Marvia Malik becomes Pakistan’s first transgender news anchor
Malik says she had to work hard to break taboos and finally be accepted by a society that discriminates against transgender people.
Citizens
This archive collects milestones and solutions-focused stories involving citizens — everyday people taking action in their communities, organizing locally, and driving change at the grassroots level. From civic participation to community-led initiatives, these stories highlight what ordinary people accomplish when they work together.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is suing big oil for climate change
Two months after New York’s Mayor announced he was suing oil companies for their role in climate change, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed he intends to do the same, stating oil companies are “knowingly killing people.”
U.S. students stage national school walkout to urge action on gun violence
Students began a national walkout Wednesday morning to press elected officials to take action on school gun violence, one month after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killed 17 people.
Australia’s households install record 3.5 million panels in 2017
Rooftop solar in Australia hit a stunning new high in 2017, with homeowners, schools, and small businesses installing roughly 9,500 panels every single day. The country added 1,057 megawatts of small-scale solar capacity in a single year — enough to rival a medium-sized coal plant, but spread across millions of ordinary rooftops. Average system sizes doubled compared to five years earlier, as falling prices turned solar from a niche eco-choice into a practical way for households to take charge of their power bills. It’s a hopeful reminder that the energy transition isn’t only happening in distant policy rooms or massive infrastructure projects — sometimes it’s being built one sunny rooftop at a time.
Daniela Vega makes Oscars history as first openly transgender presenter
The actress emerged on stage to introduce Sufjan Stevens’s performance of “Mystery of Love” from Call Me By Your Name making her the first openly transgender Oscars presenter.
First transgender recruit signs up to join US military
The Pentagon confirmed Monday that the first transgender person has signed a contract to join the US military, a development made possible after a federal judge ruled that the military must accept transgender recruits.
#MeToo justice infiltrates the aid sector as sexual exploitation allegations proliferate
Many said that despite repeated warnings going back 15 years to a then controversial report by Save the Children on the prevalence of sexual abuse in west Africa that include aid worker abuse the issue has long been ignored by managers.
Canada’s Eric Radford becomes first openly gay athlete to win Winter Olympics gold
Eric Radford became the first openly gay Olympic champion in the history of the Winter Games, by virtue of his role among Canada’s gold medalists in team figure skating. He and partner Meagan Duhamel took the top spot in the pairs free skate program with their show-stopping routine set to Adele’s Hometown Glory.
Electric vehicle charging shatters records in the U.S. in 2017
EVgo, the nation’s largest public network of electric vehicle (EV) DC Fast charging stations, experienced a record year in 2017. Its network of chargers provided 40 million miles of emissions-free electric driving, a dramatic year-over-year increase compared to the 22 million EV miles charged in 2016*.
A record majority of Norway’s new cars are now electric or hybrid
Norway crossed an electric vehicle milestone in 2017, with more than half of its new vehicle registrations coming from electric vehicles. The country has a plan to phase out new gas-powered cars by 2040.