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Dear Community, 

As I write this letter, I am still feeling the high of —the two days of virtual celebration and conversation with people who’ve shaped the stories and ideas in YES! Magazine over the past 25 years along with those who are leading the way as we look to the future. Thousands of you joined us from all over the world. Celebrating, reflecting, and learning together in those two days, I saw how connected our YES! community is. (If you weren’t able to join us live, go to to get a link to the videos.)

I am so proud of what our YES! community has accomplished over the years. I’m wondering: What is our responsibility now, as climate change turns the screws, creating a level of planetary stress and social chaos far beyond anything humans have known? One thing we want to do is dramatically increase the number of people who have the kind of transformative experience that YES! stories can create. 

We’ve done a lot of internal work to ensure that this organization is as strong as it can be as we face the future. We’ve invested in creating racial equity within YES!, and we’ve ensured our journalism, systems, technology, and culture support the well-being of our staff. 

With that solid foundation, we’re leaning into the external work to get YES! stories out to everyone who shares our values and wants to be involved in creating a better world. These potential readers represent a plurality of communities: They are young and old, Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, White, and represent a spectrum of gender identity and sexual orientation; they live in urban and rural places; and they practice culture and spirituality in many different ways. Some love to read (like you!), and others would love to listen to audio stories or podcasts, or engage in a webinar with an author. Some prefer scrolling through a photo essay or story told in comics, or watching a short video that a friend shared. 

Imagine every powerful YES! story told in multiple formats, inspiring and connecting millions of people. We have already begun to do this, knitting together a network of partners to get our stories flowing from community to community, connecting movements, sparking imaginations, and spurring conversations. 

Because that’s how transformative change happens. One by one, millions of people share a vision of what’s possible, see the pathways to get there, and get inspired to take action. 

That is the collective work of our YES! community for the next 25 years. Thank you for being part of it. 

Christine

P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider to ensure YES! can always be a beacon of inspiration. Thank you!