Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1h

I pre ordered my copy 💕

Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 3h

My publisher’s been very patient. I’m not doing everything I said I’d do to promote this book (out in a few weeks) because I’m an organizer in a city under federal attack. My days are full and emotionally exhausting. Any help getting the word out means a lot. It's a book people need right now.

Read This When Things Fall Apart by Kelly Hayes | Pilsen Community Books

A bundle of letters to activists and organizers on the frontlines in catastrophic times from Let This Radicalize You co-author Kelly Hayes In social movements, some heartbreaks are all but inevitable.

www.pilsencommunitybooks.com

Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 2h

We have the timidity of countless corporate and university GCs to thank for the fact DEI is treated as though it were illegal.

Anna Gifty @itsafronomics.bsky.social · 3h

lol gentle reminder that DEI is not illegal. Supporting marginalized groups is not illegal. Anyone reneging on support is making a CHOICE to do so.

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 2h

lol if a pharmaceutical company could do that, the billionaires would sabotage it immediately

Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 6h

UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 17h

“Also it took your job so you can’t find one and are screwed. Please use more AI products that take more people’s jobs.”

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

J. Offir, PhD @joffirphd.bsky.social · 22h

Checking wastewater for mifepristone: So much for Repubs railing against a surveillance state; they might as well get t-shirts that read, "It's fine when we're the ones doing it."

The "request appears to have originated from a letter sent from 25 Republican...

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

The E.P.A. Followed Up on an Unusual Request About Abortion Pills

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 1d

This decision means SNAP participants who live in areas where jobs are scarce in CA, CT, DC, GU, IL, KY, MI, MT, MN, ND, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, RI, VI, and WA will be at risk of being cut off SNAP by the program's harsh & ineffective work requirement even earlier than anticipated.

Ty Jones Cox @tyjonescox.bsky.social · 3d

The megabill limited states’ ability to request waivers of this work requirement in areas with few jobs. But citing no legal authority, USDA announced on Friday that they will be revoking previously approved waivers in 30 days, accelerating this harsh policy in many states.

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Django Wexler @djangowexler.bsky.social · 22h

My boss: so how's our fourth quarter looking?

Me, the sales manager at the company that makes inflatable frog suits: well, you're never going to believe this, but

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Adam Harris @adamhsays.com · 2d

“Suppressing speech about gender does not eliminate “gender ideology”—it is gender ideology, one that seeks to entrench a singular, restrictive vision of gender while denying the very real plurality of human experience.“

read @morganpolk.bsky.social: www.newamerica.org/the-thread/t...

Texas A&M Firing Over Gender Identity Raises Alarms in Higher Education

Texas colleges are firing educators as federal and state bans target recognition of trans and nonbinary people. Higher ed is under attack.

www.newamerica.org

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

“… it affirms what the desegregators see as an unnatural principle: that nonwhite people are equal to white people, that women are equal to men, and that LGBTQ people deserve the same rights as everyone else.”

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 2d

This remains the most important piece i’ve written about the goals and ideological principles of the second Trump administration www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

bsky.app/profile/jame...

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

That’s not discrimination, I just want some people to have less rights

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 1d

VA Gov debate:

Spanberger: my opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry

Earle-Sears: That's not discrimination

Spanberger: she thinks it's okay for someone to be fired from their job for being gay

Earle-Sears: that's not discrimination

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

And/or host a clothing swap in your community. My neighborhood just did this and it was lovely

UN Environment Programme @unep.org · 1d

People are buying more clothes, but they don’t stay in closets for long. This fuels overproduction and waste.

An easy fix? Wear them longer. The planet will thank you!

More tips on #BeatWastePollution: www.unep.org/news-and-sto...

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Larry Ferlazzo @larryferlazzo.bsky.social · 2d

Oklahoma’s Republican governor criticizes guard deployment. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, a Republican and the chairman of the National Governors Association, on Thursday criticized the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to Illinois as a violation of his beliefs in federalism and “states’ rights.”

His comments, in an interview with The New York Times, marked the first time a Republican governor has questioned the interstate deployment of National Guard troops over a governor’s objections. Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and other Democratic elected officials have been strongly critical of the move and have implored Republican governors to join the opposition.

Mr. Stitt on Thursday said, “We believe in the federalist system — that’s states’ rights,” adding, “Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

It’s these things, and also I believe RFK wants to help his “wellness” buddies make money off supplements that they’ll claim cure or prevent autism

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 1d

Trump, RFK, and their cronies likely want to create the (false) perception that autism is preventable and curable, because that allows them to: 1) cut accommodations, services, and support for autistic kids and their families, and 2) blame mothers for autism in ways that make (1) seem justified. 1/

Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 1d

I don’t exactly how to phrase this, but like… is autism that bad???? Like, why is it such a source of fear??? Of course there are challenges but you can be autistic and have a rich, fulfilling life! Many people do! I don’t understand the preoccupation.

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

MTGs political evolution messes with my head every day

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

Obviously my child will be an easy teenager who thoughtfully does chores, helps cook, never complains about my parenting, and is happy with the food I purchase for the house.

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

The way this administration hates people with autism, and hates the idea of good living conditions for nearly all of us, I’m kinda surprised they aren’t trying to link autism to living wages and affordable housing and access to adequate food

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 1d

I… what?

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 2d

Besides linking Tylenol in pregnant women to autism, RFK Jr. now says circumcision is part of the reason why kids are autistic.

"Children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it's highly likely because they're given Tylenol. None of this is positive..."

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 2d

This is what got me on this story too.

NYT with a whole piece on antifa and a professor being harassed and threatened, doesn’t mention antifa isn’t an org but is short for anti fascism.

Doing MAGAs work for them… again

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 2d

you'd think a prominent news outlet like the New York Times might mention that "antifa" isn't an actual organization in a long story about antifa, but nope!

and the subhead helps props up a false claim this professor was up to something seedy as something up for debate

NYT headline: "Rutgers Expert on Antifa Tries to Flee to Spain After Death Threats"

subheadline: "Mark Bray was teaching courses on antifascism. Turning Point USA accused him of belonging to antifa, which he denies. His flight to Spain was canceled abruptly on Wednesday night."

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 3d

How to make SNAP errors more likely:
1️⃣Pass a law adding a bunch of complex red tape to SNAP
2️⃣Make those changes go into effect immediately
3️⃣Provide no details about how states should implement those changes for months
4️⃣Then cut federal funding for states' admin costs in half

Ty Jones Cox @tyjonescox.bsky.social · 3d

At the same time, states are also facing the megabill's huge unfunded mandate for SNAP costs, which is based on how many errors states make in their SNAP programs. But errors will now be far more likely as states rush to roll out these complex policies on an unrealistic timeline.

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 2d

With information about how states must implement the megabill's #SNAP cuts trickling out from USDA, we've updated our timeline on when these harmful cuts will start going into effect: www.cbpp.org/research/fed...

Implementing the Harmful Republican Megabill: a Timeline | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Republicans’ harmful megabill, enacted through budget reconciliation on July 4, 2025, will raise costs for families and take away health coverage, food assistance, and other essentials from...

www.cbpp.org

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Reposted by Stephanie Baker

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 2d

Regime allied provincial government scrutinized university courses to ensure that no forbidden topics are taught and to root out disloyal teachers.
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...

As conservative taxes, politicians, identifying target faculty who teach about gender identity officials at CIES public university systems have ordered reviews of curriculum and course descriptions

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Modern Day Bartleby @moderndaybartleby.bsky.social · 2d

The Republican Party is Profa

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 2d

Bray is a historian at Rutgers who received death threats after landing on Turning Points USA's Professor Watchlist. As a result, he announced he was moving to Europe. And then this happened.

This kind of harassment and abuse of scholars is Charlie Kirk's legacy and it's only getting worse.

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 2d

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 2d

The horror

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Stephanie Baker @stephabaker.bsky.social · 2d

connecting to chronic illness and disability support groups, for help asking drs good questions, tips on managing different systems, and validation that I’m not the problem when dismissed by the medical system

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 3d

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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