Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Aug 25

Love to see these examples of solidarity between documented and undocumented workers. On Wisconsin! www.wpr.org/news/dairy-w...

Wisconsin dairy workers strike to protest changes that could affect immigrants

Dozens of workers at a Wisconsin dairy facility have been on strike for a week after new ownership changed internal policy in a way that workers say will put immigrants out of work.

www.wpr.org

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Reposted by Dr. Kate Ward

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · Jul 5

The New York Times was more skeptical of the academic qualifications of a black woman who had secured tenure and become the president of Harvard than they were of a white man who washed out of a grad program with a massive scandal and then became a white nationalist troll.

capitolhunters @capitolhunters.bsky.social · Jul 4

The saga of the NYT's anti-Mamdani story taken from notorious white supremacist Jordan Lasker (they call him an "academic") gets even more amazing: Lasker's only impactful paper, which claimed white people are smarter, is infamous: it misused data so badly it got his tenured co-author fired. 2/

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 29

If only there were some way to adequately fund schools that serve needy students absent the whims of billionaires

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Jun 29

Priscilla Chan’s decision to stop funding the school she opened to help struggling families shows the risks for communities reliant on wealthy private donors.

The Chan-Zuckerbergs stopped funding social causes. 400 kids lost their school.

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg’s retreat from funding social issues forced the closure of a school Chan opened for disadvantaged families in Silicon Valley.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 26

Sounds like me 😅

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David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · Jun 25

The data also says that if you are a very strong student in Less Lucrative Starting Salary Field A vs a mediocre student in More Lucrative Starting Salary Field B, your lifetime earnings are likely to meet or exceed for A than for B. Being a mediocre accountant = less money than a great poet. On avg

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 21

More of this please! Clergy visibility can make a real difference!

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · Jun 20

Michael Pham fled Vietnam at the age of 13. He was named bishop of San Diego a month ago.

Today, he stood watch at a courthouse: ICE agents were “standing there covered with masks as we walked toward the courtroom. Eventually the agents scattered and went away”

timesofsandiego.com/life/2025/06...

ICE agents scatter as SD Bishop Pham, other clergy visit immigration court

"Our presence made a difference," one priest said, quoting an immigration lawyer saying their client was given more time to prepare for another hearing.

timesofsandiego.com

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 19

"Theologians Dunk On Pastors" is a terrible online day, not a good look at all

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 15

Trinity Sunday on Father's Day, is there nothing that's just for men anymore 😭

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Emily L. Hauser (she/her) ❌👑 @emilylhauser.bsky.social · Jun 15

There were millions today.

In part bc there were a dozen of you at that intersection that time, or every Tues, or after soccer.

Or you stood alone with a sign at an overpass.

Or your tiny town rallied around a detained woman, or 17 yo, or family.

Your courage was contagious. Look what you did.

Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · Jun 14

Today, I stand with the millions of Americans making clear this country doesn't belong to a king.

It’s a democracy, and it belongs to the people.

Protesters crowd into streets, parks, and plazas at anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across US. Follow live updates. - The Boston Globe

The protests are timed to counterprogram a massive military parade commemorating the 250th birthday of the US Army in Washington, D.C.

www.bostonglobe.com

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 15

with a political assassin of progressive politicians still at large. May we tell, remember and learn from their incredible acts of courage. As some of the signs in Milwaukee said (to the delight of the short Hamilton fan who lives in my house,) "History has its eyes on you."

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 15

The No Kings protest in Milwaukee today was peaceful and even joyous and fun, like most protests in my experience, here and elsewhere. My prayers are with Minneapolis and St Paul, where 30,000 souls turned out for a protest that had been officially called off (1/2)

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 15

I mean that is supposed to be July 4 but clearly some of us need help with the message, so why not?

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · Jun 13

You can buy local beer there in cans for the folks back home!

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Reposted by Dr. Kate Ward

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · Jun 11

Pope Leo’s first US episcopal appointment, San Diego’s Bishop-designate Pham, a Vietnamese refugee, invites priests and faith leaders to “stand in solidarity”with migrants at courthouse on June 20, as they make court appearances.

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Reposted by Dr. Kate Ward

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) @themerl.bsky.social · Jun 10

ChatGPT is down but The Museum of English Rural Life still stands, proving once again that Silicon Valley cannot compete with the history of rural England and its people.

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 29

"We can approach tradition with the same thrill of adventure and—dare I say, hope—that one gets walking into a vintage store: What treasure will I find here? What would happen if I made this my own?"

Susan Reynolds @susanbreynolds.bsky.social · May 29

I contributed an essay to a @commonweal.bsky.social symposium on Christian Smith's latest release, Why Religion Went Obsolete. www.commonwealmagazine.org/overlooked-t...

Overlooked Treasure

Obsolescence may be the source of Millennial religious rejection. But it is also the key to understanding Millennial religious embrace.

www.commonwealmagazine.org

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 29

A must-read. Don Clemmer @uscatholic.bsky.social assembled an absolute supergroup on this timely issue. Hard to pick a favorite insight, so I'll highlight Ramon Luzarraga's point that gentle masculine power is already foregrounded in Christian tradition. uscatholic.org/articles/202...

Toxic masculinity clashes with actual Catholic teaching

Between far-right influencers and harmful, narrow views of gender, the church needs to reckon with toxic masculinity in Catholic spaces.

uscatholic.org

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Reposted by Dr. Kate Ward

Spook Grammy @geekgrammy.com · May 25

(tw: death)

We went to the cemetery today to visit my husband's family plot. It's a small cemetery, and walking back to the car (about 3 rows) I found six of these without even going out of my way. I'm sure there were plenty more.

*This* is why we vaccinate. Because we can.

Gravestone
Jacqulyn Kerby: May 10, 1932 - May 4, 1933

Gravestone
Patricia Kerby: Sept 29, 1933 - Oct 27, 1933

Gravestone:
Jackie Wilcox: Aug 16, 1932 - Nov 17, 1935

Gravestone
Betty Jeanne Pace - June 21, 1927 - July 31, 1932

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 23

I had the wonderful experience of being one of the inaugural class of "Gref Scholars" this year. Open to scholars (incl. ministers, professionals, grad students) in any field, interested in studying the intersection of religion and digital technology! duq.app.box.com/s/lp5yd60nur...

Gref Scholars Announcement 2025 - Final.pdf | Powered by Box

duq.app.box.com

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 23

Thanks to you, we know more and understand more, and our country and our world are more enlightened and more resilient." view.hu.harvard.edu?qs=5c218ffcb...

view.hu.harvard.edu

Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 23

"For those international students and scholars affected by yesterday’s action, know that you are vital members of our community. You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors, our partners in the work of this great institution. ...

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 23

It is in the sense that there are so many smaller, shallower-pocketed rakes to step on?

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 23

sounds like 40 percent done!

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · May 22

very cool that for ten years people at the heights of political commentary insisted to the point of rage that the paramount threat to free speech was “censorious” college students

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · May 22

after announcing that foreign students are being banned from Havard, Noem warns "this should be a warning to every other university to get your act together."

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Dr. Kate Ward @thekateward.bsky.social · May 21

I am still just...using AI to write a story about books and authors is like holding a balloon release in honor of endangered birds. Like having an "air and water show" to honor peace activists. I hope many of the people involved in this fiasco find other lines of work.

Matt Seybold @mattseybold.bsky.social · May 20

Marco Buscaglia is the freelancer who admitted to using AI to complete the job in this report by @jasonkoebler.bsky.social for @404media.co.

While Buscaglia is right to be embarrassed, I think this is more a story about structural sloppification than about the ethics of a single journalist.

Chicago Sun-Times Prints AI-Generated Summer Reading List With Books That Don't Exist

"I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious. No excuses," the writer said. "I'm completely embarrassed."

www.404media.co