17 Good Things That Happened in 2017

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People love to complain. Most of them excel at finding the cloud and ignoring the silver lining. When snow covers the ground and the world looks like a Hallmark card, people moan about the condition of the roads and wonder how to keep their children entertained while school is closed. Once spring rolls around, all anyone wants to do is compare who has the worst allergies. Summer can be little better. When the sun is shining and the air is clear, people complain about the heat. Autumn gets more of the same as parents gripe about the prices of school supplies, and those without children bemoan that school buses are back on the road once more. When winter rolls around again, people have a fabulous time complaining about how much weight they gained over the holidays.

Given this deep love of complaining, it should be no wonder that the media endlessly promotes the worst of the world. War, horror, death and stories of the everyday difficulties keep people watching or reading. If people believe what the various news outlets are selling, 2017 was a year of nothing but sadness and pain. It should be forgotten. This is not, however, correct. It is true that 2017 had its share of struggles, sadness and horror, but it was also filled with heroes, successes, advancements and inspiring moments. Here are Beliefnet’s favorite pieces of good news from 2017.

Saudi Women Gain the Right to Drive

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In September, Saudi Arabia announced that it would lift the longstanding ban on allowing women to drive. The new policy will take effect in June of 2018 as part of Vision 2030, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s strategy for modernizing Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of seven absolute monarchies left on Earth and is known for adhering to an ultra-conservative version of Sharia Law. Against this backdrop, the prince’s plan was seen as stunningly ambitious when it was unveiled in 2016. The successful overturning of the driving ban, however, suggests that Vision 2030 may be successful.

Women’s rights activists all over the world celebrated the long-overdue success of Saudi activists who had been campaigning against the driving ban for years. Few were more excited, however, than native Saudi women. Dozens of media outlets all over the world reported accounts of women celebrating the ban and buying cars in anticipation of the official end of the ban in 2018.

This success has also bolstered many Saudi activists who have set their eyes on overturning Saudi Arabia’s “male guardianship” laws that require Saudi women to have a male “guardian.” Without the male guardian’s consent, women cannot marry, travel or even have surgery. Art campaigns, petitions and social media campaigns such as “#IAmMyOwnGuardian” have brought renewed international attention to this issue, and Saudi women are hopeful that soon they will not only be able to drive but also be able to control their own lives.

Diverse Group of Emmy and Oscar Winners

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The Emmys and the Oscars were noted for their diverse crop of winners in 2017. “Moonlight” took home the award for Best Picture. The movie is a coming of age story based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” and stars Trevant Rhodes as Chiron. “Moonlight” also took home the awards for Supporting Actor and Adapted Screenplay. “La La Land” took home several awards as well, including Direction, Production Design, Song, Cinematography and Actress. The WWII story “Hacksaw Ridge” also won multiple awards as did “Manchester by the Sea.” Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling went to movies outside the provocative dramas often favored by award shows. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” took Costume Design home to J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world, and the DC comic villains of “Suicide Squad” earned Makeup and Hair.

At the Emmys, the Hulu series adapted from the popular dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” took home six separate honors including the much-coveted Best Drama Series award. Lena Waithe made history as the first black woman to take home a writing Emmy for her work on “Master of None.” Similarly, Donald Glover became the first black director to win an Emmy for a comedy series, and Sterling K. Brown from “This Is Us” became the first black actor to win the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series since 1998.

The Eclipse

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The event was likely the most-watched solar eclipse in history, despite cloud cover in some regions and scrutiny by scientists. On August 21st, millions of Americans were transfixed by the spectacle of a total solar eclipse, as the moon’s shadow raced from coast to coast across the continent. It was the first time since 1918 that total solar eclipse crossed the U.S. coast to coast. From Oregon to South Carolina, many people hit their pause button for a day of amazement.

Satellite images taken along the narrow 2,400-mile-long corridor of totality showed overflow crowds at choice viewing sites in Oregon and elsewhere. Many people pulled over the side of the road to watch. At one rest area along I-95 near Santee, S.C., cars were parked four deep in places by midmorning.

For many of those who made a special pilgrimage to campgrounds, mountain peaks and parks, or simply paused at work or during their errands to look along sidewalks and roadsides, the fleeting minutes when the sun r4evealed its halo offered a moment of community. The eclipse captured the nation’s attention and if only for an enchanted few minutes, all our eyes went skyward.

Coming Together of Religious Communities

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Religious communities came together to support people of faith who were in great need. One remarkable example of this was when the Victoria Islamic Center in Texas was destroyed in a fire. The congregation of the center was devastated. Then an act of kindness revived their spirits – the leaders of the Jewish congregation gave them their keys to their synagogue so they could continue to worship.

And that wasn't the only offer of a temporary worship space that was extended. Three local churches said his congregation could use their buildings. Also offered up was an empty office building, which the congregation used for three days before moving into a mobile home on the mosque property.

A GoFundMe page was also set up to help support the mosque’s reconstruction, raising more than $1 million for the mosque’s rebuild. That’s on top of other donations the congregations received from people in 90 different countries. This was truly humanity at its best. This incident gave the congregation a sense of hope.

Also, a Muslim fundraiser collected over $100,000 to repair a Jewish cemetery that had been vandalized. The LaunchGood.com fundraising page set up by Linda Sarsour of MPower Change and Celebrate Mercy's Tarek El-Messidi — garnered $20,000 in donations in its first three hours alone. They launched the campaign after 180 gravestones were toppled, some broken, at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery just outside of St. Louis, Missouri.

Both situations show are great examples of the power of love and community.

Acts of Heroism and Generosity in Wake of Mass Shootings

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The year was marked by several mass shootings that disheartened the country. However, the days and weeks following the shootings revealed large accounts of acts of heroism, kindness and generosity.

One of the most notable mass shootings in the U.S. to date was the Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival that took nearly 60 lives. Swarms of people around the U.S. came out to local blood drives to donate, with residents of Las Vegas waiting up for four hours in line just to give their blood. So many people turned out, that storage became a problem for all the donations.

The momentum only continued over the month. Online fundraisers for victims were surpassing their goals within days. One young woman’s goal of $5,000 quickly grew to $41,000, and a general victim fund brought in $4.2 million. Lyft and Uber drivers showed up offering free rides to anyone displaced by the tragedy, and volunteers helped to collect food and water to give to families.

With mass shootings also come great heroes. An usher in Tennessee confronted a gunman who opened fire at his church, and a teacher in Illinois subdued a gunman who came into her high school. These acts of bravery saved countless lives, and reminded people that humanity will rise above evil.

Acts of Heroism and Generosity In Wake of a Brutal Hurricane Season

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Massive hurricanes brought destruction and devastation to sections of the U.S. and the Caribbean. Many lost their homes and belongings. Some lost their lives.

As those impacted by these hurricanes tried to pick up the pieces, there were examples of heroism, generosity and neighborliness. Fortunately, amid the damage, are uplifting stories that highlight the kindness of strangers.

An image went viral of Sister Margaret, a nun with a chainsaw who was committed to the aid of the Hurricane Irma relief effort. An off-duty police officer caught the nun in action and the Miami Police Department shared a heartwarming video.

“Thank you Sister and all of our neighbors that are working together to get through this!,” they wrote.

And that’s just one story.

Thousands of volunteers and first responders helped with the rescue of those in harm’s way. There were also individuals who evacuated families from the storm.

Kristen Bell evacuated her Frozen co-star Josh Gad's family from their home in Hollywood, Florida and got them a room at her hotel in Orlando. She also visited a shelter and sang her hit song from Frozen, "For the First Time in Forever," for evacuees there.

#Metoo and Women Taking a Stand Against Sexual Abuse, Assault, and Harassment

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It’s not just a phrase. It’s a movement.

The #MeToo hashtag, adopted by women to share their stories of sexual abuse, assault and harassment made real waves this year. The hashtag spread virally on social media in October 2017 to help demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in Hollywood and the workplace. It followed soon after the reports of sexual misconduct allegations against film mogul, Harvey Weinstein.

The phrase, “Me Too” long used by social activist Tarana Burke to help victims realize they are not alone, was popularized by actress Alyssa Milano when she encouraged women to tweet the phrase to “give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” Thousands of men and women responded to the post, seizing the opportunity to share their stories of assault and show solidarity.

Since then, the phrase has been posted online millions of times, often with an accompanying personal story of sexual harassment and assault. Many women in the entertainment industry felt empowered to speak up about their experiences of abuse in hopes of sparking real change. As more and more women have spoken up and out, more victims of abuse found the courage to speak up.

April the Giraffe Had a Baby Calf

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April the Giraffe took the world by storm in spring of 2017. The caretakers at New York’s Animal Adventure Park shared a Facebook live event in late February of their giraffe, April, who was pregnant. Giraffes have a 15-16 month gestation time and April was slightly overdue. Fans around the world watched the live feed anxiously waiting for April to give birth. Finally on April 15th after weeks of anticipation, April the Giraffe gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The not-so-little guy weighed 130 pounds and stood 5 feet, 9 inches at birth. The birth was watched by over 1.2 million people on Youtube and 750,000 people on the zoo’s Facebook page. People from all over the world turned in to watch the livestream.

The zoo wanted to continue to keep fans involved, so they held a voting contest to name the calf. After two rounds and 15 days of public voting, “Alyssa’s choice” beat out other picks such as Patches, Unity and Geoffrey, which were nominated for $1 on the park’s website. Alyssa Swilley, giraffe keeper at the park, then chose the name Tajiri for April the giraffe's calf. Tajiri is a Swahili name for "hope" and "confidence." Park officials said they'll call the giraffe "Taj," for short.

Patriots Rally From Behind to Win Super Bowl 51

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There isn’t a person watching the game that could have predicted the outcome of Super Bowl 51.

The Patriots inspiring comeback in Super Bowl 51 is arguably the most exciting fourth-quarter rally in Super Bowl History. The New England Patriots did something no other team has ever done in coming back from a 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons – a charging return from 19 points down in the fourth quarter to win 34-28 in overtime.

Patriots QB Tom Brady looked like a completely different player in the fourth quarter and overtime, carving up a gassed Falcons’ defense all over the field. He led a 75-yard touchdown drive on the first possession in overtime for the win, leaving fans on both sides in total shock.

Before Super Bowl 51, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history was only 10 points. The Patriots were out-schemed and outplayed for the first three quarters. Then they woke up. It was a true testament to the notion that it’s never too late for a comeback.

Not only was it the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, but it was also easily the most improbable of the Patriots’ five world championships. Brady finished 43-for-61 for 466 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Mattel's Hijab-Wearing Barbie

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Mattel unveiled its first hijab-wearing Barbie, modeled after fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, who broke ground herself as the first U.S. Olympic athlete to compete in the headscarf.

“Perfect hijab moment right here, this is amazing,” Muhammad said when she held the doll for the first time at Glamour Women of the Year Summit. For the first time, she saw a doll in her likeliness – one that resembled her. Muhammad played with barbies until she was a teenager, but none of the dolls looked like her, so she resorted to sewing mini hijabs onto them. She hopes these dolls inspire girls to embrace what makes them unique.

The doll is part of Mattel’s “Sheroes” line, modeled after real-life women who are “breaking boundaries.” Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Gabby Douglas was also recognized with her own “Shero” doll.

Mattel has been working to move Barbie’s image away from the blond-haired, blue-eyed and unattainably proportioned doll. In 2016, Mattel rolled out its Barbie Fashionata’s line, with dolls of four body types, seven skin tones and 24 hairstyles. The new dolls have been credited to helping revive sales. Now children can see and embrace dolls that look more and more like them.

The Phenomenon of "Wonder Woman"

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The movie “Wonder Woman” was the ultimate in girl-power in 2017. Directed by Patty Jenkins and staring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, many movie-goers originally approached the film with some wariness due to DC’s recent creative struggles in “Man of Steel” and “Batman vs. Superman.” “Wonder Woman,” however, surpassed expectations. Critics raved about the movie, Rotten Tomatoes gave the blockbuster a rating of 96 percent and fans were overwhelmingly excited. The movie dominated social media for days and became the most tweeted about movie of 2017. Diana Prince, Wonder Woman’s alter-ego, was the most tweeted about character this year. To the delight of DC, the social media buzz converted to the box office, and the film brought in over $821.74 million.

“Wonder Woman” also cranked up the girl-power off-screen. The movie was the highest-grossing live-action movie directed by a woman and the first time a female director had serious success with a superhero movie. It was also the first successful superhero movie to feature a female lead making it arguably the first superheroine movie. This first of its kind was also the best of its genre according to the box office. “Wonder Woman” currently holds the title for the highest-grossing superhero origin film of all time.

Acts of Heroism and Generosity In Wake of California Wildfires

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It seems like California burns every year, but 2017 was the most destructive wildfire season on record. Fires burned uncontained for weeks, and the smoke was visible from the International Space Station. Well over 500,000 acres burned to a crisp, destroying over 8,400 structures, causing over $1 billion in damage and, worst of all, killing more than 40 people.

Within this tragedy, however, there are stories of hope. Dozens of communities across California opened their homes to evacuees, and first responders worked around the clock for weeks. One set of firefighters made the news for their actions in Orville, California. A photograph went viral of the three brave men working to save an American flag from the encroaching wall of fire.

In a similar tale of selflessness, the Safari West wildlife preserve fought to save their animals that were threatened by the Tubbs Fire. The founder, Peter Lang, worked for hours keeping the flames away from the animals’ pens. At one point, he had to choose between saving his home or his animals. He did not even hesitate to choose his animals. All four of his homes, three barns and the lifetime collection he planned to donate to a museum burned, and many of the park’s buildings and cars were damaged. Despite the damage and danger, Safari West saved every one of its 1,000 animals.

Prince Harry's Engagement to Meghan Markle

Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and fifth in life to the throne, got engaged to his American girlfriend Meghan Markle in November of 2017. The prince, 33, and Markle, 36, plan to marry in spring of 2018.The pair had dated for more than a year before their engagement, which was anticipated by people worldwide.

Meghan Markle made headlines because of her ethnicity and middle-class background – her mother a black yoga instructor and her father a white cinematographer. It is an unusual break from palace protocol, but was a huge step forward for the new era of royals that are looking to make a better connection with the public. Prince Harry has publically defended Ms. Markle who has received backlash from the press. When asked about the way she has been portrayed by some British media, Ms. Markle replied: “It’s a shame that that is the climate in this world. At the end of the day I’m proud of who I am and where I come from. We just focus on who we are as a couple.” Markle is best known for her roles in the television legal drama “Suits” and in the science-fiction series “Fringe,” and she appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in September. Ms. Markle is also notable for her charitable work. She is a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and has worked for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Beachgoers Create a Human Chain to Save Family

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In June of this year, a family stuck in a rip current narrowly avoided tragedy when a crowd of strangers linked together to bring them back to land. Nine beachgoers, including two children and an elderly woman, were trapped in the current at Panama City Beach in Florida. Bystanders on the shore saw them yelling and waving their arms and decided to leap into action.

A police officer jumped into the water trying to swim to the trapped group, but quickly realized this wouldn’t be an option. They called in a boat, but other beachgoers decided they would take matters into their own hands. At first it only started with a few strangers linking arms. However that quickly grew to over 70 strangers who all held hands in a chain to stretch out to the trapped group. They used boogie boards and surfboards to help the family get back to shore. All of the swimmers made it out safely without any injuries. "At the very end, we all started clapping and cheering because they were so happy over the fact that we accomplished it," Jessica Simmons, who helped form the chain, told a local news outlet. The story quickly spread across the U.S. and helped remind everyone the importance of helping others and teamwork.

Homeless Man Buys Woman Gas

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In the later part of 2017, there seemed to be a feeling of despair. However this story reminded people that one small act of kindness can do so much good. In November, Kate McClure found herself stranded on Interstate 95 after she had run out of gas. Johnny Bobbitt Jr., a homeless veteran, approached her and told her to “get back in the car and lock the doors”. He came back with a red gas can, which he purchased using his last 20 dollars to help make sure the woman got home safely.

McClure didn’t have any way to repay him at the time, but returned to the area to give Bobbitt cash, clothes and food. She wanted to do something more, and started a fundraiser on GoFundMe. Donation poured in with over $10,000 raised in the first two weeks. A total of over $400,000 was raised for the homeless vet, who is now planning to get recertified as a paramedic. He also was given a lawyer and financial adviser so he can get back on his feet. Bobbitt, while humbled to be given a second chance, says he will not be keeping all the money. “I just want to do the right thing,” Bobbitt said to ABC. “This money was given to help me. Why not help other people in similar situations or people that are actively helping other people in different situations?”

Bhutan and Maldives Eliminate Measles

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According to the WHO, Bhutan and Maldives have become the first countries in the South-East Asia region to have eliminated measles. This success comes nearly three years ahead of the Regional virus transmission interruption target date of 2020. Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia announced the findings and conclusions of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles Elimination and Rubella control. “Bhutan and Maldives have demonstrated how a highly contagious virus like measles can be eliminated,” Dr. Singh said. “WHO commends them for this momentous public health achievement.”

Prior to the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, a “good year” saw 2.6 million measles related deaths, and major measles epidemics occurred every two to three years. Despite widespread access to vaccinations, measles continues to be one of the leading causes of death among young children. That said, the efforts of countries like Bhutan and Maldives to eliminate the deadly virus has saved thousands of lives. In 2016, the number of measles deaths dropped below 100,000 per year for the first time, and increased access to the measles vaccine is estimated to have prevented over 20 million deaths since 2000.

Indigenous measles is largely extinct in the West, and the successful elimination of the virus in Bhutan and Maldives is a watershed moment for South-East Asia. Neighboring countries will continue to push to meet the 2020 target date, and join Bhutan and Maldives in being measles-free countries.

Peggy Whiston Broke U.S. Record For Most Cumulative Time Spent in Space

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NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson was in the news several times during 2017. She inspired people everywhere in April when she broke the United States record for most cumulative time spent in space by an American astronaut at more than 534 days. As a result, she receieved a televise phone call from the Oval Office from US President Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka and fellow astronaut Kathleen Rubins. When interviewed on that day she declared 'It is actually a huge honor to break a record like this, but it is an honor for me back to be representing all the folks at NASA'.

Furthermore, Whitson became the first female astronaut to command the International Space Station twice. Later in June, Whitson broke the record for the longest single space flight by a woman. Whitson returned back to earth in September, accruing a total of 665 days in space over the course of her career. This total was more time in space than not only any astronaut in America, but any astronaut worldwide. She is also the oldest female astronaut ever in space at age 57.

This year, Whitson taught the world that is doesn’t matter your position in life, you can still achieve your dreams and break down barriers. She has paved the way for women in space exploration through her career and will continue to do so.

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