Every day the Good Good Good team collects the best good news in the world and shares it with our community. Here are the highlights for this week!
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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —
58 years after his assassination, MLK’s vision of ‘love as a moral imperative’ matters now more than ever
More than 50 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the United States remains divided by issues of race and racism, economic inequality, and unequal access to justice.
For King, love was not sentimental, but rather a key part of creating communities that work for everyone and not just the few at the expense of the many. It also demanded that individuals tell their oppressors what they were doing was wrong.
King noted that all persons exist in an interrelated community, and all are dependent on each other. By connecting love to community, King argued there were opportunities to build a more just and economically sustainable society that respected difference.
MLK is often portrayed as a ‘civil saint,’ but his beliefs were truly radical. Here’s what he really thought
A Minneapolis brass band founded after the murder of George Floyd is helping its community heal again
In 2021, Minnesota brass band Brass Solidarity was formed in response to the murder of George Floyd to bring people together to promote social justice through music.
For more than four years, the diverse group of musicians has met weekly on Mondays, performing in George Floyd Square, and occasionally at rallies and protests for a myriad of causes, as well as picnics and parades.
On January 12, the Monday following the death of Renee Good, the group gathered at a memorial, with instruments accompanying the words, “Ain’t gonna let no ‘fraidy cat ICE agent turn me ‘round. I’m gonna keep on walkin,’ I’m gonna keep on talkin’ … until freedom rings.”
Why is this good news? Music and art have healing powers, and the work of Brass Solidarity is even more critical in times of grief and crisis — and people agreed, saying the “good trouble” and “good energy” of the band was “the antidote” to ICE’s occupation in the Twin Cities.
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This man has spent over 500 nights in jail. His crime? Feeding homeless communities without a permit
For the third year in a row, college students report lower rates of depression and suicidal thoughts
Every year since 2007, researchers have conducted the Healthy Minds Study, gathering confidential data about the mental and behavioral health trends of college students.
For the third year in a row, respondents reported decreased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
The 2024-2025 study recorded responses from more than 84,000 students at 135 colleges and universities. Results showed continuing declines, including severe depression dropping to 18% in 2025, down from 23% in 2022, and suicidal thoughts decreased to 11% from 15%.
“These sustained reductions tell me this is not a blip,” said Justin Heinze, a co-principal investigator of the study.
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A Minneapolis church has delivered free groceries to 24k families amid the ICE occupation
When Iglesia Dios Habla Hoy pastor Sergio Amezcua noticed members of his community in Minneapolis were growing especially vulnerable to an intense surge of ICE officers in the area, he knew he had to do something.
Starting in mid-December, the church organized hundreds of volunteers to pack non-perishable goods for the community and put out a call on Facebook for people in need of help. Within two days, 2,000 people signed up to help.
As ICE tensions have only continued to escalate, so have the church’s efforts. As of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, about 24,000 families have registered for help, and the church has delivered 12,000 boxes of groceries in about six weeks.
Why is this good news? As Amezcua puts it, “Our Immigrant community, and Latinos, especially Somalis, are going through hell.” This coming together of volunteers and community members also proves to him that there’s a better path forward, and its defined by love and goodwill.
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You may also like: Amid ICE crackdown, this Minneapolis sex shop has transformed into a donation center for neighbors in need
Scientists gave endangered birds ‘insecticide-sprayed’ feathers to help them build new nests. It saved them from a deadly parasite
U.S. electricity demand surged last year — and solar covered 61% of it
In 2025, electricity demand in the U.S. jumped by 135 terawatt-hours, a 3.1% increase or the fourth-largest annual rise in the past decade.
In that same time period, solar generation grew by 83 TWh, a 27% increase over 2024 and the largest gain of any power source — and it covered 61% of all new electricity demand in the country.
When looking at just daytime hours between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., the increase in solar generation met the entire rise in demand.
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The U.K. announced a plan to give households £15 billion for solar panels and other green tech
Under a new “Warm Homes Plan,” households across the UK will be eligible to receive thousands of pounds’ worth of solar panels and green tech to help lower energy bills.
In total, £15 billion will be distributed over the next five years in an effort to create a “rooftop revolution” to both triple the number of homes with solar and lift one million people out of fuel poverty.
The plan has been years in the making, and will focus on funding solar panels, heat pumps, and batteries, which together could save households £500 annually on energy bills — though others estimate it could be over £1,000.
Why is this good news? While the cost associated with solar panels and other green tech is growing more competitive, it’s still prohibitive for the average household. This boost will help not only with the clean energy transition, but to ensure a warm home isn’t a privilege, but “a basic guarantee for every family in Britain.”
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England’s new ‘10-minute clinics’ treat emergency mental health crises and ease the burden on hospitals
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Portland coffee shop turns anti-immigrant comment into a fundraiser for neighbors amid ICE raids
As small businesses, churches, and entire communities speak out against the increased presence of ICE across the country, one coffee shop in Portland, Oregon drew a hard line on social media when it comes to protecting their immigrant neighbors.
“If I.C.E. shows up at our door, our baristas know how to properly refuse both entry and service,” Heretic Coffee posted.
Despite an outpouring of support in the comment section, the pledge prompted a reply from one individual who wrote: “It will be great when you get arrested for harboring hope they tape your perp walk.”
Inspired by one missing punctuation mark, Heretic partnered with Sticker Junkie to release “Harboring Hope” stickers (alongside “Everyone Is Worthy Of A Latte” stickers) — and 100% of the profits “will be used to feed our immigrant neighbors in Portland, OR.”
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More than 500 people gathered at a Pittsburgh church to learn how to respond to ICE activity
On a Tuesday night at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, more than 500 people gathered to attend a training about how to respond to federal immigration enforcement.
Hosted by Frontline Dignity, the training taught participants about their rights and how to minimize escalation when dealing with law enforcement.
It particularly focused on rapid response, or coordinated civilian efforts to witness ICE activity and support those taken into custody, both of which are protected under the law. The event also opened with a moment of silence and time to meet new people.
Why is this good news? As ICE ramps up its activity in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities, and as officers have been recorded engaging in potentially unlawful activity themselves, people are understandably confused about what their own legal rights are. These trainings are critical for people who want to support their vulnerable neighbors — and they are (and have been) happening all over the country.
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From Gaza to Uganda, skateboarding creates a safety net for young people in need
Protests in the U.S. have risen by 133% since Trump’s first term
In 2025, there were more than 10,700 protests, a 133% increase from the 4,588 recorded in 2017, the first year of Trump’s first term. An overwhelming majority of counties in the U.S. — including 42% that voted for Trump — have had at least one protest since he was re-inaugurated last year.
Historically, major protests have been consolidated in major cities or single, massive events — but that’s not what’s happening now. Instead, there’s been “very diffused protest mobilization all around the country.”
And researchers are seeing the trend of broadly dispersed, nonviolent protests continue into 2026, as anti-ICE mobilizations continue in cities across the US.
More good news of the week —
California is offering free entry to more than 200 state parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Gifted link) Governor Gavin Newsom framed the move was a rebuke to the Trump administration, which cut Dr. King’s birthday and Juneteenth, two holidays honoring Black history, from the list of free entry days at national parks this year.
An MLK Day concert is relocating from the Kennedy Center after 23 years. Georgetown University’s annual “Let Freedom Ring” event, headlined by actor and rapper Common this year, will instead be held at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C.
MLK’s belief in “religious pluralism” can help us navigate this age of polarization. King believed in pluralism, or the idea of multiple communities engaging one another, acknowledging their differences and shared bonds, and striving to create what King called a “Beloved Community.”
Houston is hosting a united MLK Day parade for the first time in 30 years. Previously, two organizations hosted competing MLK Day parades, but this year are bringing their events together for the 2026 MLK Unity Parade, which is expected to bring 400,000 participants.
A rare moose sighting in Romania is giving conservationists hope for biodiversity returning to the region. Moose can be highly influential on their surrounding habitat since they feed on young saplings like willows and birch, clearing the way for other plant species to grow and encouraging biodiversity.
The first solar power plant in Kyrgyzstan will prevent 120k tons of carbon emissions every year. The 100-megawatt installation will generate 210 million kWh of clean electricity annually, and represents one of the largest foreign investments into the Central Asian nation of any kind since independence.
A St. Paul high school student is helping give classmates fearful of ICE raids a ride to school. While there have been no instances of ICE agents on school grounds in St. Paul so far, students in the city are scared, and many are staying home. Schools in the area are transitioning to remote learning this week, too.
For the first time, the global population requiring interventions against trachoma fell below 100 million people. Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, and there were 1.5 billion people estimated to be at risk in 2002, dropping to 97.1 million as of November 2025, a 94% reduction that reflects decades of sustained efforts by national health ministries, local communities, and international partners.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon struck a deal with Netflix to offer performance-based bonuses for their whole film crew. The deal — which would provide bonuses to all crew members if their new film, “The Rip” does well — is a departure from how Netflix structures compensation, typically paying cast and crew an upfront fee determined in advance.
Facing reports of a planned ICE facility, Kansas City, Missouri passed a five-year ban on detention centers. The City Council quickly passed the resolution after a local official was told by the Department of Homeland Security about plans to build a 7,500-bed ICE facility.
Activists created a 12.5 million block digital library in “Minecraft” to bypass censorship laws. In many authoritarian countries where news sources and books are censored, the video game is not, leading a group of designers to make a library full of information that people in those countries, and anyone else in the world, can access.
Rare twin baby mountain gorillas were born in the DRC, giving conservationists new hope for the endangered species. The young males are healthy for now, rangers say, but the subspecies has high rates of infant mortality – with about a quarter falling victim to disease, trauma, or infanticide.
A team of “human beavers” is creating a network of dams across Rocky Mountain National Park. An overpopulation of overgrazing moose in Kawuneeche Valley has forced beavers out of their natural habitat, and the loss of natural beaver-built water systems has led to extensive degradation.
A Washington church is rebuilding after a fire and is including 22 units of affordable housing. Bethany Presbyterian Church in Spokane, Washington had already been considering utilizing a portion of its building as affordable housing for newly-arrived immigrants in the community.
Refuting claims about autism, another study demonstrated the safety of acetaminophen in pregnancy. Experts behind the new study say pregnant women “should feel reassured” by its findings that taking acetaminophen while pregnant is safe and there’s no evidence it raises the risk of autism, ADHD, and developmental issues in children.
New Orleans is bringing back “house calls,” sending nurses to visit newborns and moms. Louisiana has long struggled with maternal and infant mortality, so New Orleans is providing free home visits from nurses to help spot medical problems early as part of a reproductive health policy that has bipartisan support.
Nearly 400 millionaires and billionaires from 24 countries called on global leaders to increase taxes on the super-rich. In an open letter, Mark Ruffalo, Brian Eno, Abigail Disney, and hundreds of others shared their growing concern that the wealthiest in society are buying political influence and called on leaders to close the widening wealth gap.
Scientists found a safer alternative to BPA in thermal receipt paper coatings using wood-derived chemicals. Both bisphenol A and bisphenol S can affect living organisms by disrupting hormone signaling, and both are detected in the environment and in people who handle receipts frequently.
A new law in New York gives stronger protections for sexual assault survivors. In addition to requiring law enforcement and hospitals to follow specific timelines for processing rape kits, the measure aims to reduce the chances the kits are mishandled or misplaced by establishing clear responsibilities for all parties involved.
Pioneering “light boxes” are helping people in one of Scotland’s darkest communities fight seasonal depression. Residents of the Orkney Islands have been able to borrow a Wintering Well Box from their library since the clocks went back in October, with the kits already proving “super popular.”
