Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

LightNews

Deborah McDowell

@dem8z.bsky.social

10K followers 3.3K following 2.7K posts

Reader, writer, teacher, gardener, seamstress, contrarian. Professor, @WoodsonUVA Alice Griffin Professor of English, University of Virginia. Please, no DMs unless I know you. For professional matters, please contact me via UVA.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · Feb 24

Alice Walker, “The World We Want is Us”https://poets.org/poem/world-we-want-us

The World We Want Is Us

It moves my heart to see your awakened faces;

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Karen Graubart @kbgraubart.bsky.social · Nov 22

I am a historian of the early modern Spanish Atlantic world, and my latest book, Republics of Difference, looks at the way religious and racial minorities in Seville and Lima used the tools of constrained self-governance to create their own spaces, laws, and cultures.

Cover image of Karen Graubart, Republics of Difference: Religious and Racial Self-Governance in the Spanish Atlantic World. Gorgeous blue sky over a piece of the old city wall in Seville, with a bit of greenery peeking out.

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 11h

Faculty members, students and staff are registering our vehement opposition to this latest federal intrusion into university operations. The ultimate decision regarding the “compact” will rest with the Board of Visitors, who have received votes of no confidence from the major constituencies of UVA.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Stephanie A. @smdalbrig.bsky.social · 13h

I am incredibly grateful for the faculty speaking out. I know it’s never been a perfect institution but I loved my professors and my time there and I hate what is happening right now.

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 13h

augustafreepress.com/news/uva-may...

UVA: No decision on Trump compact; faculty strongly oppose it

The University of Virginia’s faculty has voted to reject any cooperation with U.S. Department of Education on a proposed compact.

augustafreepress.com

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Sarah Milov @allofmilov.bsky.social · 13h

A pitch-perfect encapsulation of the regime’s use of harassment (and more) as personnel policy. That this happened at the Ritz Carlton Orlando is also somehow fitting.

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 13h

"30-year-old conservative lawyer and activist who is Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, which deals with federal employee whistleblower complaints and discrimination" cancelled his colleague's hotel room so she would be forced to stay with him.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

In late July, Paul Ingrassia, the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, arrived at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando with a lower-ranking female colleague and others from their department. When the group reached the front desk, the woman learned she didn’t have a hotel room.

Ingrassia then informed her that she would be staying with him, according to five administration officials familiar with the episode. Eventually the woman discovered that Ingrassia had arranged ahead of time to have her hotel room canceled so she would have to stay with him, three of those officials said.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · 13h

"Abigail Spanberger Wins Virginia Gubernatorial Debate, While Earle-Sears Had Unhinged, 'Disqualifying' Performance" - @DNC War Room bluevirginia.us/2025/10/live...

"Abigail Spanberger beat Winsome Earle-Sears in tonight’s debate for the Virginia gubernatorial election. For Virginians across the Commonwealth to see, Spanberger proved that she will put Virginia first, while Winsome Earle-Sears was completely unhinged — interrupting Spanberger over 60 times — and proved again that she is only out for Donald Trump.

Throughout tonight’s debate, Spanberger presented a clear vision to make the lives of Virginians better by lowering costs, growing Virginia's economy, and strengthening Virginia's schools.

While Spanberger provided measured, candid answers, Winsome Earle-Sears spent her entire debate interrupting and lying, struggling to defend Trump’s Big Ugly Bill and DOGE’s mass-firing of hard-working Virginians, which have thrown Virginia’s economy into crisis and raised costs for Virginia families. Earle-Sears also crumbled when she was called out for her extreme abortion stances, including supporting a six-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. "

"In response to Abigail Spanberger’s commanding debate win, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
“Abigail Spanberger clearly beat Winsome Earle-Sears during tonight’s debate. Abigail presented a true vision for Virginia that lowers costs, grows the economy, and protects women’s reproductive freedoms. Meanwhile, Winsome Earle-Sears continued to defend Donald Trump’s extreme agenda that is raising costs on Virginia families and destroying jobs. Winsome Earle-Sears also flailed when Abigail called her out for her extreme support of a six-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. Her performance was disqualifying, interrupting over 60 times in an attempt to distract from her stances that Virginians clearly reject. Between now and November 4, the DNC is all hands on deck to make sure Abigail Spanberger wins on Election Day.”
Here are some of the key points from tonight’s debate:

Key moment: Abigail Spanberger made clear that lowering costs will be her top priority as governor.

Key quote: Winsome Earle-Sears said, “I will take all endorsements, including the President’s,” despite the fact that Donald Trump has conspicuously not endorsed her.

Key quote: Winsome Earle-Sears said that banning gay marriage and firing someone for being gay is “not discrimination.”

Key fact check: Despite Earle-Sears saying she is creating jobs in Virginia, unemployment in Virginia rose for seven straight months since Trump took office.

Interruption counter: Earle-Sears talked over and interrupted Spanberger over 60 times, trying to distract from her extreme, unpopular positions."

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Tampa Bay resister 🇺🇸🇨🇿🇨🇴🏴‍☠️⚡️🐶🎧 @depechemodefan101.bsky.social · 16h

EVERY DAY....

THERE'S ANOTHER MAGA CAUGHT......

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 15h

public comment starting. had 40 sign ups, only 20 allowed per lottery. Spillman says “please be respectful”

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 15h

now talking about national problem of school board members being targeted. “the campaign to silence me is part of a national campaign”

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 15h

“I tell my children if you hurt someone, even if you didn’t intend to, you should apologize”. offers sincere apology to WAHS TPUSA *students* if she hurt them.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 15h

Spillman up. perhas 3/4 of the audience stands quietly in support.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 15h

describing the hate campaign that has been waged against her. thousands of emails, comments, calls. in tears, reading some examples. they’re fucking vile.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 16h

long story short, speaker ultimately approved under equal access, first amendment policies

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 16h

Superintendent Haas making statement. doing timeline of controversy. says school got letter from conservative law org day after suggesting the anti-trans speaker be moved to after school.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Andrew @tjsleakyroof.bsky.social · 16h

school board meeting kicking off. not going to fully live skeet, but will do my best to hit the important points.

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 17h

Yes!!!

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Olivia Messer @oliviamesser.bsky.social · 22h

in case you missed this, @wsj.com reported that Trump is — or is trying to at least — direct Pam Bondi via social media DMs, and that when he posted demanding the Comey indictment, it was an accident

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Krisanne Combs @ennasirk.bsky.social · 21h

And hiring, just look at the replacements they install!

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers @blklibrarygirl.bsky.social · 22h

Thank you, Sweet lady!

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 1d

And this highly-productive white guy*, who is so competent he can run both the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. Meritocracy!

* I assume he's a white man although by appearance he is a melting Elf on the Shelf.

Bessent Taps Social Security Chief to Serve as C.E.O. of I.R.S.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 1d

It’s not segregationist though. You can tell because pam bondi, pete hegseth and co are so competent and clearly deserve their jobs

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

yeah, trump has made very clear that he doesn’t think black people deserve to be in jobs of influence! www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Trump Fires Black Officials From an Overwhelmingly White Administration

www.nytimes.com

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 22h

Terra Cotta’s regime bans considerations of race in hiring but grants itself carte blanche to consider race in firing.

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 22h

Without comment.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Reposted by Deborah McDowell

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers @blklibrarygirl.bsky.social · 23h

I do, indeed! 😊🙌🏾