New York’s cannabis legalization puts social justice front and center
The latest state to join the growing list of states that have legalized recreational cannabis use is New York. Signed into law this week, the bill makes recreational cannabis available for purchase and legal possession in 18 months when the state draws up regulations surrounding its Read More...
This program in Austin aims to undo racism in the music industry
The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply affected many industries, but perhaps none has the weight of it so great as the music industry. Live music events and venues were some of the first to be shut down with the first wave of lockdowns and will be the last to open and function regularly once things Read More...
Meet the woman who created a safe haven for Black and Trans women in NYC
Ceyenne Doroshow knows first-hand the struggle of being a trans woman of color living on the streets. Feeling unable to express her true self in her home neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn, New York, she set out on her own as soon as she reached adulthood. Unfortunately, with no shelter Read More...
Finally! Illinois becomes first state to end cash bail system
In a huge win for racial justice, the state of Illinois is on the verge of becoming the first state to end wealth-based pre-trial detention. For those being accused of a crime in the US, the general rule is that you are innocent until proven guilty. Despite this, courtrooms across the US operate Read More...
How a former KKK meeting place became a center for healing
In Laurens, South Carolina, an organization called Echo Project is converting what once was a Ku Klux Klan meeting place into a community center and racial reconciliation museum. Shockingly, the building became home to a White supremacist store in 1996 that sold Klan robes and Confederate Read More...
Apple unveils details of its $100m initiative to promote racial equality
Back in June, Apple pledged to invest $100 million to promote racial equality and help dismantle systemic barriers faced by communities of color. Now the company is shedding some light on how that money will be spent exactly. As part of its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, the company Read More...
Raphael Warnock wins election to become Georgia’s first Black senator
At The Optimist Daily, our focus is on solutions. We are not interested in following mainstream news outlets in their pursuit of the latest political news. With that said, there are times when events occur in the political arena that are very much worth writing about. The recent Georgia Senate Read More...
Cleveland’s baseball franchise to drop controversial Indians nickname
Earlier this year, the sports world saw the National Football League’s (NFL) Washington franchise drop its nickname, “The Redskins,” a derogatory term for Native Americans. Following in Washington’s footsteps, another sports franchise in America is choosing to drop a name that has long Read More...
6 dirty power plants in New York to transition to cleaner technologies
Power plants that rely on fossil fuels are already bad enough, but what makes these polluting plants even worse is that they are disproportionately located near communities of color. In a study from the University of Washington and Stanford University, researchers found that Black, low-income Read More...
Following Jacob Blake strikes, NBA to turn its arenas into polling stations
After committing to donate $300 million to support racial justice earlier this month, the NBA distinguished itself yet again as one of the most progressive sports leagues with a three-day athlete strike in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake. The league has agreed to recommence games this week Read More...