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commanderrika.blacksky.app
Rika⁷
@commanderrika.blacksky.app
4.5K followers 1.3K following 5.5K posts
Writer+Illustrator. She/Her.

💜 Blackness 💜 Books 💜 BTS 💜
Stories in Lightspeed, FIYAH, Strange Horizons, Fantasy, and Apparitions

Portfolio: commanderrika.com
Commissions OPEN: [email protected]
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commanderrika.blacksky.app
Rika⁷ @commanderrika.blacksky.app · Sep 1
Hi! I have a story out in Small Wonders today! This is a little horny gremlin of a tale and I hope you take a chance on it, if you're into words and whatnot.
smallwondersmag.com Small Wonders @smallwondersmag.com · Sep 1
What takes you out of time? And what is sweet enough to bring you back into it again? Read Marika Bailey's "Gifted and Talented" today and consider what moves you so that you could move others:
Gifted and Talented - Small Wonders
Being beyond time is a revolution against creation most bodies aren’t built to bear. It’ll kill you, that dark matter time.
smallwondersmag.com
commanderrika.blacksky.app
Rest in Power, Ms. Colvin
January 13, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
madeleinefjall.bsky.social
Hey #PortfolioDay!

I'm Madeleine, an illustrator from Sweden, and I love to paint anything historical and fantasy, sometimes with folklore elements. I also write books!

Would love to make more book covers! ✨

🌐 madeleinefjall.com
✉️ [email protected]
La belle dame sans merci by Frank Bernard Dicksee version of Hans and Henry from Kingdom Come Deliverance image of Lucia with candles in her hair, holding another candle between her hands. Her eyes are glowing. She's wearing a lucia gown inspired by photos from late 1800s Fanart of Alistair Theirin from the Dragon Age games, wearing grey warden armour, standing in front of a mural with a crown over his head. A pale changeling sitting in water in the deep dark green forest
January 13, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Reposted by Rika⁷
gelicia.bsky.social
today: went to the gym this morning, overhear folks sharing stories of how they're protecting people. bestie walks dogs & they tried to pick her up (luckily neighbors kept her safe). my fav restaurant closed early bc an employee was violently detained.
wrigleyfield.bsky.social Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · 4h
I really want ppl w/o Minneapolis connections to understand

You might've heard that Mpls public schools went hybrid bc so many families are in hiding. Well, a coworker just told me that today, during his kid's hybrid class, a kid's apt building was raided onscreen

*Everyone has stories like this*
January 13, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
vscharff.bsky.social
A friend who doesn't know who her Congressperson is, is now walking children home from school to the apartment that their mother doesn't dare leave.
grudgie.bsky.social Grudgie the Whale @grudgie.bsky.social · 1h
I’ve never seen mostly apolitical nice aunties get so radicalized so fast in my life.

Not that these are Trump voters. They aren’t. But they went from soft disapprovers to people who would crawl over broken glass to get rid of all these people.
January 13, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
commanderrika.blacksky.app
Happy #portfolioday!
I'm Marika, a Black illustrator and designer. I'd love to work on more book covers, book-adjacent work, and science fiction and fantasy projects.

www.commanderrika.com/illustrator
marikawrites589(at)gmail.com
Digital drawing of a young Black woman surrounded by newspapers and grey plants, there are flowers covering her eyes. Collage of photographs and drawn images, women with raised fists, holding hands, birds fly through the foreground. A dark skinned Black women wearing a dark blue dress stands in front of purple stained glass. She has long white hair. An Asian woman in an astronaut's suit is underwater, a light shines from above partially illuminating her face.
January 13, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
scherville.com
Hello again, #PortfolioDay!

I'm a freelance artist who loves to work with atmospheric colours and textures. I'm open to all kinds of projects, especially book covers and illustrations.

✉️ [email protected]
🕸️ scherville.com
A 3x4 grid of illustrations mostly commissioned by various clients as well as two personal pieces. They’re all done digitally in painterly style with visible brushstrokes and deep colours. There are humans, vampires, vieras, elves, lizards, dragons and other humanoid but ethereal creatures.
January 13, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
nozomimats.bsky.social
Hello #PortfolioDay !

I'm Nozomi, a freelance illustrator! I love working on anything fantasy themed.

📧[email protected]
✏️https://cara.app/nozomi
A man sits in his study, contemplating a dark, box shaped artifact, while a dark spirit looms behind him. This was a commission work done for JacenLandry Commission work done for YeetMaur A dark skinned man with dark brown hair and a beard framing his jaw, dressed in a white robe and dark brown pants crouches with one hand on the ground as he swings at demons with his katana. The enemy demons are dressed in red rusting armor that looks worn and damaged. The scene is set in a bamboo forest with a path cutting through it, red banners on either side of the road. It appears to be in the afternoon, with a rich orange glow streaming in between the bamboo. A woman with pale skin, white hair in two braids, and delicate gold tattoo on her face floats in the night sky with a full moon and starry sky behind her. She is wearing a thigh length purple dress with long sweeping sleeves. There are glowing blue lines etched on the fabric of the dress, and two ribbons of light with geometric patterns are trailing behind her. A ring of magic with glowing orbs is circling around her as she floats. Fanart of Avatar Kyoshi from Avatar: the Last Airbender A woman wearing green robes, white and red face paint, and a gold, fan-like headdress with tassels, lies down in shallow water with a tired look on her face. Surrounding her in the water are lilypads and a few boulders and rocks. Also floating near her are two golden folding fans.
January 13, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Rika⁷
dytsras.bsky.social
I watch the bulk of ashleythebaroness videos, despite rarely sharing them.

But this one hit today.

And she's right! We're not dealing with some foreign ideology. We're dealing with a uniquely American phenomenon.

fascism wrapped in our own flag
January 13, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
sesmith.lol
If Flock is in your community, you should be going to every city council meeting and screaming about it until they get rid of it.
Police Unmask Millions of Surveillance Targets Because of Flock Redaction Error
Flock is going after a website called HaveIBeenFlocked.com that has collated public records files released by police.
www.404media.co
January 13, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
runwithskizzers.bsky.social
Ok heated rivalry is great but this is what I am playing on a loop now ty

x: www.instagram.com/reel/DTbFmjk...
January 13, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Reposted by Rika⁷
runwithskizzers.bsky.social
lmao god i hate these fuckin guys so much i hate them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as baby boy hudson williams said, "fuck ai fuck it dead"
jasonsanford.bsky.social Jason Sanford @jasonsanford.bsky.social · 7h
GenAI companies keep claiming the books and copyrighted works their programed were "trained" on without permission didn't retain complete copies in their systems. This was a lie.

These companies may now face for even more liability for violating copyrights. 1/
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
AI’s Memorization Crisis
Large language models don’t “learn”—they copy. And that could change everything for the tech industry.
www.theatlantic.com
January 13, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social
Knew this was coming. Something I've been noticing happening slowly for a while now. It's also happening in conjunction with the aging up of YA and the influx of romantasies that tend to feature cisallohet relationships and dabble in fascism-adjacent storytelling themes.
January 13, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
truthout.org
Family and community members are demanding justice for Keith Porter, who was killed by an off-duty ICE agent, as local officials have reportedly told activists they do not plan to investigate his death or hold the agent accountable.
Family Demands Justice for Keith Porter, Who Was Killed by an Off-Duty ICE Agent
Local government officials have reportedly told activists they have no intention of investigating Porter’s killing.
truthout.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
jasonsanford.bsky.social
GenAI companies keep claiming the books and copyrighted works their programed were "trained" on without permission didn't retain complete copies in their systems. This was a lie.

These companies may now face for even more liability for violating copyrights. 1/
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
AI’s Memorization Crisis
Large language models don’t “learn”—they copy. And that could change everything for the tech industry.
www.theatlantic.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
blueheronfarm.bsky.social
"The baby was released to her family. Her grandmother says she had a bruised cheek, but is otherwise OK."

I'M SORRY, BUT DID YOU NOT HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THIS???
January 13, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
itsamia.bsky.social
sorry but i find the sentiment in this quote extremely disingenuous. men also suffer at the hands of men. especially irl wrt being queer. is it relaxing to read/watch toxic masculinity then? there exist also m/f romances where misogyny isn't a thing - so many romances include this! SO MANY.
joolia.bsky.social Julia Carrie Wong @joolia.bsky.social · 7h
I spoke to women (and one man) about what they find so hot about Heated Rivalry.

"The main reason I read MM is I just absolutely cannot stand reading or watching women suffer at the hands of men – in any way, big or small, anymore... We, as women, can just watch this and relax.”
Women are feral for Heated Rivalry. What does that say about men?
The explosive popularity of the gay hockey TV drama reveals women’s desire for sex and romance without violence or hierarchy
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
adrianodocouto.bsky.social
Hello #PortfolioDay.
I'm mostly a digital artist but this year I'm transitioning to 100% traditional if I can.
The MTG angel Aurelia flying over the battlements in Ravnica. A painting of a girl with a mohawk over a background with a big moon. A painting of a she-elf in armor over a background of an army of undead. She's holding a magic ball with green glowing magic. Painting of a girl knight carrying a sword walking down a flowery hill with a gigantic arctic fox walking behind her.
January 13, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
sahanjournal.bsky.social
Arrested while observing ICE, two Minnesota residents describe harsh conditions and fear inside federal building cells.

Written by Katelyn Vue
‘I heard screaming, I heard crying:’ Inside ICE detainment at the Whipple Building
Two U.S. citizen observers share a rare look inside ICE custody at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis.
sahanjournal.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:40 PM
commanderrika.blacksky.app
1. Them dudes have CHEMISTRY with each other. Bring that back. Chemistry test these actors before you inflict them upon us.

2. On God, give unknowns a chance. Please!
baddestmamajama.bsky.social Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 2h
I will stop talking about Heated Rivalry, but one of the reasons it has become such a big thing is this is the way Hollywood is supposed to work! Two actors working as waiters who get a shot and made the most of it and now are going to be stars! It feels like that never happens anymore.
January 13, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
geauxgabrielle.bsky.social
Hey y’all! REMINDER:

I am LEGALLY OBLIGATED to award at least one scholarship to a Louisiana woman. And no Louisiana women have applied. This happens every year where we have to beg women in my own state to apply and Idk why. We’re in our 6th cycle! Come get this money! ThurmanPerryFoundation.org
'Everyone Deserves A Second Chance!' - Gabrielle Angelique Perry, MPH, Founder & Executive Director The mission of The Perry 'Second Chances' Scholarship is to annually provide fiscal resources to formerly incarcerated women and the daughters of anyone who has been impacted by incarceration. women who are currently enrolled or recently accepted into an accredited 2-to-4-year educational institution will be given a one-time, $10,000 scholarship, paid directly to their institutions, to support their education & needs in order to thrive in their educational endeavors. Applications open 11.15.2025 and close 2.27.2026, at www.theperryscholarship.org Learn more at thurmanperryfoundation.org
January 13, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
wagatwe.com
one day I'll finish the script and film my long video essay on white media people harping on "cancel culture" as a form of anti-Blackness because it really did boil down to "Black people scary"
January 13, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
wagatwe.com
she also helped start the fabricated "cancel culture" panic by writing for The Nation that a bunch of Black women are mean for calling out racism on Twitter
eschatonblog.com Atrios @eschatonblog.com · 9h
Michelle Goldberg began her career deligitimizing Iraq war protests and her second act was being ground zero for American terfism
January 13, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
owillis.bsky.social
the sensible moderate middle of the road position is to abolish ice which means the leftist position has to be
a man in a jacket says i say we take off and nuke .
ALT: a man in a jacket says i say we take off and nuke .
media.tenor.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social
Ace Hardware operates as a retail-owned cooperative, meaning store owners are basically independent operators. Your local hardware store might be an Ace, but it will feel entirely different from the Ace the next town over. Each are highly localized, which means you're likely to see stuff like this:
lauragmitchell.com Laura G Mitchell @lauragmitchell.com · 5h
This is Minneapolis:

Walk into my neighborhood ACE last night & see the signage on their door notifying fed agents that it’s private property and cannot be used for immigration enforcement. These signs are all over the city.

Walk in & the nearest shelf has goggles & whistles.
Sign on door prohibiting immigration enforcement on private property Shelf filled with goggles and whistles
January 13, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by Rika⁷
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social
It's anthology time! The new year is a great time to try some new-to-you authors. reactormag.com/backlist-bon...
Backlist Bonanza: 5 Underrated Speculative Anthologies - Reactor
Start 2026 off with some new-to-you writers!
reactormag.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:16 PM