Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 576 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

Reimagining a Better World After George Floyd's Death

Anoa Changa Laura Rosbrow-Telem

May 24, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Two ways that communities affected by police violence and racial injustice responded to the uprising after George Floyd's murder were block-by-block organizing and participatory budgeting. The first, used in Minneapolis, provided public safety and mutual aid when neighbors formed networks to guard buildings, put out fires, mediate disputes, and deliver aid to people living through a period of unrest. In participatory budgeting, 30 cities turned over control of $400 million in public spending to communities, which set policy based on communal decisions and directed financial priorities.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In New Hampshire, young adults are finding their voice

Evan Edmonds

May 22, 2021 |

Concord Monitor |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Hampshire

Barriers to participation are keeping millennials from civic engagement in New Hampshire. Unaffordable housing, a lack of childcare, uncompensated civic engagement, office and voting hours that conflict with work schedules, and convoluted processes all prevent both the young and diverse populations from participating.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Washington School kids receive lesson on ‘Participatory Budgeting'

Beverly Barela

May 13, 2021 |

Merced County Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Merced County, California

Student leaders formed the Participatory Budget Committee at a Merced River School and ran the voting process for students decide which initiatives would be funded. The students had a budget of $5,000 to allocate and used actual county voting booths. The winning project was the modernization of campus restrooms. Students learned about participatory budgeting and brainstormed a set of four projects they felt were most needed at the school. They held regular meetings, highlighting the importance of civic involvement.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Ferguson movement is on the cusp of revolutionizing political power in St. Louis

Rebecca Rivas

May 06, 2021 |

Missouri Independent |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, St. Louis, Missouri

Frustrated at the slow pace of criminal justice reform after the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, the grassroots group Action St. Louis formed to seize political power and make change happen from the inside of the system rather than pressuring for change from the outside. After years of organizing and politicking, it flipped key offices – St. Louis city and county prosecutors, the Board of Aldermen, and the mayor – outflanking the police union's candidates with officeholders committed to re-imagining public safety policy.

Read More
Go to Original Story
‘What difference would that make?'

Kiran Misra

April 30, 2021 |

The Chicago Reader |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

A participatory budgeting pilot in ten Chicago Public Schools empowers students to influence change by deciding how small grants, typically $1,000 to $2,000, should be spent for school improvement. Students brainstorm ideas, construct persuasive proposals, and vote on which to implement, providing valuable lessons in civic participation. The proposals revealed student needs that staff hadn’t previously considered. Ultimately, grants supported gender-neutral bathrooms, locker room shower curtains, a peer mentoring program, and spaces for students to reflect and decompress when feeling overwhelmed.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Can “democracy dollars” keep real dollars out of politics?

Julia Hotz

April 28, 2021 |

MIT Technology Review |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Democracy Vouchers, a tax-payer-funded program that sends four $25 certificates to residents to donate to local candidates, made Seattle the national leader by increasing the percent of the electorate donating to local campaigns to nearly 8%. They also allow more non-establishment candidates, who lack connections to wealthy donors, to run for office. Four of the nine 2019 city council candidates used vouchers to help fund their campaigns and the vouchers are being expanded to the city’s mayoral races. A national pilot program was also approved to try vouchers for congressional candidates in three states.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Why Participatory Planning Fails (and How to Fix It)

Arielle Milkman

April 28, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

Participatory planning, or meetings conducted to gather input from communities, have proven to be ineffective. It turns out community engagement doesn’t always result in highlighting issues and improving the quality of life for those who are voicing their concerns. “Research shows that participatory planning addresses the needs of the older, whiter, and wealthier residents.”

Read More
Go to Original Story
Building blocks: B.C. city takes aim at homelessness with two temporary modular housing projects

Tobin Ng

April 27, 2021 |

Capital Current |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Richmond, British Columbia

Temporary modular housing is alleviating homelessness in Richmond, Canada. Stacked units are quicker and cheaper to construct and the temporary housing comes with wraparound services such as meals, support groups, and health care to help people experiencing homelessness get back on their feet. The first modular housing project resulted in a public outcry that the city successfully used as a lesson in engaging the community the second time around.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Indigenous Women Politicians Defy Odds – and Tradition

Ena Aguilar Peláez

April 22, 2021 |

Global Press Journal |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca

The Mexican Constitution began in 2016 to require all municipalities in the country to elect or nominate at least one woman for local office. But, in Zapotec Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, where "customary law" held sway, male-dominated tradition marginalized or excluded female officeholders. Espiral por la Vida (Spiral for Life) stepped in to train women in the art of politics and governing. While the culture didn't change overnight, all Oaxaca municipalities had complied with the law, female officeholders felt better prepared, and some men had turned more accepting.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Could a Citizens' Assembly Help Fix Your Democracy?

Joe Nerssessian

April 19, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France

France is among a growing number of countries piloting "citizens assemblies," in which a randomly-selected sample of citizens is tasked with reviewing and recommending potential responses to a pressing societal issue. The country's assembly on climate change resulted in more than 100 proposals for curbing greenhouse gas emissions, but because they were nonbinding, only about 40 percent of the recommendations were forwarded to parliament.

Read More
Go to Original Story