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35 Uplifting Stories Of Progress And Hope In America That Go Beyond The Negative Headlines
It’s easy to feel like you're drowning in a sea of bad news, a constant tide of division and crisis that pulls you under. It can feel like the whole story, the only story. One day, it's fires, the next day, racial divides, all topped off with the constant threat of war, whether civil or abroad...
But just beyond the noise, there are thousands of smaller, quieter currents of progress and decency pushing things in the right direction. They don't always make the headlines, but they are just as real. An online community asked a powerful, refreshing question: What's something positive going on in America people should be aware of?
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Today Florida launches a public, searchable animal mistreatment database. This will prevent animals being placed with a person who is violent toward animals. It’s part of Dexter’s law. Justice for the animals ♥️.
Angela Corvaia 18 hours ago
Yeah, poor Dexter….from my memory of the news several neighbors saw the a***e and decapitation just days after being adopted.
RELATED:
#2
California is no longer in a drought and all our reservoirs are significantly over capacity
Edit: spelling.
#3
In the city of Tacoma, in washingston state, residents gather together every Chinese New Year to hunt for MonkeyShines: glass baubles and ornaments emblazoned with that years Zodiac, made by local glass artists, while also leaving "rogue" monkeyshines for others to find. They all follow the rule of "only take one" and you can rehide other shines you find.
The entire city turns into a collective scavenger hunt for roughly a month and it's common to see packs of humans hunting in the rain and snow, even at night with flashlights.
In this small corner of the world, tucked into the armpit of the PNW, someone decided one day that they would make the city brighter by hiding little tokens for others to find. And now it's officially A Thing, with it's own subreddit and websites and whatnot.
There's still magic worth seeking out, no matter how grim the outlook may be.
Sara Frazer 16 hours ago
My stomping grounds! My boyfriend and I go out looking every year but have not been lucky enough to find one 🥲 however I do have one, from the year of the rabbit. It's a colorful glass medallion about 3" across, and on it is a small rabbit. It was a gift from a regular at the bar I worked at at the time lol. He found it and gave it to me after I had been talking about always wanting to find one. Miss that guy. It's still proudly displayed with my knick-knacks. Maybe this year I'll actually find one myself... 🤔
If you feel like the world is constantly on fire, you're not alone, and it's taking a toll. According to the American Psychological Association, the sheer volume of negative news we consume through media and social media is a significant source of stress and anxiety.
Our brains simply aren't designed to process this much global trauma at once, leading to a state of "media overload" that can make us feel helpless and cynical. This is why actively seeking out positive stories is a very necessary act of mental self-preservation, a way to recalibrate our perspective and remember that progress and kindness are still happening all around us.
#5
There was a new jaguar spotted in southern arizona! it’s the fifth in 15 years, and means that the species is recovering. :).
#6
My local library started a program where you can "check out" a person for a 30-minute conversation to hear their life story. it's like human audiobooks and it's quietly the most wholesome thing happening in my zip code.
In a time of deep social and political division, one of the most innovative and hopeful projects is the Human Library. It’s a library, but instead of checking out books, you can "check out" a person for a one-on-one, 30-minute conversation. The "books" are volunteers from all walks of life, often from marginalized or misunderstood groups.
The goal is simple but profound: to create a safe space for conversation, challenge stereotypes, and foster empathy through direct human connection. It's a quiet but powerful movement that reminds us that the best way to break down prejudice is to simply sit down and talk to someone.
#7
Starting today my home state now offers paid maternity and medical leave for everyone.
#8
California passed a law that there can be no book bans at state funded libraries.
Last year began with news out of California that was dominated by images of devastating wildfires and headlines about a historic, unrelenting drought. But in a dramatic and welcome turnaround, the script has flipped.
Thanks to a series of powerful atmospheric rivers, the state's reservoirs have been replenished, and as of late 2025, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that the vast majority of the state is completely drought-free. While the long-term challenges of climate change remain, this is a powerful story of environmental tenacity and a much-needed piece of good news for a region that has been hit hard for so long.
#10
We shouldn't need this, but my state of Delaware forgave 19 million in medical debt for over 18,000 residents in December. The state also passed a law in October that excludes medical debt from credit reporting.
#11
Cancer survival rates are up due to early detection and advances in treatment. This is especially true of colorectal and breast cancers.
#12
I heard a mom and her very young daughter go completely crazy several aisles down from me because Target had a diabetic Barbie. 🥹
Inclusion may seem minimal to most but that little girl was over the moon.
Luke || Kira (he/she) 23 hours ago
Those people who scoff at diversity/inclusion really can't see past their nose. For example I understand why the new Star Wars trilogy doesn't have to be everyone's cup of tea, but to this day, I remember this little girl, utterly ecstatic, running to her mom with some Star Wars book like "Mom, MOM! Do you know who this is? This is REY! I love her so much!" She's more valid than every bitter middle-aged hater.
The crushing cost of life-saving medication has been a source of national frustration for decades, but there is a groundbreaking development that is providing tangible relief. The state of California is set to begin selling its own affordable, state-branded insulin.
This move is a game-changer, poised to slash the price of a medicine that millions of people with diabetes depend on for their survival. It is one of the most significant and direct actions taken to combat pharmaceutical price gouging, and it offers a workable model for how to make essential healthcare more accessible for everyone.
#13
The American chestnut tree is beginning a comeback tour after two extensive projects to make strains that are resistant to the fungus that swept the legs out from under the species after it was imported along with Chinese chestnuts.
(Edit- there was an issue with one of the lines and it suffered a setback in 2023/4 but it is still moving forward per SUNY-ESF).
#15
Parents and stepparents can be added to employer provided health insurance in IL if they meet criteria.
The good news is, these stories are not isolated incidents. They are part of a larger, more hopeful narrative that is quietly happening all around us, every single day. Progress is often slow, and kindness is often quiet, so they don't always generate the loudest headlines.
But from community projects and environmental recovery to major policy wins, the threads of positive change are always there. We must just remember that the story of our time is not just one of crisis, but also one of strength, innovation, and an enduring commitment to making things better.
#16
Oregon may become the first state to implement universal healthcare. A measure to make it a state Constitutional right was passed in 2022, with a report outlining plans set to be released in September 2026, with a guarantee for a legislative vote in 2027. .
#17
Medicine and access to PrEP and antivirals has advanced to the extent that having HIV is now a manageable chronic condition rather than an "end" sentence.
#18
The [Bureau of Land Management](https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/adoptions-and-sales) successfully adopts out tens of thousands of wild horses and burros (donkeys) per year. 290,000 have been adopted out to private owners to manage American’s wild herds.
#19
The California Privacy DROP Act just went active. Data Brokers, companies that sell your personal data (name, address, phone number, email), have to delete info on people that submit a request not directly them but to the CalPrivacy site.
Sites like deleteme, Incogni and others that offer this as a subscription aren’t needed (they would send requests on your behalf as part of CCPA or Vanita’s USDP framework). Usually when California does something other progressive states follow.
If you are Californian and want to reduce the amount of spam calls and junk mail you can use the site here: https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/about-drop-and-the-delete-act/
Added later: The act starts today but brokers have until August to implement the capability and up to 6 months to do the deletion (iirc). It’s not timely but it makes sense it will take awhile since it is onerous to setup if not automated.
#20
While not as fast as it should be, we are increasing our renewable energy installed capacity. Especially wind power. Also crime, teen pregnancy are all on the decline.
#22
Colorado starts offering extended parental leave for NICU parents this year!
So if your newborn is in the NICU you can focus on them and then still get time to bond and adjust to having them home when released.
#24
Young women are rejecting the ridiculous and unrealistic beauty standards of the last several decades. I’m seeing more natural and relaxed women who feel comfortable in their own skin.
Luke || Kira (he/she) 23 hours ago
Idk why these "beauty standards" even exist when IMO the most beautiful a woman can be is unapologetically HERSELF.
#25
Majority of Americans are kind people with no agenda.
Serena Myers 17 hours ago
The vast majority of the entire population of the world are kind people with no agenda. Not just Americans.
#26
One underrated positive is how much stuff is getting fixed at the local level.
A lot of cities and towns are quietly improving public spaces, libraries, transit, and job training programs. It doesn’t get national attention, but it does make day-to-day life better for people.
Big Chungus 20 hours ago
In my city, they are finally replacing all the old and broken playgrounds for all the kids of different ages
#27
People are starting businesses at record rates since the pandemic in response to the economic challenges of the time.
In other words, rather than let the challenging job market defeat them, many of us are hiring ourselves and doing much better today than if we had given up and accepted the offers that were available.
Today, people like me remember what that was like, so we offer more to the people we hire as our businesses grow, offering more to our community than the bare minimum.
Choose local businesses that pay workers well and put money back into your community. That's the way we make thinks better.
#28
I work at a non profit, and although the current political and economic landscape is hard on us, we're still doing good work. Kids are learning real world skills that translate to careers. Poor kids are still joining our summer camps along with the rich kids. Old boats are getting new lives and providing enriching experiences to little kids and silver hairs and everyone in between.
Psa: if you can afford to give, whatever cause is important to you, please do so. One of the very first things that people cut back on during leaner times is charitable giving (I get it, I do too).
#29
Crime rates are dropping all over the country a lot of cities are seeing historic lows too!
#30
Health insurance is broken but there’s a lot of amazing stuff happening in medicine.
Specifically, bispecific antibody treatment is emerging as a more effective and much safer alternative to chemotherapy for some types of cancer. Right now it’s mainly used for blood cancers.
The treatment forces your own immune system to fight off the cancer. Almost no serious side effects. Over the next 5-10 years it’s going to become standard treatment for many cancers.
#31
The monks walking for peace. They went through Georgia today!
#32
I got hired to work at the Super Bowl halftime show. So that will be 2 weeks of me not being bored, freezing, and miserable and I get to go to California for the first time. So that’s a positive development in my American life, I suppose.
#33
It may not be of their own choosing (I hear it’s because they can’t afford it), but younger people are apparently drinking less these days!
#34
On an individual level, Americans (& people as a whole) are still kind & friendly as anywhere else and I genuinely believe that most would do something nice if given the opportunity.
I believe that even has only increased as s**t has hit the fan.
#35
There is tons of content online on how to every hobbie imaginable. There are programs where you can volunteer at foster homes and animal shelters. You can tweek your content to just funny cats and plan the perfect vacation anywhere in the world.
You can completely opt out of the negative content and doom scrolling with a few content resets. .
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