Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 17h

After the Comet: Du Bois, Afrofuturism, and Constitutional Renewal — forthcoming in NYU Law Review (2026).

What if W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Comet—a speculative short story—holds the key to understanding how protest movements repeatedly remake and renew the Constitution?

Stay tuned.

1 2

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

A new essay over on Substack, adapted remarks from a recent symposium where I discuss my hair journey.

open.substack.com/pub/freedomp...

Flesh That Weeps

The Professional Politics of Hair in Legal Workplaces

open.substack.com

2

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

In short:

Data informs. Stories transform.

Want to read the full reflection (and how to use storytelling to strengthen your academic voice)?

👉🏽 Read the full post with a lot more tips on my Substack: www.thetenuretrack.com/p/the-story-...

The Story Every Scholar Needs to Tell

A guide to sharing your journey with purpose and power

www.thetenuretrack.com

1 4

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

B: “I grew up watching my immigrant parents struggle to understand their rights. Now I study how we decide what the Constitution means and who makes that decision.”

Both are true.

Only one invites you in.

1 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

Consider the difference:

A: “I research constitutional interpretation, focusing on originalism and its application in contemporary jurisprudence.”

1 2

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

4. Stories reveal character.

Your research tells people what you know.

Your story tells people who you are.

And in an era when personal brand and trust matter more than ever, character often tips the scales for who gets chosen and heard.

1 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

3. Stories demonstrate authentic expertise.

Anyone can memorize facts.

But the story of how you came to care about your questions, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the insights you’ve gained . . .

that’s what shows real depth and authenticity.

1 1 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

2. Stories establish relatability.

Even if your research is specialized, the human experiences behind it—curiosity, frustration, discovery, setback—are universal.

Those shared emotions create common ground with any audience.

1 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

1. Stories create emotional connection.

When you share the personal experiences that led to your research interests, you invite others into your world.

That emotional connection makes your work memorable and meaningful.

1 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 1d

Here's Why Stories Trump Statistics in Academia. . .

As scholars, we’re trained to build arguments with evidence, precedent, and logic.

But when it comes to communicating who we are and why our work matters, narrative often succeeds where pure logic fails.

Here’s why 👇🏽🧵

2 2 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 2d

Check out this wonderful article about @ebonyt_phd’s new comic!

‘Crash Cart' Brings the Heartbeat of the ER to Comics blackgirlnerds.com/crash-cart-b...

'Crash Cart' Brings the Heartbeat of the ER to Comics | Black Girl Nerds

Spread the loveHellcat Comics is giving fans something powerful and pulse-pounding with Crash Cart, a brand-new webcomic from Dr. Ebony Toussaint — a registered nurse, scientist, and storyteller who’s...

blackgirlnerds.com

2 1

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 6d

So proud of my wife @ebonyt_phd — she just dropped her first comic! 🚨💜

Crash Cart follows an emergency nurse racing against time during a Code STEMI (a massive heart attack). It’s a powerful mix of science, art, and storytelling.

m.webtoons.com/en/canvas/cr...

#Comics #EmergencyNursing

Crash Cart - Code STEMI

In the emergency department, every second counts. Crash Cart follows an emergency nurse, as she leaps into action during a Code STEMI — a full cardiac arrest after a massive heart attack. The panels ...

m.webtoons.com

9

Reposted by etienne toussaint

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 12d

Please help me reach my fundraising goals for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon!

fundraisers.nyrr.org/etiennetouss...

TCS New York Marathon

Thank you for supporting my marathon journey with #TeamUJC. This year, I’m running my very first marathon—the NYC Marathon—as part of a deeper personal milestone: turning 40. I was born and raise...

fundraisers.nyrr.org

2 1

Reposted by etienne toussaint

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 19d

Your words carry weight.

But they can’t make an impact if they stay hidden.

Put them out there. Share the link. Let people know what you’re building.

Because someone out there needs to hear it.

And they can’t if you keep it to yourself.

2 6

Reposted by etienne toussaint

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 14d

A poem written in response to the “Rocky Road to Dublin” scene in Ryan Coogler’s film, Sinners.

Here’s to the breaking and the cypher.

open.substack.com/pub/freedomp...

Vampires in the Shadows

A Poetic Journey Through Ryan Coogler's Sinners (Part 3)

open.substack.com

1

Reposted by etienne toussaint

Ben Railton @americanstudier.bsky.social · 10d

+ @bcgl.bsky.social & @longreads.com @saulelbein.bsky.social @mollytempleton.com & @reactorsff.bsky.social @bcdreyer.social @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social @chrisyogerst.com @ruthjoffre.bsky.social & @bwdr.bsky.social @drdiongeorgiou.bsky.social @silaslapham.bsky.social & many more! +

1 1 5

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 11d

Had a great time at Drexel’s inaugural Weaving It All Together: Hair, Health, Law, and Policy symposium this weekend.

Huge thanks to Professor Wendy Greene for her vision and leadership in bringing us all together for this groundbreaking gathering.

Truly an honor to be part of it

4

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 12d

Please help me reach my fundraising goals for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon!

fundraisers.nyrr.org/etiennetouss...

TCS New York Marathon

Thank you for supporting my marathon journey with #TeamUJC. This year, I’m running my very first marathon—the NYC Marathon—as part of a deeper personal milestone: turning 40. I was born and raise...

fundraisers.nyrr.org

2 1

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 14d

A poem written in response to the “Rocky Road to Dublin” scene in Ryan Coogler’s film, Sinners.

Here’s to the breaking and the cypher.

open.substack.com/pub/freedomp...

Vampires in the Shadows

A Poetic Journey Through Ryan Coogler's Sinners (Part 3)

open.substack.com

1

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 19d

Your words carry weight.

But they can’t make an impact if they stay hidden.

Put them out there. Share the link. Let people know what you’re building.

Because someone out there needs to hear it.

And they can’t if you keep it to yourself.

2 6

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 20d

Most people never begin.

They tell themselves the timing isn’t right.
That the space is too crowded.
That their voice won’t matter.

But years from now, they’ll look back with regret, wishing they had started.

You don’t have to be one of them.

Begin today. your future self will thank you.

1 2 8

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 20d

Share your writing.

Your words matter, but they can only reach others if you put them out into the world.

So, share your work.

Share your ideas. Share your perspective, your creations, your voice.

Because someone out there may be waiting for exactly what you have to say.

4

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 22d

It always feels good to hold it in your hands.

I love writing about the things I love writing about.

1 31

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 23d

Starting the week strong!

Help me raise money for the Urban Justice Center as I run the New York Marathon this November.

fundraisers.nyrr.org/etiennetouss...

2 3

etienne toussaint @etiennetoussaint.bsky.social · 25d

Stuck in endless drafts?

Most legal scholars waste 60–80% of writing time because they build without a blueprint.

My new guide, Law Review Launchpad, gives you a 6-step system to turn ideas into clear outlines & publishable articles.

thetenuretrack.gumroad.com/l/aikclp

Law Review Launchpad

Transform Your Legal Scholarship from Idea to Detailed Outline in 6 StepsAre you stuck in draft after draft, only to realize months later your article structure doesn’t hold up?You’re not alone.Most s...

thetenuretrack.gumroad.com

1 1