North & Central America

This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the nations of Central America. Readers will find reporting on health, environment, community resilience, and policy advances across the region.

A person sitting quietly on a bench at sunset, for an article about global suicide rate decline — 15 words.

Global suicide rate has dropped nearly 40% since the 1990s

By / / Good News For Humankind

Global suicide rates have dropped nearly 40% since the early 1990s, falling from roughly 15 deaths per 100,000 people to around nine — one of modern public health’s most significant and underreported victories. This decline was driven by expanded mental health services, crisis intervention programs, and proven strategies like restricting access to lethal means. The progress spans dozens of countries, with especially sharp declines in East Asia and Europe. Critically, this trend demonstrates that suicide is preventable at a population level — making the case for sustained investment in mental health infrastructure worldwide.

A California condor in flight with wings fully spread, for an article about California condor recovery on Yurok tribal land

California condors nest on Yurok land in the Pacific Northwest for the first time in over a century

By / / Good News For Humankind

California condors are nesting in the Pacific Northwest for the first time in over a century, on Yurok Tribe territory in Northern California. The confirmed nest marks a landmark moment in condor recovery and represents deep cultural restoration for the Yurok people, who consider the condor — prey-go-neesh — a sacred relative. The Yurok Tribe has led reintroduction efforts since 2008, combining Indigenous ecological knowledge with conventional conservation science. Successful wild nesting signals the recovering population is crossing a critical threshold, demonstrating that Indigenous-led conservation produces measurable, meaningful results.

Aerial view of Canadian boreal forest and lake for an article about Canada 30x30 conservation

Canada commits .8 billion to protect 30% of its lands and waters by 2030

By / / Good News For Humankind

Canada 30×30 conservation commitment: Canada has pledged .8 billion to protect 30% of its lands and waters by 2030, one of the largest conservation investments in the country’s history. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the plan under the global Kunming-Montréal biodiversity framework, with Indigenous-led conservation and Guardians programs at its center. The commitment matters globally because Canada’s boreal forests, Arctic tundra, and freshwater systems regulate climate far beyond its borders. Whether the pledge delivers lasting protection will depend on the strength of legal frameworks and the quality of Indigenous partnership.

Washington state capitol building in Olympia with blue sky for an article about Washington state millionaires tax — 15 words.

Washington state enacts a millionaires tax to fund schools and families

By / / Good News For Humankind

Washington state millionaires tax marks one of the boldest state-level tax equity moves in recent U.S. history, imposing a surcharge on capital gains and investment income earned by the state’s wealthiest residents. The revenue will fund K-12 public schools, early childhood programs, and relief for small businesses long burdened by the state’s business and occupation tax structure. The law is especially significant because Washington has historically had one of the most regressive tax systems in the country, with lower-income residents paying a far higher share of their income in taxes than the wealthy. By targeting investment income, the state begins correcting that structural imbalance without adding burdens to working families.

A mother holding a newborn in a hospital setting for an article about the Detroit RxKids cash program

Detroit RxKids sends .4 million in free cash to new mothers in its first month

By / / Good News For Humankind

Detroit RxKids cash program distributed .4 million in its first month of citywide operation, reaching hundreds of pregnant women and new mothers across one of America’s most economically strained cities. The program, designed by Flint water crisis whistleblower Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, provides 00 monthly during pregnancy and 00 monthly through a child’s first year with no spending restrictions. Detroit has among the highest infant mortality rates of any major U.S. city, making the intervention urgent and overdue. Research consistently shows unconditional cash transfers improve maternal health, reduce food insecurity, and support early brain development without reducing workforce participation.

Thousands of monarch butterflies clustered on oyamel fir branches for an article about monarch butterfly population recovery in Mexico

Monarch butterfly population surges 176% at Mexico wintering grounds

By / / Good News For Humankind

Monarch butterfly populations surged dramatically at their Mexican wintering grounds, with overwintering colony area jumping 176% in a single season — from 0.22 hectares to 4.01 hectares. This remarkable rebound follows decades of steep decline that led the IUCN to list migratory monarchs as endangered in 2022. Researchers credit favorable weather, improved milkweed availability across North American prairies, reduced logging pressure, and sustained cross-border conservation cooperation among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. While significant work remains to reach full recovery, the surge demonstrates that monarch populations can genuinely respond when humans act.

A commercial fishing boat on the Pacific Ocean for an article about West Coast groundfish recovery — 14 words.

West Coast groundfish fishery completes historic comeback after 25 years

By / / Good News For Humankind

West Coast groundfish recovery is being called one of the greatest fishery management success stories in history. After more than two decades of strict catch limits and rigorous scientific monitoring, the U.S. West Coast groundfish fishery has been fully rebuilt — roughly 60 years ahead of its legally mandated deadline. Federal managers and fishing communities endured years of painful quota reductions to make it happen. The achievement demonstrates that science-based management and long-term political will can bring even severely depleted fisheries back from the edge, offering a powerful model for struggling fisheries worldwide.

A researcher examining a vial in a medical laboratory for an article about Type 1 diabetes cure research

Stanford researchers take a major step toward curing Type 1 diabetes

By / / Good News For Humankind

Type 1 diabetes cure research took a significant step forward as Stanford University scientists demonstrated a hybrid approach combining gene therapy and immune system retraining to protect insulin-producing beta cells. Rather than simply replacing destroyed cells, the method attempts to retrain the immune system to stop attacking them — targeting the root cause of the disease. In preclinical animal trials, the approach restored normal blood sugar regulation without requiring lifelong immunosuppressant drugs. For the millions living with this demanding, costly condition, the findings represent meaningful progress toward a functional cure.

Workers commuting through a busy New York City street for an article about NYC protected time off

New York City gives millions of workers 32 hours of protected time off in landmark labor law expansion

By / / Good News For Humankind

Paid time off expansion in New York City now guarantees 32 hours of job-protected leave annually to millions of workers, including part-time, gig, and domestic workers long excluded from standard labor protections. The policy builds on decades of local advocacy and closes a gap that has disproportionately affected women, immigrants, and workers of color. For minimum wage earners, those 32 hours represent roughly 12 in wages they can now take without risking termination. As the U.S. still lacks a federal paid leave mandate, New York City’s action signals what equitable labor policy can look like at scale.