The World Is Burning—Does the YES! Approach Still Matter?

The World Is Burning—Does the YES! Approach Still Matter?

The World Is Burning—Does the YES! Approach Still Matter? Note: The YES! approach was developed in the early years over many conversations with board, staff, contributors, advisors, and through a series of retreats we held called “The State of the Possible.” I want to fully acknowledge how many people’s wisdom and experience contributed to developing this approach. Each would have a different nuance on how the YES! approach is best described and how it was practiced. I don’t claim to speak for others, just my own understanding based on the first two decades while I was executive editor. When news arrived on May 7, 2025, that YES! would be closing, I felt shock and sadness at the end of an organization I led as founding editor and at the loss to the progressive media world. But the outpouring of social media comments lifted my spirits, reminding me of the impact YES! had on so many people—some who started reading the magazine as young people, others seasoned activists who were introduced…