If you find good news for democracy, equality, and the planet, share it with us here!
This week’s good news reminds us that progress doesn’t only come from courts, lawmakers, or local governments. Again and again, the people who show up make slow but steady progress.
Recently, Native American tribes protected a sacred site in the Black Hills through persistent legal action. Students pushed for accountability at Bard College for months until leadership changed. Assault survivors and advocates spent years demanding reform until, recently, all 50 states finally took up the cause!
These and many more victories happen because people are speaking up. Communities are organizing, persisting, and refusing to give up—even when it’s hard. Be sure to check out the update from our community orchard collaboration in Jacksonville, Illinois!
At a moment when many Americans want to help create change, this week’s stories offer us an important reminder: When we show up, We the People shape the present and future of our country.
Here’s some of the good news you might have missed:
- A lawsuit brought by nine Native American tribes results in a mining company cancelling a drilling project near the sacred site Pe’Sla in the Black Hills.
- CA will add three new state parks in Yuba County, Bakersfield, and the Fresno area.
- DE: The state’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control helps grow quail populations through targeted habitat work.
- MN: A federal appeals court rules that transgender student athletes in the state can continue to participate on teams consistent with their gender identity or expression.
- RI state Rep. Katherine Kazarian is elected House Majority Leader, becoming the first woman in state history to serve in the position.
- VA will implement a paid family and medical leave program for families who are ineligible for or unable to use the federal leave program.
- The El Cerrito, CA City Council votes to end the city police department’s contract with Flock’s surveillance license plate readers.
- Consumers sue Amazon, seeking refunds for costs passed on to them as a result of the president’s unlawful tariffs.
- A large retirement fund and a leading labor union push back against SpaceX’s public stock market debut, citing concerns about securities law requirements, fair treatment of investors, and the company owner’s undue influence in politics.
- The Joyful Heart Foundation’s End the Backlog initiative has successfully achieved rape kit testing reform in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
- The Black Mamas Matter Alliance holds Georgia Black Maternal Health Taskforce Stakeholder Meetings across the state to address inequities affecting Black maternal health.
- Cherie DeVaux becomes the first woman in Kentucky Derby history to train the race’s winning horse.
- After months of pushback from students, the longtime president of Bard College will retire following the revelation that he continued friendly ties with a notable convicted sex offender.
- A Pew Research Center study finds that 60% of Americans across the political spectrum believe that environmental protections are worth the cost.
- Solar grid battery installations around the world increased tenfold in 2025 compared to 2021.
- Dozens of countries, other subnational governments, civil society groups, and climate scientists gather at the world’s first Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference to forge new paths toward an earth powered by safer energy sources.
- Omar Hamad and Ibrahim Massri raised money and gathered books to open Gaza’s first new public library.
- South Korea’s Eco-Bot ferry cleans pollutants out of the water while transporting riders.
- 40 years after the devastating nuclear explosion, various wildlife species thrive across the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
We made good news together!
A year ago, Michael Woods of Jacksonville, IL had a vision to plant a fruit orchard in a local lot to provide fresh food, shade, and gathering space in an underserved community. But he had just lost a federal grant, and, without funding, the project was about to become an unfulfilled dream.
We featured an action around this in the Checklist—and more than 70 caring subscribers made donations! After we spoke last year, Woods wrote me:
Just wanted to say thank you—from the bottom of my compost-enriched heart. Our conversation today and your expressed support for our AGROWhood movement and Orchard of Grace meant more than a good rain after a dry spell.
Around here, we say it takes a whole row to grow a radish—and your willingness to spread the word on our initiative is sure to make the harvest sweeter.
Well, it’s been a year of hard work for Michael and his community, but he reached out recently to update me about the project with heaps of good news:
I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share a meaningful update with you and to express my sincere gratitude for your support and the support of the Americans of Conscience community.
What began as a vision to plant 200 fruit trees in honor of Jacksonville’s Bicentennial has grown into something even more special. Through the generosity, encouragement, and belief of so many, including [AoCC], we have now successfully planted 250 fruit trees as part of the Orchard of Grace project.
Reaching 250 trees allowed us not only to celebrate Jacksonville’s 200-year milestone, but also to align this effort with the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. That connection has added a deeper sense of purpose and reflection to the work, grounding it in both local history and a broader national story.
Across our sites, we have planted a diverse mix of fruit-bearing trees, including apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries. Each tree represents more than future harvests. They stand as living symbols of care, nourishment, and shared investment in community. In the seasons ahead, these trees will begin to provide fresh, accessible food while also serving as spaces for connection, education, and renewal.
This milestone would not have been possible without the encouragement and generosity of those who believe in this work. Please know how deeply grateful we are for your role in helping bring this vision to life.
We look forward to sharing the continued growth of the Orchard of Grace and the impact it will have in the years ahead.
With gratitude…Michael Woods, Lead Cultivator GRO Trust (aka Jacksonville Park Foundation)
In a world that can seem beyond our control or influence, here’s your reminder that this achievement only needed one dedicated person with a vision. In turn, his vision inspired others to join in, resulting in a project that will reap benefits for this community far into the future.
You can do that too. We can, together.
Warmly,
Jen Hofmann
Founder and Director
Americans of Conscience
Would you like to join the volunteer team at AoCC?
If you love good research as much as we do, we’d love to hear from you. We’re forming a new research team at Americans of Conscience Checklist, dedicated to collecting and tracking the measurable impacts of our actions. Training starts in June, and we’re accepting applications starting this week. You can read all about it on our Volunteer page, and let Jen know if you have any questions.
Learn about our newest volunteer research team at AoCC here.