Author | Lightnews

Christopher Mazura

@thewakingdad.bsky.social

1.9K followers 600 following 64 posts

Dad, big ol’ neurodiverse blended fam. he/him Educator. Writer. Bridging teacher leader networks. Capital District Writing Project, New York State English Council, NWP & NCTE stan.

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 24

"It is equally important for us to have poems we keep for ourselves, to heal ourselves."
Ada Limon

And from Instructions on Not Giving Up:
"Fine then,
I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf
unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all."

#NCTE24

poets.org/poem/instruc...

Instructions on Not Giving Up

More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out

poets.org

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Apr 19

Enriching and moving day at the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts — “Transgressing Borders: Reimagining Education and the Role of Learning in Community”. Really too much to put into words, but this is the networking we must be doing to support kids, families, communities. @vassar.bsky.social

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Reposted by Christopher Mazura

Cody Miller @hcodymiller.bsky.social · Jan 19

We do not need to cede him any more power than he will have tomorrow. He won the popular vote by 1.5%. He did not crack 50% of the overall vote. His win does not mark a sea change in public opinion. He, his policies, and his cronies will be unpopular. Rest up. Take care of yourself. Then...

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Dec 13

Criminal.

southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · Dec 13

Propublica reports this morning on how United Healthcare is strangling the gold standard therapy for children with autism—deliberately shrinking its provider network and authorizing fewer hours than the treatment demands. www.propublica.org/article/unit...

UnitedHealth Is Strategically Limiting Access to Critical Treatment for Kids With Autism

Leaked internal documents show that the insurance giant is culling providers of applied behavior analysis from its network and scrutinizing the medical necessity of therapy. Advocates say the company’...

www.propublica.org

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Dec 10

‘What a life filled with love’ — grateful for those who choose to apply their brilliance to cultivating patience, presence, care, and humor in a world that can be so hard.

that is love, lighting the way, this is Nikki Giovanni

#poetry

Jenn Baker - Offline Oct. 2025 @jbakernyc.bsky.social · Dec 10

We lost another legend today: Ms. Nikki Giovanni. What a legacy, what a life filled with love.
Eternally grateful for all she gifted us, not just in words but in how she lived and what she bestowed to generations.

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48224/...

Dreams

in my younger years before i learned black people aren’t suppose to dream i wanted to be a raelet and say “dr o wn d in my youn tears” or “tal kin bout tal kin bout” or marjorie hendricks and grind ...

www.poetryfoundation.org

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Dec 9

Curious to know the songs, or genre at least . . . extended family pets still go bonkers for Christmas music

Reposted by Christopher Mazura

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · Nov 15

These are your words of the week

fascism
conclave
drought
kakistocracy
Uranus
poltophagy
www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the...

The Words of the Week - Nov.15

Dictionary lookups from politics, cinema, and Uranus

www.merriam-webster.com

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 30

bsky.app/profile/hcod...

bsky.app

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Reposted by Christopher Mazura

Phil Bildner @philbildner.bsky.social · Nov 30

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution.

This is an excellent starter pack if you’re looking for follows involved in the fight to preserve our right to book access and the fight for our freedom to read.

Thanks to @maggietokudahall.bsky.social for creating this.

go.bsky.app/L59xSVt

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 30

Consider adding NCTE National Intellectual Freedom Award winner Cody Miller!

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 29

Loving reading Brautigan again, and Clint Smith, and all the poems in the replies in this thread. #poetry #science

Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · Nov 29

🧪 I am trying to gather new science poems for some future work. 📝

Have people got any (not matter how tangential) they would like to share?

I'll go first with this beauty from Richard Brautigan, writing about when he was poet in residence at @caltech.edu 🤣

#SciComm #Poetry

Screenshot of a poem. It reads:

At the California Institute of Technology
BY RICHARD BRAUTIGAN

I don’t care how God-damn smart
these guys are: I’m bored.

It’s been raining like hell all day long
and there’s nothing to do.

Notes:
Written January 24, 1967 while poet-in-residence at the California Institute of Technology.

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 29

more this morning about fathers and sons

I sometimes start to reach /
for his hand

#edusky #poetry

Joseph Fasano @josephfasano.bsky.social · Nov 29

This wrecks me—every single time.

Sentimental Moment or Why Did the Baguette Cross the Road?

Don't fill up on bread
I say absent-mindedly
The servings here are huge

My son, whose hair may be
receding a bit, says
Did you really just
say that to me?

What he doesn't know
is that when we're walking
together, when we get
to the curb
I sometimes start to reach
for his hand

—Robert Hershon

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 28

Spending this weekend with family and books.

My best friend from deep childhood recommended @blacktopkid.bsky.social to me, and I opened up to this epigraph.

A lot a lot a lot coming through about fatherhood and masculinity these days.

Grateful today for authors, artists, and thinkers. #edusky

A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he was meant to be.
FRANK A. CLARK

BLACKTOP WASTELAND
A NOVEL
S. A. COSBY
"SENSATIONALLY GOOD."
—LEE CHILD

Reposted by Christopher Mazura

Aut2Ask 🦦 @aut2ask.bsky.social · Nov 27

Who?
Autistic folk, caregivers, educators, specialists, community helpers, allies, etc.

Why? Add your voice-collectively or individually. Anonymous or not.

Why? To Let policy makers know how and where we need more support, in the autism community. Over 2,500 responses!

How?

bit.ly/Aut2ask

AUT2ASK
AN AUTISTIC COMMUNITY
HEAR FROM US
NOT ABOUT

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 28

One of my favorite interviews: www.lionsroar.com/bell-hooks-t... #edusky

Building a Community of Love: bell hooks and Thich Nhat Hanh

bell hooks meets with Thich Nhat Hanh to ask: how do we build a community of love?

www.lionsroar.com

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 28

bell hooks has long been a guide for me — as both an educator and meditator. (Link below)

& sometimes she stops my mind: “They believe that men who are not dominators will not protect them” // “To know love, men must be able to let go the will to dominate. . . . To choose life over death.” #edusky

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

"Men cannot love if they are not taught the art of loving." This is the book I'll be reading in my living room across the holiday season.

Winter szn meditation to thaw and warm the heart.

#edusky #iteachenglish #NCTE24

Tricia Ebarvia @triciaebarvia.bsky.social · Nov 27

“Looking at the reasons patriarchy has maintained its power over men and their lives, I urge us to reclaim feminism for men… Men cannot change if there are no blueprints for change. Men cannot love if they are not taught the art of loving.” - bell hooks #DisruptTexts #Reading

Photograph of the cover of bell hooks’ book, Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love.

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

This!

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

father of sons here, saying thanks for this reminder — good reading for this brief recess post NCTE

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

Oh #literacies -- I need to go, it is kiddo bedtime! I really enjoyed this opportunity to connect. Thank you so much for hosting and being in conversation!

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

A3: I tend to give my older students theoretical frameworks; my younger ones tools like "emotion wheels" to name character and personal emotions while reading.

But I stopped offering opportunities to practice arts-inspired writing since the election. This realization makes me sad. #literacies

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

A3: Whew: there is a gap between what I am drawing on to nourish me -- lots of roots music, new Americana, Kendrick Lamar's new album; the work of teacher-artist-researchers (e.g. "Teaching with Arts Infused Pedagogies"; Dr. Kelly Wissman); painting (!!) -- and what I offer my students. #literacies

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

Wow -- this is a perspective I need in the feed.

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Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

How are you organizing, structuring, thinking about setting the conditions for, or experiencing the role of environments in community building? (Good to meet you!)

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

This is such a helpful reminder. Thank you for this!

Christopher Mazura @thewakingdad.bsky.social · Nov 27

In particularly, we did a close reading of the Lumber 84 Superbowl Ad from 2017, and studied it in context. Then we dreamt together about telling stories our journeys. How do we frame our story of being on a path? How do others frame theirs? And who is telling whose stories? #literacies

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