Christopher Whitaker
@civicwhitaker.com
Civic Technologist | Executive Director, Alliance of Civic Technologists | Army Veteran | Alumni of Code for America, Defense Digital Service and USDS #civictech #chicago
Really doesn’t like bullies
Signal: civicwhitaker.53
Really doesn’t like bullies
Signal: civicwhitaker.53
Pinned
Christopher Whitaker
@civicwhitaker.com
· Nov 10
Home
ACT is a decentralized network of civic tech volunteer organizations.
www.civictechnologists.org
#Introductions
Hi, I'm Christopher Whitaker & I'm a civic technologist w/ a hybrid background as a product manager & bureaucrat. I currently serve as director of the Alliance of Civic Technologists - a network of local #civictech volunteer groups. www.civictechnologists.org
Army vet / #chicago
Hi, I'm Christopher Whitaker & I'm a civic technologist w/ a hybrid background as a product manager & bureaucrat. I currently serve as director of the Alliance of Civic Technologists - a network of local #civictech volunteer groups. www.civictechnologists.org
Army vet / #chicago
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
I once missed a Friendsgiving to help a new girlfriend finish a cover letter for a job. It meant I didn’t bring my maple mashed sweet potatoes. The group chat said “you better marry her, because otherwise that is inexcusable”
She is now my wife.
She is now my wife.
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
November 25, 2025 at 1:39 PM
I once missed a Friendsgiving to help a new girlfriend finish a cover letter for a job. It meant I didn’t bring my maple mashed sweet potatoes. The group chat said “you better marry her, because otherwise that is inexcusable”
She is now my wife.
She is now my wife.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
love love love the civic tech representation here! <3 (Hidalgo, Norrick, Van Dyck, & Voegeli)
November 25, 2025 at 4:54 AM
love love love the civic tech representation here! <3 (Hidalgo, Norrick, Van Dyck, & Voegeli)
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
The quote that DOGE "doesn't exist" is a quote Reuters got from OPM director Scott Kupor. But Kupor *is* DOGE.
Trump names picks for DOGE, workforce management posts
The president-elect also announced his choices for top jobs in the White House and at the Agriculture Department.
www.eenews.net
November 24, 2025 at 11:03 PM
The quote that DOGE "doesn't exist" is a quote Reuters got from OPM director Scott Kupor. But Kupor *is* DOGE.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
How Residents In Chicago And LA Are Building Multiracial Solidarity Against ICE
blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/24/h...
blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/24/h...
How Residents In Chicago And LA Are Building Multiracial Solidarity Against ICE
Violent immigration crackdowns, looming safety-net cuts and arrests of street vendors are pushing Black and Latine residents in both cities to organize around their common ground.
blockclubchicago.org
November 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
How Residents In Chicago And LA Are Building Multiracial Solidarity Against ICE
blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/24/h...
blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/24/h...
Broke: DOGE is dead
Woke: DOGE was specifically constructed in a way to avoid accountability partially by zombifying the USDS which still exists as an entity
Bespoke: Dead or not, there needs to be a blue ribbon committee and a massive internal cybersecurity review to root out all the damage.
Woke: DOGE was specifically constructed in a way to avoid accountability partially by zombifying the USDS which still exists as an entity
Bespoke: Dead or not, there needs to be a blue ribbon committee and a massive internal cybersecurity review to root out all the damage.
November 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Broke: DOGE is dead
Woke: DOGE was specifically constructed in a way to avoid accountability partially by zombifying the USDS which still exists as an entity
Bespoke: Dead or not, there needs to be a blue ribbon committee and a massive internal cybersecurity review to root out all the damage.
Woke: DOGE was specifically constructed in a way to avoid accountability partially by zombifying the USDS which still exists as an entity
Bespoke: Dead or not, there needs to be a blue ribbon committee and a massive internal cybersecurity review to root out all the damage.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
This is going to come as a surprise to current federal employees who were, as of Friday, interviewing people DOGE sent them.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 4:40 PM
This is going to come as a surprise to current federal employees who were, as of Friday, interviewing people DOGE sent them.
I don’t know if DOGE is *really* dead - the organization that DOGE zombified in order to make their hires still exists, the projects are still in motion and who knows what cybersecurity threats are still lurking out there
November 23, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I don’t know if DOGE is *really* dead - the organization that DOGE zombified in order to make their hires still exists, the projects are still in motion and who knows what cybersecurity threats are still lurking out there
I got a job working at the Illinois unemployment office during the Great Recession and discovered that my software was from 1975.
Then I got really, really, irritated
Then I got really, really, irritated
November 23, 2025 at 1:53 AM
I got a job working at the Illinois unemployment office during the Great Recession and discovered that my software was from 1975.
Then I got really, really, irritated
Then I got really, really, irritated
The key to bureaucracy hacking is to reduce friction while STILL addressing the risk the regulations were attempting to address.
As I always say when some right-winger starts going on about "red tape that slows innovation", every regulation on the books represents a lesson we as a society learned the hard way, and then encoded so we wouldn't forget. It's someone's blood & pain.
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
November 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
The key to bureaucracy hacking is to reduce friction while STILL addressing the risk the regulations were attempting to address.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
As I always say when some right-winger starts going on about "red tape that slows innovation", every regulation on the books represents a lesson we as a society learned the hard way, and then encoded so we wouldn't forget. It's someone's blood & pain.
I once knew a Federal bank examiner, and one time someone asked him why we had to KEEP inspecting banks over and over. He basically said every new batch of business school grads invents bank fraud from first principles.
AirBnB CEO calling it “vibe revenue” just 👨🍳 😘
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
The underlying cause of every bubble - debt masquerading as financial innovation - depends on not just short financial memory & speculative neophytism, but reinventing jargon of finance, like how each generation of kids has new ways to say same things.
November 23, 2025 at 12:17 AM
As I always say when some right-winger starts going on about "red tape that slows innovation", every regulation on the books represents a lesson we as a society learned the hard way, and then encoded so we wouldn't forget. It's someone's blood & pain.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
"Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning."
November 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning."
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
Marimar Martinez is a US citizen who was shot by ICE five times in Chicago.
She was then arrested, labelled a “domestic terrorist” and slandered on social media.
All charges against her have been dropped.
In this interview she shows on of the seven holes the ICE agent put in her body.
She was then arrested, labelled a “domestic terrorist” and slandered on social media.
All charges against her have been dropped.
In this interview she shows on of the seven holes the ICE agent put in her body.
November 22, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Marimar Martinez is a US citizen who was shot by ICE five times in Chicago.
She was then arrested, labelled a “domestic terrorist” and slandered on social media.
All charges against her have been dropped.
In this interview she shows on of the seven holes the ICE agent put in her body.
She was then arrested, labelled a “domestic terrorist” and slandered on social media.
All charges against her have been dropped.
In this interview she shows on of the seven holes the ICE agent put in her body.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
hi friends, I’m so thrilled @publicgood.tech is on BlueSky! I've been a board member since 2021 & I care deeply about this org: the only one dedicated to supporting the people who do the very hard work of civic tech
Heads-up: I’m asking for donations give.socialgoodfund.org/t4pg-fund?re...
Heads-up: I’m asking for donations give.socialgoodfund.org/t4pg-fund?re...
November 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
hi friends, I’m so thrilled @publicgood.tech is on BlueSky! I've been a board member since 2021 & I care deeply about this org: the only one dedicated to supporting the people who do the very hard work of civic tech
Heads-up: I’m asking for donations give.socialgoodfund.org/t4pg-fund?re...
Heads-up: I’m asking for donations give.socialgoodfund.org/t4pg-fund?re...
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
“If every time that ICE strikes, they leave each community more mobilized, interconnected, and radicalized than before, we can use their efforts to eventually become capable of defeating them.”
For months, protesters have sought to tie down ICE agents at a holding facility outside Chicago.
Here, participants reflect on this strategy, evaluating it alongside other strategies such as rapid response networks and showing how Democratic politicians have been instrumental in supporting ICE.
Here, participants reflect on this strategy, evaluating it alongside other strategies such as rapid response networks and showing how Democratic politicians have been instrumental in supporting ICE.
Reflections on Resisting ICE in Chicago
Participants in the ongoing protests at the ICE holding facility in Broadview reflect on what has worked and explore the complicity of Democratic politicians with the violence of ICE.
crimethinc.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:01 AM
“If every time that ICE strikes, they leave each community more mobilized, interconnected, and radicalized than before, we can use their efforts to eventually become capable of defeating them.”
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
One thing that is tough about rapid response/patrols, besides constantly being threatened by armed secret police, is that for the most part they see the defeats. There are exceptions, but you’ll never know how many people were saved by slowing feds down, whistles, community alerts, etc.
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 PM
One thing that is tough about rapid response/patrols, besides constantly being threatened by armed secret police, is that for the most part they see the defeats. There are exceptions, but you’ll never know how many people were saved by slowing feds down, whistles, community alerts, etc.
*seeing IL-SEN candidates on this list and tearing a hole in the page as I cross them off my ‘potential people I would vote for’ list*
November 21, 2025 at 10:27 PM
*seeing IL-SEN candidates on this list and tearing a hole in the page as I cross them off my ‘potential people I would vote for’ list*
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
With ICE and border patrol goons spreading out across the country, I put together a resource guide for buying, printing, and distributing whistles, based on my own experience. Now is the time to whistle up, hope this helps. dansinker.com/posts/202…
November 21, 2025 at 9:35 PM
With ICE and border patrol goons spreading out across the country, I put together a resource guide for buying, printing, and distributing whistles, based on my own experience. Now is the time to whistle up, hope this helps. dansinker.com/posts/202…
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
This. This is precisely why I requested an independent investigation into the excessive use of force by Trump's agents in Chicago.
Read some of this stuff Trump's agents are doing and how DHS is lying about it to mislead the public.
It's harrowing.
Read some of this stuff Trump's agents are doing and how DHS is lying about it to mislead the public.
It's harrowing.
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
November 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
This. This is precisely why I requested an independent investigation into the excessive use of force by Trump's agents in Chicago.
Read some of this stuff Trump's agents are doing and how DHS is lying about it to mislead the public.
It's harrowing.
Read some of this stuff Trump's agents are doing and how DHS is lying about it to mislead the public.
It's harrowing.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
📣 Calling all early-career public interest + experienced technologists! Join the @publicgood.tech 2026 TPG Mentorship Program and be part of the community transforming public service through technology. Learn more and apply: community.publicgood.tech/mentorship 🚀
#Mentorship #PublicInterestTech
#Mentorship #PublicInterestTech
November 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
📣 Calling all early-career public interest + experienced technologists! Join the @publicgood.tech 2026 TPG Mentorship Program and be part of the community transforming public service through technology. Learn more and apply: community.publicgood.tech/mentorship 🚀
#Mentorship #PublicInterestTech
#Mentorship #PublicInterestTech
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
Come work for me! I'm hiring at @usdigitalresponse.org—somebody with experience as a government procurement FTE who wants to join me in providing pro bono support to governments in the U.S. who want to move to a user-centered, Agile software procurement approach. Remote, full-time, $145–165k.
Procurement Specialist at U.S. Digital Response
About U.S. Digital Response
U.S. Digital Response (USDR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping governments and civic institutions respond quickly and efficiently to support the...
us-digital-response.breezy.hr
November 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Come work for me! I'm hiring at @usdigitalresponse.org—somebody with experience as a government procurement FTE who wants to join me in providing pro bono support to governments in the U.S. who want to move to a user-centered, Agile software procurement approach. Remote, full-time, $145–165k.
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
Good reporting here and a strong use of public records from @unraveledpress.com: Identified: federal agents who pointed gun, punched detainee in Evanston unraveledpress.com/identified-f...
Identified: federal agents who pointed gun, punched detainee in Evanston
Unraveled has verified a hate speech-laden X account belonging to U.S. Border Patrol agent Timothy Donahue, who was seen in numerous viral videos during Operation Midway Blitz. He and another agent, T...
unraveledpress.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Good reporting here and a strong use of public records from @unraveledpress.com: Identified: federal agents who pointed gun, punched detainee in Evanston unraveledpress.com/identified-f...
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
Incredible work by @unraveledpress.com here
NEW: Evanston has released video + reports surrounding a 10/31 incident where a CBP agent threatened to shoot people + another beat a handcuffed man.
We found some disturbing X posts from one of the feds, also seen in other viral videos. His name is Timothy Donahue, and it's now public record:
We found some disturbing X posts from one of the feds, also seen in other viral videos. His name is Timothy Donahue, and it's now public record:
Identified: federal agents who pointed gun, punched detainee in Evanston
Unraveled has verified a hate speech-laden X account belonging to U.S. Border Patrol agent Timothy Donahue, who was seen in numerous viral videos during Operation Midway Blitz. He and another agent, T...
unraveledpress.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Incredible work by @unraveledpress.com here
Reposted by Christopher Whitaker
It’s never a bad time for this meme, but International Men’s Day might be the best time
November 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
It’s never a bad time for this meme, but International Men’s Day might be the best time