Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Aug 18

just want to say I appreciate this thread and thinking.

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jul 23

www.democracynow.org/2025/7/23/se... go watch or read the transcript of this and watch these brave, beautiful, grieving Palestinian people crying and mourning their famillies while they are punished for attending a peaceful memorial for the dead. This is a struggle of life over death. Period.

Palestinian American Student & Dad: 200 Relatives Killed in Gaza; VCU Withholds Diploma for Protest

Virginia Commonwealth University is withholding the diploma of a Palestinian American student because of her campus activism. In a hearing Tuesday, officials examined the case of VCU student Sereen Ha...

www.democracynow.org

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Arrianna Marie Planey, PhD MA @arrianna-planey.bsky.social · Jul 23

"The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 “obsolete” workplace regulations, ranging from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances."

Trump's Labor Department proposes more than 60 rule changes in a push to deregulate workplaces

The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 “obsolete” workplace regulations adopted under previous presidential administrations.

apnews.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jul 23

Thank you for @workshops4gaza.bsky.social for prompting me to spread the word and make this call. If you feel totally helpless to fight what is happening, I understand- and this is something you can do.

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jul 23

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i... this title says it all

The destruction of Palestine is breaking the world | Moustafa Bayoumi

The rules of the institutions that define our lives bend like reeds when it comes to Israel – so much that the whole global order is on the verge of collapse

www.theguardian.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Sameer Project has been doing crucial work to get food into Gaza. Gaza is facing mass, created starvation- people are dropping in the street from lack of food and water. Never again is now. Donate if you can and spread the ord. linktr.ee/thesameerpro...

The Sameer Project | Instagram | Linktree

We are a donations based aid initiative for Gaza led by Palestinians,

linktr.ee

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jul 11

wrote a thing again, about the Stacey residency's inaugural kickoff, slow time in the face of unrelented plutonium speed, and more. llps.substack.com/p/greeting-a...

greeting and salutations

from a rainy thunder day in detroit after six years away

llps.substack.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 26

"how to wear masks without breaking your hair, how to care for your family during a toxic air emergency and detox. In a world increasingly pushing people into isolation, the daily acts of getting people those things break isolation and are real acts of solidarity, relationship building, and love."

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 26

"Disability justice is not an academic or abstract framework or a bunch of empty statements. It is the real everyday work of getting our people (which includes us) what we need. That includes masks, information about what masks work on faces with broad nose bridges or big or small shapes...(cont)

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 26

real proud of this article Philly Breathes wrote for The Abolition Journal's Everyday Shit kickoff issue: "We take a special joy in talking to other Black & brown people about masking...People know us and say “hey” when we run into them.We're a small, disabled, multiracial group of everyday people.

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

arsenalpulp.bsky.social @arsenalpulp.bsky.social · May 31

We <3 queer books! Our annual #PrideMonth sale is on now. 🌈

👉 Get 30% off + free shipping on any & all LGBTQ2S+ titles (with a min. order of $30 or more).* Use code: PRIDE

Shop now: arsenalpulp.com

Happy pride from Arsenal Pulp Press [smiley face]. 30% off + free shipping on any & all L G B T Q 2 S + titles (with a minimum order of $30 or more).* *Free shipping to Canada & the [United States], regular postal rates only. Offer expires on Sunday, July 6, 20 25, at 11:59 p.m. [Pacific Time]. arsenal pulp [dot] com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 26

abolitionjournal.com#everyday-act... "Generational Philadelphians already embody collective access.This is a city where many everyday people – not just middle class transplants–never stopped masking on SEPTA, where people are not surprised by systems breaking down.where people share what they have."

Abolition Journal | A Project of the W.E.B. Du Bois School for Abolition & Reconstruction

Abolition Journal is the publication platform of the W.E.B. Du Bois Movement School for Abolition & Reconstruction. We study the world to change it.

abolitionjournal.com

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · Jun 18

Iranians struggle to flee Tehran amid Israeli strikes, bumper-to-bumper traffic and fuel shortages - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iranians-flee-tehran-amid-israel-strikes-traffic-fuel-shortages

Iranians struggle to flee Tehran amid Israeli strikes, bumper-to-bumper traffic and fuel shortages

Many have also chosen to stay behind to help the elderly relatives as Israeli strikes pound residential areas

www.middleeasteye.net

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

ICE must be destroyed 🏳️‍⚧️🏴 @miawong.bsky.social · Jun 18

Skrmetti is hideously evil I'd say check in on your trans friends but like frankly we're past give your trans friends money we're all the way out at if you want to help us we need you to be organizing a workers council

Moreover, ICE must be destroyed

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Morgan M Page @morganmpage.bsky.social · Jun 19

A truly incredible bit of pushback from a UK news outlet.

Frank Wynne @terribleman.com · Jun 19

Necessary context.

JK Rowling called our newspaper 'anti-woman'. Here's my response

THIS week JK Rowling launched an attack on The National, describing us as an "anti-woman newspaper" ...

www.thenational.scot

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Mona Eltahawy @monaeltahawy.bsky.social · Jun 19

My new oped

Netanyahu is using Muslim women’s 'rights’ to justify his war. What hideous, hollow hypocrisy www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Netanyahu is using Muslim women’s 'rights’ to justify his war. What hideous, hollow hypocrisy | Mona Eltahawy

As his troops slaughter civilians in Gaza, he claims to be standing up for Iranian women’s autonomy. He is far from the first warmonger to do so, says author Mona Eltahawy

www.theguardian.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 19

Donors in the United States: use
Venmo (link in doc)
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR US-BASED DONORS:
Don't use [email protected] to send us Venmo or Zelle; only use the Venmo link above.

Donors in the UK: PayPal
Everywhere Else: Chuffed

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 19

our financial accountability doc has more info about donations:
docs.google.com/document/d/1.... but for some FAQS: Donors in so-called Canada: To avoid Stripe and PayPal fees, consider sending us an e-transfer at [email protected] (auto-deposit on). (cont)

Financial Accountability Doc_updated

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY DOCUMENT CRIPS FOR E-SIMS FOR GAZA JANE SHI NOTES Please forward questions to [email protected]. Responses will be slow due to organizer capacity. Donors i...

docs.google.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 19

for our generous donors in the US to crips for e sims: please only send Venmo's to bit.ly/venmo4esims, which goes to one of our volunteers who's been helping us with reimbursements. we don't have a zelle and our main email is not where you send venmo or zelle! thank you. (cont)

bit.ly

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 14

our linktree; linktr.ee/PhillyBreathes and our 2 page wildfires info cheat sheet zine should be up soon.

@PhillyBreathes | Instagram, TikTok | Linktree

Linktree. Make your link do more.

linktr.ee

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 14

AQI went up to almost 300 in parts of Philly and surrounding areas last night and is still bad. Philly Breathes, a mask distro group I work with, here is our mask request form: form.jotform.com/241248303543... you can also donate to us here so we can buy more masks: donate.stripe.com/dR629ZeLr0AV...

Stripe Checkout

donate.stripe.com

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Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jun 13

www.audiobooks.com/promotions/p... silly in light of everything, but the audio book of the future is disabled is 50% off right now

www.audiobooks.com

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Jane Shi | 皮爬高 echolalia echolalia is out now @pipagaopoetry.bsky.social · Jun 11

A Jabalia data centre has been bombed and Internet has been cut off again.

You know the drill!!

@sfdirewolf.bsky.social @thellpsx.bsky.social

bit.ly/eSimsRUs

#ConnectingGaza

Illustration with a light orange background featuring pieces of watermelon cut into triangular shapes and watermelon seeds. In the center against a light gradient orange background text reads, “Crips for eSims for Gaza Update
6/10/25

48,387 eSims + top ups purchased
$2.5 million CAD ($1.83M USD) raised

16K+ eSims activated in total
3916 eSims currently active”

“Thank you! Jane, Alice, and Leah” at the bottom left

A QR code

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Prisonculture @prisonculture.bsky.social · Jun 10

Black background with bold white text that reads: "ICE OUT OF NEW YORK! STOP THE DEPORTATIONS. TUES. JUNE 10 5PM • FOLEY SQ.

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Reposted by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · Jun 10

This took a while to get done, but I've chronicled my day among the protesters in Los Angeles, and the idea that this is anything but a celebration of cultural heritage and a firm, nonviolent demand to protect family, friends and neighbors is totally ridiculous.
prospect.org/justice/crie...

Cries of Defiance and Songs of Joy in Los Angeles

The protesters are being called unspeakably violent by the Trump administration. I mostly saw clergy sit-ins and Tejano bands.

prospect.org

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