14 Good Things That Happened in 2014

2014 has definitely had its share of ups and downs. If the downs have gotten you, well, down, here are 14 good things that happened and that are leaving us hopeful for 2015.

+ The Climate March

People are getting real serious about stopping climate change, and we can’t spare time on this issue. The Climate March this fall was the biggest climate march EVER.

+ Marriage Equality

More states now have marriage equality. In the past twelve months, judges in multiple states shot down bans on same-sex marriage.

+ Transgender Rights

Transgender rights have gotten better this past year. Laverne Cox made the cover of TIME and starred in an MTV documentary, and the Department of Justice announced that discriminating against transgender people counts as sex discrimination.

+ The VMAs Made A Statement

The Video Music Awards is one of the most watched nights of the year, and in 2014 it was a way for Beyoncé to spotlight feminism and for Miley Cyrus to spotlight youth homelessness.

+ More Feminism

More men and women are coming out as proud feminists, including Taylor Swift. In 2015, let’s make it so we’re not just talking feminism, but acting on feminism!

+ Ocean Sanctuary

President Obama is implementing the largest ocean sanctuary in the Pacific Ocean. Good news for our seas!

+ Ice Bucket Challenge

Oh, the Ice Bucket Challenge. Who would have thunk something so simple and so cold could raise so much money for a good cause?

+ Immigration Reform

POTUS announced new reforms on immigration, much to the excitement of millions of DREAMers. An administration official said, “We’re going to be focused on deporting felons, not families.”

+ Harry Potter Alliance

Keeping up with its using-books-for-social-good, the Harry Potter Alliance turned the mega franchise “The Hunger Games” into a way to discuss and alleviate economic inequality.

+ Keke Palmer Breaks Barriers

This fall Keke Palmer broke barriers by becoming the first-ever African American Cinderella on Broadway. On top of that, her busy schedule didn’t keep her from getting involved with DoSomething.org’s campaign to encourage girls in science.

+ Mo’ne Davis

Mo’ne Davis and her sports skills made her explode as an overnight sensation. She made the cover of Sports Illustrated and inspired young athletes everywhere.

+ Becky Hammon and the NBA

Speaking of sports, WMBA player Becky Hammon broke into the traditionally all-male NBA to become a coach for the San Antonio Spurs

+ Gay Pride in Uganda

Gay rights are not supported everywhere, and Uganda has been a country that’s especially anti-LGBTQ rights. So seeing people come out for the country’s first ever Gay Pride Parade was very inspiring.

+ Disowned Man Gets Second Chance

Kindness can come out of cruelty. After Daniel Ashley Pierce was disowned for being gay, the internet rallied to his cause and raised money for his living expenses. By then he was receiving shelter and help, so he in turn donated the money to help homeless youth!

Photo: (Getty)