
And Vancouver is catching up by leading the way in tiny houses, also known as Accessory Dwelling Units. This series looks at their growing popularity at a time when cities are scrambling to find solutions for affordable housing. (via The Tyee)

America’s South is the New China
Why? It’s the world’s new source of cheap labor due to southern Republicans fighting against wage increases, minimum wage legislation, and unionization. But some have taken matters into their own hands, like this worker-owned textile co-op. (via The American Prospect) 

Gangs of Seattle
Our new fellow, Marcus Green, reported on the unlikely alliance formed between former gang members in Seattle, creating a movement to unite neighborhoods once wracked with violence and conflict. (via Seattle Weekly)

Four years on, YES! Magazine and the New Economy Coalition ask: What are the solutions for the 99 percent? We need a fundamentally re-envisioned economy that puts people and the planet first. What are the phrases and visual images that can galvanize the movement to demand what’s next, and illustrate the inspiring work already happening to build it?

For 2015’s New Economy Week, we’re calling on you to tell us what evocative slogans, scenes and catchphrases can bring the New Economy to a broader audience. Simply put, we’re tired of showing pictures windmills and farmers’ markets. We need new images and powerful metaphors that capture what’s vibrant about our movement and resonates “beyond the choir.”

That’s why we’re enlisting artists like Favianna Rodriguez and  Jennifer Luxton to bring your ideas to life. Together, we’ll turn the top two concepts into full-size, full-color posters, unveiling the winners as we kick off New Economy Week this November 9-15. The winning illustrations will run on yesmagazine.org, and winners will receive framed copies of their poster, a year’s subscription to YES!, and a signed copy of Gar Alperovitz’s latest book, What Then Must We Do: Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution.

Here’s what we need from you:

Use the form below to submit your idea for a slogan by Monday 10/19, and the concept you want illustrated. Remember to keep it short (150 words or less), visual, and compelling. Are there characters in your poster? Let us know who they are, what they look like, and what they’re doing. Please don’t simply describe a policy or a plan that you think is a solution. Instead, think of what it would look like if that plan were happening, and describe the scene to us in visual terms.

Use descriptions for one of the five daily themes for New Economy Week to guide your thinking, or make something else up entirely!

If you need more inspiration, check out the work of NEC’s members at neweconomy.net, and the stories from around the new economy highlighted by YES! every day.

We also ask that you include a slogan that our artist can write on the poster with your design. The best slogans are just a few words.

Note that we are NOT accepting illustrated submissions—just ideas, and we ask that each person submit no more than two during the length of the contest. We’ll do our best to get back to you in a timely fashion, and can promise you will receive word on the status of your submission by October 20 at the latest.

All submissions text will be considered Creative Commons and, if illustrated, rights for the final product will be at the discretion of the artists.

Here’s an example:

Here’s a sample concept submission that have been the source for Jennifer Luxton’s “Jazz Revolution” illustration:

Slogan: Co-Ops Now!

Concept: A diverse group of new economy activists is playing jazz in a concert venue. The idea is to illustrate the way activists can learn from jazz’s merging of improvisation and planning. The players should be diverse in age, race, and possibly politics, and should clearly be having fun creating music.

Sanders calls climate change our biggest security threat

At the first democratic presidential debate, moderator Anderson Cooper asked the five candidates to name the nation’s biggest security threat. The situation in the Middle East, nuclear weapons, and Iran were all mentioned, but Bernie Sanders won applause for his unconventional answer: climate change. (via Common Dreams)

Robert Redford wants you to be hopeful about climate change

Actor Robert Redford, in this op-ed for EcoWatch, says Pope Francis’ address to Congress will be remembered as “a day when the needle finally moved on climate change.” But instead of focusing on the direness of the situation, he spotlights reasons for hope and the strides that are already being made. (via EcoWatch)

Why BLM is about more than race

Is #BlackLivesMatter only about race? Well, not exactly. It turns out that many of the organizers involved in the Black Lives Matter movement also have day jobs in the labor movement and are keenly aware of the relationship between racial and economic justice. For a sharp analysis of what all this means for larger progressive struggles, this article is a must-read. (via Dissent Magazine)

How prisoners beat the Harvard debate team

Harvard’s undergraduate debate team was crowned national champions earlier this year, but just a few months later they were beat by a team without an Ivy League education: the prisoners at the Eastern correctional facility in New York. (via The Guardian)

#MoreWomen

Despite being half the human population, women are often underrepresented in positions in power. This video illustrates just how few women are at the top. (via Elle UK TV)

What’s warming the earth?

Climate change deniers have blamed the rising tides and temperatures on a number of natural factors, like the Sun, orbital changes, and volcanic movement. While these things fluctuate and can cause the earth’s temperature to rise, they don’t come close to the effects of greenhouse gases. (via Bloomberg)

All photos from Shutterstock.

DIY Gynecology

Meet the GynePunks pushing the boundaries of DIY gynecology and learn about the hacker community that’s bringing open-source reproductive health care to women everywhere. (via Vice)

A dismal Disneyland

On the shores of Weston-super-Mare outside of Bristol, England, artist Banksy built his sarcastic take on Disney World. Instead of cheerful greeters, Dismaland Bemusement Park guides are gloomy and disinterested, sporting black balloons that boast “I Am An Imbecile.” And the entrance fee is only £3. (via Quartz)

Escape from Costa Rica

Costa Rica is planning to close the country’s two zoos, meaning the more than 400 animal inhabitants will soon be getting eviction notices. The closure was meant to release the animals from captivity but those who need special care may be turned away from the already inundated shelters. One way they’re making room? Cutting staff and letting volunteers get up close to the endangered species. (via National Geographic)

We don’t know if Seattle’s minimum wage worked yet

In the few short months since Seattle passed a $15 minimum wage, the city has seen the largest job gains of  past couple decades. The program hasn’t been in place long enough to prove that it works, but it also means that critics don’t have much proof. (via Civic Skunk Works)

Big Brother is watching

Dutch artists chose to celebrate George Orwell’s birthday by putting party hats on surveillance cameras.“By making these inconspicuous cameras that we ignore in our daily lives catch the eye again we also create awareness of how many cameras really watch us nowadays.” (via Buzzfeed)

Science says…

Truth is more elusive than we like to believe, even in the sciences. Check yourself next time you want to use the expression “science says…” (via Five Thirty Eight)

Mary…I mean Matt

Studies have pointed to a bias in publishers when it comes to responding to male and female writers. One author wanted to put the theory to the test, sending out manuscripts with different names. Her results are not surprising, but she puts them to good work. (via Jezebel)

Leave the gun, take the shovel

A Mexican artist wanted to turn guns into a force for good, so he collected guns from the community in exchange for coupons that could be used on electronics. He then took the 1,527 guns and turned them into shovels for the purpose of planting trees. (via True Activist)

All photos from Shutterstock.

ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh: Why the name matters

News stations and governments have different names for the group that carried out the attack in Paris last Friday. What’s the difference? Well, it’s actually kind of a big deal. (via Vox)

Good news for butterflies

Monarch butterflies, whose numbers have dwindled due to logging practices and pesticide use, are expected to make a recovery after legislation limiting the harmful practices took effect in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. (via Reuters)

Stopping fossil fuel in its tracks

Portland, Oregon’s city council unanimously voted to oppose building any new “oil trains,” infrastructure that would “increase the transportation or storage of fossil fuels.” Portland’s Mayor will be attending the climate talks in Paris to share the plan.  (via Grist)

Growing old

Mary, 98, lives alone in Pennsylvania and spends her free time shredding junk mail. This short film asks, is this the fate of America’s elderly? (via The Atlantic)

Does media glamorize “the hood?”

“People really die here, but people also have babies and fall in love and do things in-between the birth and the casket.” In this essay, a writer calls for one thing portrayals of “the hood” are usually missing: balance. (via Those People)

A new story of health is emerging that links our mental and physical well-being, and the well-being of each of us to the world around us.

While terrorism and crime grab the headlines, the most common causes of premature death and disability in the industrialized world have roots in stress, trauma, poverty, and unhealthy living or work environments. The provision of medical services is much discussed, but not the health impacts of anxiety generated by economic uncertainty, exposure to environmental hazards, limited access to nourishing food, and the trauma resulting from war, child abuse, and sexual assault.

We are looking for evidence-based articles, essays, or leads to information showing ways to improve our well-being in these areas:

Healing and avoiding trauma

How do we break the cycle of trauma, reduce the ripple effects from self-medicating, and interrupt generational harms? We are interested in articles that find solutions in strong cultures and communities, traditions, spiritual practices, respect for women, and therapies that work with the ways the body holds trauma.

Our natural and built environments

Well-being is enhanced by access to nature – not just hiking in the woods, but opportunities to grow food and walk safely, breathing clean air. Healthy neighborhood designs feature car-free living and safe places for people of all ages to connect with others.

Our interior life

New understandings of the complex interactions between our bodies and the microbial environments within us provoke a rethinking of how we cultivate helpful internal ecosystems. Microbes are not only in our gut, they affect our minds. Should we get better at cultivating the beneficial kinds? Also, the mind and body are connected in some surprising ways; for example, much of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is manufactured in the gut, not the brain. We’re interested in the ways that mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and other internal skills can make us healthy.

Everyday habits

Many of us feel vulnerable and overwhelmed as we contend with stress around work, family, relationships, finances, and the state of our world. What can we do right now to be the best advocates for our own health and well-being? What does research say about biohacking, food choice, exercise, mindfulness, self-talk, body image, sexuality. How do we sort out all the conflicting advice and form healthy habits?

We can experience better health—at the individual, family, and community level—by challenging old patterns, learning how to take control of our own health, and advocating for cities and neighborhoods and social systems that reduce stressors and support real health for all.

We’re looking for story pitches, leads, and referrals to people who are working on these issues. We’d love to hear your ideas. Please respond to themes@yesmagazine.org by 05/20/2015.

YES! Magazine is a national, nonprofit media organization that covers ideas and actions that address some of the most urgent economic, environmental, and social problems today. We publish a quarterly print issue as well as a website, both of which are ad-free.

Note: we are especially looking for ideas that have a solid research foundation. We are focusing on an empowered DIY approach and will not be publishing articles about medical interventions, supplements, or other products.

For a limited time only: Get the complete digital edition of our very popular (and out of print) Food for Everyone issue when you shop or donate at the YES! store.

The new YES! issue, How to Eat Like Our Lives Depend On It, focuses on the healing power of food. Our Spring 2009 issue, Food for Everyone, focuses on issues of food justice and food sovereignty.

Not yet a YES! subscriber? Subscribe today to get both wonderful food issues — one in your mailbox, and one on your computer.

Already a subscriber? Purchase a gift subscription or any item from our store, or make a tax-deductible donation to YES! and add this special digital edition to your collection.

Look for the Digital Edition link in your purchase (or donation) receipt.

Divestment isn’t as big as you think

On Tuesday, environmental activist group 350.org announced that the movement to divest from Big Coal, Oil, and Gas has resulted in $2.6 trillion in commitments by universities, local governments, individuals, and other institutions who have pledged to take their money out of fossil fuels. Too good to be true, right? Mother Jones contested the numbers, revealing how difficult it is to quantify the impact of divestment as a strategy to fight climate change. (via Mother Jones)

“Stereotypes”

“When most people see a 6-foot-2-inch, 260-pound black man, they don’t expect him to also be a classically trained violinist.” On NPR, Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste talk about the stereotypes they face and how combining classical music and hip-hop makes the best of both worlds. (via NPR)

Mo’ money, mo’ problems

Last year, 76 percent of the money in Brazil’s elections came from corporations. Protests erupted amid cries of corruption, and now the Supreme Court has banned corporate donations to future elections. (via The Guardian)

Boosting trans employment

A province surrounding Buenos Aires is spearheading an effort to bring transgender people into the mainstream by requiring that one percent of the region’s civil servant jobs go to transgender workers. (via Vice)

Crystal Geyser vs. Mount Shasta

Crystal Geyser is trying to tap more California water, and the locals, including the local Winnemem Wintu tribe, is trying to fight it. The city government of Mount Shasta, California, tried to slide the deal through without consulting the public; instead they spurred the community into action leading to an environmental impact report from the company. (via SF Gate)

Climate denial runs deep at Exxon

An investigative report from Inside Climate News shows that despite Exxon’s 1982 chairman’s criticism of the science behind global warming, the company already had evidence to prove the climate was changing. (via Inside Climate News)

Refugee to refugee

America once accepted 800,000 refugees from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. In this Q and A, one of the refugees shares his perspective on the experience and compares it with the plight of Syrians in Europe. (via WBUR Radio)

The case for non-linear happiness

Writer Rebecca Solnit reflects on why those who question her reproductive status also question her happiness—and why happiness has become the center of our attention anyway. (via Harper’s Magazine)

All photos from Shutterstock.

This issue will look at why women’s and LGBTQ equality issues are everybody’s issues.

It will look at what feminism can learn from other movements—such as the movement that secured marriage equality—that have successfully crafted messages that appeal to and mobilize the broader public.

It will look at why “intersectional feminism,” which has always gone further than more mainstream understandings of feminism, is necessary to move beyond a focus on the inequalities faced by a privileged few: glass ceilings and disproportionate boardrooms.

The feminism that’s being more widely discussed today acknowledges that issues of gender transcend the boundaries of race, class, and identity, and has gained energy and leadership particularly from marginalized communities. If today’s feminism can address divergent economic circumstances and the needs of communities of color, then its goals can go deeper toward justice rather than mere representational equality.

Here are some of the ideas we’re interested in:

How intersectional thinking connects feminism to racial and economic justice movements such as Black Lives Matter, the fight for a $15 minimum wage, and domestic workers organizing.

Women’s bodies as a battleground: strategies for fighting the reproductive-rights war in the South, the future of Planned Parenthood and access to abortion, and rape as a weapon across cultures and classes, from college campuses to the military.

What’s the unfinished business of past feminist movements: How are conflicts between old and new versions of feminism being reconciled? What do women want for themselves, and what do they want from men?

What is modern masculinity? Men’s roles in the workforce and at home have drastically changed, shifting more men toward caregiving and equal sharing of responsibilities with their partners. How has this affected male identities and relationships?

What cultural shifts need to be made to value and support the work done outside the paycheck economy—work that is usually done by women. Feminism is usually fought out in the world, but changes also have to happen in the home.

Prison analysts say women bear the brunt of America’s incarceration frenzy, especially in communities of color. Why and what can we do about that?

1 woman in 4 takes medication for a mental health issue. Why those numbers are society’s problem, not women’s problem.

How can we stand in solidarity with gender minorities? What are the everyday actions we can take so that we don’t stand by silently when we witness women and LGBTQ people being diminished at the office, in the classroom, in online spaces, or elsewhere?

How do we advance a sex-positive culture that allows people to acknowledge and pursue their true desires, rather than what most media tell us we should want?

How can we encourage our children and young people to freely express their gender identities in a safe environment?

Gender identity and expression: Are we seeing the end of gender importance or just the beginning? How can our conversations about gender grow beyond a fascination with celebrities to include less glamorous but critical aspects of transgender people’s lives as many struggle to attain basic rights and acceptance?

We’re looking for stories that address useful solutions at all levels, from policies to communities to individuals. We’re especially interested in stories that show creative solutions already in place. Do you have an idea for a reported feature, deeply researched think piece, or personal essay that belongs in this issue of YES!? Send pitches to gender@yesmagazine.org by Dec. 28.

Your microbiome says a lot about you

The elusive “aura” we hear about may just be a cloud of skin and fart bacteria. Scientists have recently discovered that individuals walk around in their own microbiome, surrounded by particles released from the skin and the gut. Much like fingerprints, each body has its own and we leave particles behind as we move. Some law enforcement hope the discovery will help track down criminals. (via Wired)

How ads keep the Internet democratic

The largest and most visible tech companies are having a huge battle that might determine the fate of how culture is produced around the entire world, kind of. They’re fighting over adblockers, and if successful, small websites that depend on ads for revenue will essentially be pushed out of the game. (via The Verge)

Tiny houses for the homeless

When these Seattle high-schoolers built a tiny house for a homeless man, locals wondered if this could be an alternative to homeless “tent-cities.”(via KUOW Radio)

The new “women’s” news

Websites that combine feminism, femininity, and real news are popping up everywhere and changing the conversation from the sometimes patronizing tone of typical women’s magazines.  Why do we need these sites anyway? “More women’s outlets means more women editors, writers, and reporters who will end up in mainstream newsrooms.” (via The Columbia Journalism Review)

Nature reclaims her territory

In this three-minute short shot entirely by drone, Tim Sessler portrays the ruins of human establishments (skeletons of houses, empty parks, abandoned schools) where nature has taken over ad flourished. (via The Atlantic)

The wild (and dry) west

After years of record-breaking droughts in the Western states, people are beginning to worry. But Sarah Tory, a drought and water news reporter, makes the case for being optimistic about our situation. The facts may not be in our favor but if we treat the problem as a crisis, “we’re going to be sending out squadrons of armed helicopters against our neighbors, and that’s not a West that any of us wants.” (via High Country News)

Pope Francis’ subtle call for inclusion

The Pope called out four American heroes in his address to Congress. One of them was the writer Thomas Merton.  What many didn’t realize was how controversial Merton is within the American Catholic Church.  The Pope’s calling him out was one more of his subtle and not so subtle means of shifting the conservatism of the church to a more open, active, and inclusive stance.  (via Sojourners)  

All photos from Shutterstock.

Muslims who trump Trump

Donald Trump proposed a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Here are a few amazing women who would not have made his cut. (via The New York Times)

Return of the politically engaged rapper

This profile of Atlanta-based rapper and activist Killer Mike looks at how rap deviated from a legacy of “political consciousness”—and why the politically engaged rapper is making a comeback.  (via New Republic)

Behind the drones

“Ever step on ants and never give it another thought?” asks Michael Haas, one of four former drone operators who have come forward to share their stories. (via The Guardian)

What we mean when we talk about consent

Medium asked men their thoughts on the meaning of consent. The response? Real stories exploring “the grayest of hookups” and why consent is an essential conversation topic. (via Medium)

Refugee camps through the eyes of kids

Reza Visual Academy trains children in refugee settlements to take photographs that capture what life is like for those living in the camps. (via National Geographic)

The border debate, from a Native perspective

Indigenous people have a different perspective on illegal immigration than those we hear in Congress.  What does the debate mean for people who are native to the land? (via AJ+)

Actually, do we even need borders?

The refugee crisis sheds light on how borders can create prisons out of conflict zones, but what’s the point? Migrants bring an influx of money, labor, culture, and more. So why are we clinging to these divisions? (via Public Radio International)

A(head) of the class

It started with a bean sprout. Now, a growing fad in China has young (and a few old) people sporting plastic vegetation, including sunflowers, mushrooms, cherries, gourds, and pine trees—from their heads. Childish? Maybe. But it’s a fun way to stand out in a country of people who don’t like to call attention to themselves, and a fashionable way to profess your love for nature. (via The New York Times) 

How pollution affects your brain

New studies are pointing to the link between air quality and dementia. People living in cities are particularly in danger, due to proximity to freeways and roads. (via Mother Jones) 

Stop recycling? Not just yet

Former New York Times columnist John Tierney would love to see recycling go away.  In 1996 he wrote an article for the Times saying recycling wasn’t worth the effort.  Now he’s done it again. Grist offers a fine rebuttal of his arguments, reminding us all of the multiple benefits of recycling.  (via Grist)

Youth activism keeps culture going

Despite the fact that young people are often chided for not respecting culture and tradition, the indigenous youth of Canada are leading the fight to keep their languages living—and influencing the nation’s elections while they do it. (via The Guardian)

All photos from Shutterstock.

Photos by Autumn Azure Photography.

The Uber dilemma 

Next time you take a taxi, ask about the driver’s experience with Uber. Many cab drivers work part-time for the transportation company and some have bought a new car expecting they would make good money driving for Uber. Then the firm jacked up their take of the gross to 20 percent. Drivers can’t make the payments on their car, but can’t quit Uber either.  (via The Seattle Globalist)

In Finland, study-time is play-time

For kindergartners in Finland, most of their school time is spent playing. If the children aren’t joyful when they’re learning, who’s to say they’ll remember what they learn? Their experience is quite different than that of some American kindergartners, whose days involve sitting at their desk reading and writing. (via The Atlantic)

How Black Lives Matter is “building power”

Since our Make It Right issue, Black Lives Matter has continued to evolve. Where is the movement now? In These Times brought several people closely allied with Black Lives Together for a conversation that captures some of the debates in the movement today. (via In These Times)

How one university is helping to fix the national shortage of black doctors

After witnessing a disturbing drop in the number of black college graduates attending med school, Xavier University in Louisiana put in place common-sense solutions to help their students succeed. Today, they graduate more black biology and physics undergraduates than any other program in the country. (via The New York Times)

Equal work, equal pay becomes law in California

This week, Governor Jerry Brown of California signed into law a bill that aims to prevent gender discrimination in the workplace. The bill, which takes effect in 2016, requires that similar jobs must be compensated equally. (via The Los Angeles Times)

How helpful is your mammogram?

In 2012, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that over the last 30 years, mammograms have overdiagnosed 1.3 million women in the United States. Is modern medicines’ push for early detection hurting more than it helps? (via Mother Jones)

All photos from Shutterstock.

The upside of fear

Have friends who love horror movies? Does it make you wonder if they might be sociopaths? They’re (probably) not; here’s the science behind why they like the blood and guts. (via NPR)

What happens to people who laugh at clowns

Want to experience some of fear’s positive side-effects? Here’s a collection of ghost stories you can listen to help get your blood curdling—er, moving. (via Snap Judgement and Radiolab)

Modern ghost stories

Has technology killed the traditional ghost story? Telling spooky tales around the campfire seems to be a thing of the past, but people on the NoSleep subreddit are using the web to help keep person-to-person horror tales alive.  (via The Guardian)

Scary sweets

A study released this past Tuesday showed that cutting most added sugar from kids’ diets dramatically improves the health of children at risk for diabetes—in just 10 days. Maybe a pillow case full of candy isn’t such a great idea. (via Take Part)

Bird? Plane? Space junk?

Scientists are awaiting the arrival of some space waste they believe to be man-made. The object is expected to land in the Indian Ocean in mid-November, so most humans won’t notice. But it could be debris from mission Apollo, meaning a piece of history is headed straight for us. (via The Washington Post)

Speaking of things falling out of the sky

Leaked government documents recently surfaced on the Middle East drone strikes that have been the subject of intense scrutiny across the political sphere. In this interview, Amy Goodman speaks to The Intercept about what the documents mean. (via Democracy Now!)

Too hot to handle

Parts of the Persian Gulf are expected to rise to heat levels uninhabitable to humans by the end of the century if carbon emissions stay at levels they are today. (via MSN)

All photos from Shutterstock.

Black women own more businesses than ever

Did you know that black women are the fastest-growing minority group of businesses owners in the country? One new report found that the number of businesses owned by black women has gone up more than 300 percent in less than 20 years! (via US News)

Robots that stop online bullying

We’re intrigued with the use of artificial intelligence to curb online harassment. It could help eliminate racist comments and other social problems.  But it could also become Big Brother. And, it could be misused.  (via The Vital Edge)

France wants to outlaw discrimination against the poor

The stigma and social perceptions surrounding poverty is a complex one, indeed. But France isn’t letting that stop them. The country wants to make it illegal to deny jobs, health care, or housing to those in poverty. As author Frances Ryan writes, it is debunking the myth that “poverty is a personal choice that the individual deserves to be punished for.” (via The Guardian)

A post-feminist dystopia

This review of Trainwreck, a new movie starring Amy Schumer, gives a primer on “the post-feminist dystopia,” its internalized misogyny, and why we should rethink our attitudes toward feminism. (via Buzzfeed)

What does a zero-waste grocery store look like?

Thinking about the amount of trash that comes from food packaging alone can be unsettling. But this grocery store in Berlin aims to make waste a thing of the past by eliminating all forms of plastic and wrapping. An added bonus: no packaging means no brand names. (via City Lab)

The Cop

A 20-page profile of Darren Wilson—the police officer who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, a year ago—is eerie and informative and spooky and jaw-dropping all at the same time. A must-read for anyone who has followed the growing civil rights movement in Ferguson, and across the country. (via The New Yorker)

Fixing schools through desegregation

There’s no shortage of opinions when it comes to trying to solve the inadequacies of public schooling in the U.S., especially in communities of color. This American Life‘s Ira Glass talks to New York Times Magazine reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones about an obvious one that works: real desegregation. Listen to her talk about how Missouri’s Normandy School District—which borders Ferguson and contains the high school Mike Brown went to—accidentally launched a desegregation program (yep, accidentally). (via This American Life)

What’s changed since Ferguson?

Before the 2014 killing of Michael Brown, Missouri had a court system that punished minor offenders with revenue-raising fines, backed by the threat of a jail sentence if left unpaid. This article lays out how those practices contributed to an attitude of distrust between the people and the justice system, and how the events of Ferguson catalyzed change. (via The Huffington Post)

All photos from Shutterstock.

Forget Black Friday, apps make sharing easier

As individuals and retailers opt out of Black Friday insanity, the sharing economy takes on a new frontier: apps. Here are five that might help you put old stuff to new use. (via Triple Pundit)

Lab to table

Last Thursday, the FDA cleared the first genetically engineered animal for consumption. The “AquAdvantage Salmon” grows about twice as fast as its natural counterpart, and its engineered pedigree will not have to be disclosed to consumers. (via The New York Times)

Why politicians need to talk about gun violence—and black lives

When politicians talk about gun violence, they focus on the tragic mass shootings like those in Newton, Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado. They often overlook that the majority of gun-murder victims are black men. This story shows how one pastor in Boston helped cut the city’s gun related deaths by 63 percent. (via ProPublica)

Charity ads that won’t make you change the channel

Commercials asking for charity often use cliché images of pouting puppies and babies surrounded by flies. One Norwegian organization asked the obvious question: Why does asking for donations have to compromise someone else’s dignity? Turns out that there are better ways to fundraise. (via Goats and Soda)

Nonviolent felons can vote in Kentucky

Through Gov. Steve Beshear’s executive action, Kentucky just restored voting rights to ex-convicts who have completed sentences for nonviolent felonies. These are 100,000 people who can now vote. Kentucky was one of only four states that disenfranchised anyone with a felony conviction. (via The Sentencing Project)

Does building a truly just, democratic and sustainable economy mean creating an entirely new system beyond capitalism—or can we reform capitalism to operate according to those values?

This as an important strategic question that new-economy advocates must come to terms with as we attempt to build public understanding of and support for a just and sustainable new system. Indeed, as the first Democratic presidential debate of the season highlighted, “capitalism” can be a politically charged and confusing term. Thus, as with all controversial terms, how we use the “c-word” matters.

Yet, as one might expect from a diverse and growing movement, new-economy advocates have widely differing views on the term. Thus, for example, while Gar Alperovitz may write of an America Beyond Capitalism, we see his friend and colleague John Fullerton promoting a Regenerative Capitalism that nonetheless resonates with Alperovitz’s vision in its particulars. Some feel the need to qualify our current system as “corporate” capitalism, while others are happy to call it capitalism, plain and simple. Yet in each case the choice of terminology is a deliberate one, indicating that the differences are not merely semantic, but reflect deeper political and cultural realities that no advocate should ignore.

This New Economy Week panel will serve as a live installment of Keith Harrington’s “Checkerboard Revolution” series of articles for YES! Magazine, which explores big picture strategic issues confronting the emerging new-economy movement. To shed light on this often murky issue, an expert panel will discuss varying views of capitalism from the perspective of theory and practice. The discussion will not necessarily aim to build consensus around a particular definition of capitalism, but will attempt to help participants develop a more strategic understanding of the concepts, beliefs and values we evoke when we use the c-word.

1:30PM – 2:45PM EST  |  November 9, 2015  |  Online Panel Event (FREE)

Featuring:
Gar Alperovitz (Next System Project)
Sohnie Black (Fund for Democratic Communities)
John Fullerton (Capital Institute)
Julie Matthaei (Wellesley College)
Keith Harrington (YES! Magazine / Moderator)

Register for the panel here.

How would citizens solve the refugee crisis?

As governments respond to the refugee crisis by putting up fences and using force, everyday citizens are calling for more compassion. In Iceland, residents have offered to open up their own homes and are organizing through Facebook. (via Take Part)

A town without cars

Picnics, playgrounds, artificial grass— a neighborhood in Belgium bans cars and turns roads into “living streets” for the summer. (via Fast Company)

A reasonable conversation about sex work

Whenever people talk about sex work legislation in Europe, they start pointing fingers and looking for better models. Here’s what Scotland does: a reasoned discussion with input from the people most affected. (via Jean Urquhart MSP)

A better solution to homelessness

Vouchers. An extensive study has shown that the most effective way of treating homelessness for women and children is to provide subsidized permanent housing. The effects? Participants were drastically less worried about food and health. (via National Journal)

“Requiem for Arctic Ice”

The protests against Arctic oil drilling have brought out some creative forms of resistance, including kayak flotillas and dangling from bridges. In this video, Charlotte Church performs at a Greenpeace rally. (via Bill Moyers)

Does reconciliation mean returning stolen land?

A UN investigator of discrimination against Native Americans has called on the United States to return portions of land to tribes in the hopes that it will help create wealth and push forward reconciliation. (via The Guardian)

An icon goes green

The legendary Volkswagen camper bus will be rereleased in an electric version. The move is in-line with VW’s recent investments in green vehicle alternatives. (via Minds)

Sin City curbs police violence

The Las Vegas Police Department had a history of deadly force incidents that drew the criticism of experts, civil rights leaders, and the Las Vegas community. Today, they’ve curbed the trend of excessive force and serve as a model for law enforcement agencies from Baltimore to Albuquerque—and even Australia. (via Quartz)

“Second-class rights”

The Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to a ban on assault weapons in a Chicago suburb, despite dissenting opinions from two justices who suggested that allowing a ban on assault weapons makes the Second Amendment a “second-class right.” (via Reuters)

Speaking of guns …

Would the gun control debate make more progress if we addressed the psychological reasons pro-gun advocates feel so passionate about the issue? Weighing risks and reasons, this article takes a closer look at both sides.(via Big Think)

Beijing on “red alert”

Beijing issued its first “red alert” for smog this week, shutting down roads, factories, and schools around the city. Debilitating smog enveloped the city earlier this month and environmental groups criticized the city for putting the health of its 23 million residents at risk. (via The Guardian)

Former Coal CEO convicted

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was convicted on a conspiracy to commit mine safety violations charge, a misdemeanor for which he could serve up to one year in prison, for the deadliest U.S. coal mine accident in the last 40 years. His attorney, Bill Taylor, told reporters he will appeal. (via Mother Jones)

(Photo from Chuck Coker / Flickr.)

To the extent that counts as a victory, it’s perfectly Pyrrhic, and no one’s taking it as cause for celebration.

Here’s the interesting twist: The science says that if we are to have a chance to avert the worst of climate change, we need to leave almost all carbon in the ground. That amounts to voluntarily imposing peak oil conditions.

The peak oilers have spent years now thinking about how to design a society that lives without oil. That’s knowledge we need now to deal with climate change.

The Spring 2016 issue of YES! will look at this confluence of theories. Why is it imperative to get off oil now? What can we do to create the big shift required to get a carbon-glutted system to stop using fossil fuels when there’s still plenty left. And what’s the best route to a just and liveable system in a world where carbon is no longer king? What does that world look like?

Here are some of the ideas we’re interested in:

• What are realistic ways we can make a systemic transition off oil—from countries finding the political will to communities and individuals building resilience? What are the best bits of traditional and modern knowledge and technology to make the transition?
• How do we take on the U.S. transportation monster? From car-based suburban sprawl to the belief that we’re all entitled to limitless travel by air and by car, our culture is about oil. How do we shift those expectations?
• How do we confront the political power of the fossil fuel giants? What would it take to inspire people to leave hundreds of billions of dollars in the ground?
• What are some of the interesting renewable energy models, and what are realistic consumption levels if we go renewable? What can we learn from the more remote communities in the world that have skipped intense oil development and might now go straight to something else?
• And while we’re getting off oil, can we go further? The radical future is not carbon neutral. It’s carbon negative. What does that look like?
• And when we imagine a planet in recovery, over the years and over the centuries, what do we see?

We’re looking looking for stories that address useful solutions at all levels, from governments to communities to individuals. We’re especially interested in stories that go beyond theory and show scalable solutions already in place.

Send us your ideas and article pitches to afteroil@yesmagazine.org by Sept 15.

To prevent rape, start with the boys

Rape prevention focuses on empowering women and girls, teaching self-defense, and ways to prevent dangerous situations. But one group decided to ask what should be an obvious question: How can we stop men from committing rape to begin with? An anti-rape curriculum in Kenya shows that educating boys alongside girls has real effects. (via Upworthy)

The White House wants you to know the cost of your education

The White House on Saturday unveiled a website that does not attempt to rate schools with any kind of grade, but provides information to prospective students and their parents about annual costs, graduation rates, and salaries after graduation. Information like that should help savvy students avoid debt traps. (via U.S. Department of Education)

The digital, black intelligentsia

In the past, black intellectuals came from Ivy League schools. They were elite. Nowadays, “Black Twitter” and the like has sparked a new black digital intelligentsia. These aren’t black men and women with academic backgrounds. They’re just black men and women with a voice—and they’re “changing American ideas.” (via New Republic)

What happens when schools take on the student loan struggle?

This investigative piece from ProPublica shows how some of the most profitable private universities in the United States leave low-income students with debts of more than $20,000. New York University in particular comes out looking bad. But there are solutions in here too! The piece goes on to show how Vassar and other schools are graduating poor students with less than half the half the average debt of the ones at NYU. (via ProPublica)

Big city, high test scores

If you look at London’s high concentration of low-income students, you’d expect to see lower educational outcomes. But they’ve managed to do what many major American cities haven’t: maintain diversity while boosting test scores. How did they do it? By paying their teachers well and revamping policy. (via CityLab)

Department of Justice commits millions to rape kit backlog

After a rape, the victim undergoes the process of collecting DNA in order to identify their assaulter. But too often, the rape kits sit untested. The Department of Justice has provided $81 million to help reduce the backlog, with Attorney General Loretta Lynch saying “No victim’s suffering should be extended one minute longer because of procedural issues.” (via Time)

All photos from Shutterstock.