Politics
Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.
Reproductive justice: Colombia decriminalizes abortion
Following in the footsteps of Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina, Colombia’s constitutional court ruled five against four to decriminalize abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, as reported by The Guardian. Prior to this motion, abortion in Colombia was only Read More...
Here's how we can help Ukraine right now
On early Thursday morning, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is hard to say exactly how this historical event will play out, however, right now, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are suffering. Many of us probably feel like we are already maxed out on historical trauma, what with Read More...
Avoid sharing misinformation about Russia's invasion to support Ukraine
The Optimist Daily is committed to supporting truth in news and solutions-focused journalism for a better world. As we have witnessed for more than a month now, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia comes in the form of not only physical violence but also belligerent media manipulation and Read More...
3 inspiring Black LBGTQ+ pioneers
Part of the cultural reassessment that's been occurring over these last few years has been the recognition that many contributions of both the Black and LBGTQ+ communities have been pushed under the rug for too long. In honor of Black History month, we wanted to shed light on three incredible Read More...
This solar-powered desalination system is a gamechanger
Desalination offers a lot of promise to communities that may face water scarcity in the future. For some, the problem is compounded by the potential scarcity of reliable electricity. As such, it has been the aim of many researchers to develop solar-powered desalination devices, which is a difficult Read More...
These refugee-owned businesses are flourishing
Contrary to popular belief, refugees actually benefit their host nation’s economies according to a study compiled from 30 years of data. Refugee-founded businesses have an enormous potential to invigorate economies, increase job opportunities, and reduce public spending. The Entrepreneurial Read More...
A victory against rent-hikes for Tenderloin residents
At The Optimist Daily, we're happy to see solutions to the housing crisis. While we enjoy innovative solutions, we also love to see communities coming together to help their members hold onto their homes in the face of increasing rent prices. In 2016, when a new owner took over 285 Turk Street, Read More...
France and New Zealand criminalize "conversion therapy"
Conversion therapy is the damaging and degrading practice that attempts to change a person’s sexual identity or gender identity, based on the idea that an individual’s sexual orientation is something that needs to be “cured.” Late last year, we shared an article celebrating Canada’s Read More...
Protections for endangered gray wolves renewed across much of US
Last Thursday, a howl of gratitude sounded from the endangered gray wolves of the US, after Federal protections were reinstated after being removed by the former administration. In a trend of environmentally positive action, Judge Jeffrey White of the US district court of Oakland, California Read More...
Thailand’s pristine Maya Bay reopens with eco-restrictions after tourism ban
If you haven’t been there yourself or seen it in tourism ads, you may recognize the iconic Maya Bay from the 2000 film The Beach, by Danny Boyle starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In the movie, Maya Bay is the setting of a jealously guarded secret beach, whose location cannot be exposed to the public Read More...