Author | Lightnews

Caroline Rothstein

@carolinerothstein.bsky.social

380 followers 120 following 270 posts

Freelance writer, poet, performer, educator, & documentary filmmaker. Prolly posting re: #amwriting, liberation, Chicago Bulls, & Phish. (she/her) https://linktr.ee/CarolineRothstein

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · 15d

So the Bulls spent the summer playing volleyball at North Avenue?! What a close! #Bulls #BullsNation

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Sep 19

On the dry erase board in my college classroom when I walked in to prep for class today. What a time.

A white dry erase board that says in black marker, “who was sen. Joe McCarthy and why is he important?”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Aug 26

“You Could Be Next,” my second spoken word poetry album, is now available:

orcd.co/youcouldbenext

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project possible.

I hope this album can help us all to alchemize the destructions we have witnessed, experienced, & enabled into collective liberation.

The image is the album cover for Caroline Rothstein’s spoken word poetry album “You Could Be Next.” There is a black background with white text. There is light gray Hebrew lettering that reads, “Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam” over and over throughout the image in traditional Hebrew block letters. In the middle of the album, it reads “You Could Be Next” in white text and all caps in Caroline Rothstein’s handwriting. At the bottom of the album, it reads, “Caroline Rothstein” in white text and all caps in Caroline Rothstein’s handwriting.

1 1

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Aug 19

Touching base on Tuesdays.

My second poetry album “You Could Be Next” releases on Monday, August 25, the first of Elul.

Stay, tuned.

Sending love & liberation to all.

A black background with white text that reads, “YOU COULD BE NEXT. CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN. SAVE THE DATE. AUGUST 25, 2025. 36 POEMS. 1 ALBUM. WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR TUNES. STAY, TUNED.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Jul 16

✔️✔️✔️

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Jul 16

Top 5 Fav Things About #Phish Shows:

1) The music.
2) Serendipitously running into people.
3) When the breeze hits during the end of the 2nd set as the sun goes down at an outdoor show.
4) Lot shirts. (NO NOTES!)
5) Strangers offering me drugs (even though I’m straightedge; it’s just so tender).

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Elad Nehorai @eladn.bsky.social · Jul 4

Truly imagine if Mamdani had used the word “Shylock.”

It would have quite literally destroyed his career and every org and leader calling him out would be making this into a month long news cycle.

Trump? Hardly a peep.

When you accept antisemitism from the president, you aren’t fighting it.

61 1.3K 5.4K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Ken Tremendous @kentremendous.bsky.social · Jun 25

The path for Democrats is very clear: have good ideas, believe in them, state them clearly, stick to them, act decisively in support of these ideas, speak to the young half of the electorate, support other democrats who do these things. Follow Mamdani and Lander's example or fade into nothingness.

40 670 3.7K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · Jun 25

A story that got less attention was the incredibly cynical primary of my amazing Councilwoman—the first Muslim woman ever elected to the NYC Council—by a billionaire, corporate-backed candidate also lobbing gross accusations of antisemitism. Anyway, the challenger got trounced. Hell yea.

Shahana Hanif @shahanafrombk.bsky.social · Jun 25

Thank you, Brooklyn! Getting to represent the neighborhoods that raised me is the greatest privilege of my life.

58 1.2K 7.5K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · Jun 25

I can't emphasize enough how ugly and pervasive and persistent the "Mamdani hates Jews" campaign was. I'm happy that so many Jews stood strong against that vileness. Maybe people will start to understand that we've had it with being treated as a paranoid, easily manipulated single-issue bloc.

44 890 6.3K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · Jun 25

it turns out that embracing a multi-racial, multi-faith democracy is the best path towards peace in this chaotic world.

38 710 5.3K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · Jun 23

Bottom line is that if you haven't voted yet, please go out to vote tomorrow in the primary and DO NOT RANK CUOMO. I'll be out in the heat wave NOT RANKING HIM. We need to turn the page in this city.

10 280 1.1K

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Jun 22

Absolutely. And I can’t help but think what political pressure might have been there if Obama and Biden hadn’t continued George W. Bush’s tradition of “random bombing without congressional approval because War on Terror”

8 140 630

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · May 22

Ok but also like how many different group chats are you on during NBA playoff season?

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · May 12

From Friday’s #BehindthePoem.

Sending love & liberation to all.

A yellow background with black text that reads, “FROM ‘JEWISH COMEDY’ ““Because the thing is this: I can’t believe that people are still so uncomfortable with Jews after all these years, just like I can’t believe that people are still so comfortable with holocausts after all this time.””––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 25

BEHIND THE POEM • Episode 157

Here’s a snippet from “AOL The Musical,” which I’ve been cooking up with Ethan Lipsitz & Raymond Caldwell.

Full video here: youtube.com/shorts/QPkhB...

Enjoy.

Sending love & liberation to all.

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Jeff Yang @originalsp.in · Apr 23

Gov. DeWine just signed SB1, a law ending “DEI” in Ohio public higher ed.

Now that it’s law, U of Toledo just killed the following BA programs:

• Africana Studies
• Asian Studies
• Disability Studies
• Middle East Studies
• Philosophy
• Religious Studies
• Women's/Gender Studies

And…

• Spanish

Welp... Ohio.
THE VL
ERSEY BE
TOLEDO
CONTACT SUBMIT A STORY
In compliance with S81, UToledo is suspending admissions beginning with the 2025-26 academic year to the following undergraduate programs:
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Africana Studios
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Asian Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Data Analytics
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Disability Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Middle East Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy
• Bochelor of Arts (B.A.) in Religious Studios
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Women's and Gender Studios
Al these programs remain available as minors for stud
In compliance with SB1, UToledo is suspending admissions beginning with the 2025-26 academic year to the following undergraduate programs:
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Africana Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Asian Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Data Analytics
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Disability Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Middle East Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Religious Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Women's and Gender

360 1.6K 2.9K

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 21

From Friday’s #BehindthePoem.

Sending love & liberation to all.

A yellow background with black text that reads, “BEHIND THE POEM | EPISODE 156.’ “I have softened, but have I slowed?”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Reposted by Caroline Rothstein

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social · Apr 14

Never again is now, friends.

Don't look away.

We have a moral obligation to EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING being detained, deported, and sent to actual concentration camps on our watch.

Who were you when your government perpetuated atrocities?

If you're in the US, it's in the wide-open now.

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · Apr 14

The Trump admin has just detained Mohsen Mahdawi, who:
–has green card
–was Columbia Buddhist club president
–saw his best friend shot & killed by Israeli soldier
–said "we are against antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"

In addition to violating Mr. Mahdawi’s First Amendment rights, the Rubio
Determination and Mr. Mahdawi’s unlawful detention also violates Mr. Mahdawi’s statutory rights
and due process rights.
PARTIES
8. Petitioner Mohsen Mahdawi is a Palestinian who was born and raised in a refugee
camp in the West Bank. He is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and has been for
the last ten years. He is a recent student of Columbia University, with an expected graduation date
of May 2025. He has been admitted to a Master’s program at Columbia University’s School of
International and Public Affairs (“SIPA”), to begin in the fall of 2025.

After growing up in a refugee camp, Mr. Mahdawi felt compelled to advocate for
Palestinian human rights upon moving to the United States.
22. Mr. Mahdawi is also a committed Buddhist and believes in non-violence and
empathy as a central tenet of his religion. In fall of 2021, he became the president of the Columbia
University Buddhist Association and led it for two years.
23. In fall of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi co-founded the Palestinian Student Union (“Dar”) at
Columbia University which “serves to engage with and celebrate Palestinian culture, history, and
identity.” Mr. Mahdawi co-founded this organization with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian lawful
permanent resident who was also recently detained by ICE for his expressive conduct related to
Palestine.

Mr. Mahdawi appeared in numerous televised interviews and print news articles
regarding the military campaign in Gaza and related protests. In December of 2023, Mr. Mahdawi
appeared on 60 Minutes where he shared that, as a child, he watched an Israeli soldier shoot and
kill his best friend in the West Bank.
27. Throughout his time as a student and a leader of Dar and the Columbia University
Buddhist Association, Mr. Mahdawi was always willing to engage in dialogue with people whose
views and beliefs differed from his own. Mr. Mahdawi believed, and continues to believe, that
more speech is the solution to disagreement, rather than less, and that empathy and understanding
through communication are a way to resolve conflicts peacefully.

…and a peaceful political solution. Mr. Mahdawi gave speeches at several of these protests. In his
speeches, Mr. Mahdawi advocated for Palestinian human rights, a permanent ceasefire, and a
peaceful resolution that affirmed the human dignity of all.
25. During one protest, Mr. Mahdawi vocally denounced an unaffiliated passerby who
made an antisemitic comment, chanting “shame on him”. Mr. Mahdawi stated that “we are against
2:25-cv-00389 Document 1 Filed 04/14/25 Page 6 of 19
7
antisemitism because antisemitism is a form of injustice, and injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere.” The confrontation was documented by the Columbia Spectator

9 680 1.5K

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “fourteen. Nirtzah נירצה | desired’ ‘next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, next year, and still too, many it be today, completely. Worldwide. a sanctification of holiness for all.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “thirteen. Hallel הלל | praise’ ‘and oh, to the prophets, who live within our grief, who set the table of our tears, whose oceans wash our bitterness into sweetness through a body of trauma that nobody sees: please break us from this divided grief.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “twelve. Bareich ברך | blessing’ ‘blessing. Blessing. blessed.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “eleven. Tzafun צפון | hidden, concealed’ ‘might it be a washing that might wash away the chosen bitterness and sweeten that which we have hidden in the divide? might we break open the sanctification of that which we choose to pass over and find inside the broken breaks of sweetness the bitterness of that which we choose to hide? it is possible to reveal that which we have hidden. completely. worldwide. and yet, we have chosen to put it in a section at the grocery store. let it be a tear dipped in a body of salt. water. broken. parted. divided. see.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “Ten. Shulchan oreich עורך שלחן | set table’ ‘it is possible to eradicate hunger. completely. worldwide. and yet, we have chosen to put it in a section at the grocery store. let it be a total wash.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”

Caroline Rothstein @carolinerothstein.bsky.social · Apr 11

A yellow background with black text that reads, “nine. Koreich כורך | to wrap, encircle’ we remember the bitter. we remember the sweet. we remember the bitter. we remember the sweet. we remember the bitter. we remember the sweet. the bitter. the bitter. the sweet. the sweet. the bitter. the bitter. the sweet. sweet.”––CAROLINE ROTHSTEIN.”