Maya
mayarama.bsky.social
Maya
@mayarama.bsky.social
appellate public defender in WA, transit+ ebike rider, big time jogger
Seeing Duane’s quilt panel (below) led me to read a little bit about him. www.thedallasway.org/stories/writ...
Duane Puryear and the Quilt Panel — The Dallas Way
Duane Puryear
www.thedallasway.org
December 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Maya
It's your birthday, Duane.
December 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
🎉 happy indigent defense appellate caseload reduction order day to all who celebrate 🎉

www.courts.wa.gov/content/publ...
www.courts.wa.gov
December 16, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Reposted by Maya
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seat...

Want to work for City of Seattle? There’s 60+ job openings!
Job Opportunities | City of Seattle
www.governmentjobs.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I have such deep admiration for and take inspiration from people like Ahmed Al Ahmed who see danger and run towards.
Many of us would, I’m sure, like to think we’d be brave (and smart) enough to do something like this in an absolutely terrifying moment like that. But I can only imagine the mental and physical effects you have to overcome

Intense respect for this man, Ahmed Al Ahmed. An honest to goodness hero.
Independent video (verified by the NYTimes) shows a local Bondi Beach unarmed bystander sneaking up behind one of the gunman today and tackling him to disarm him.
December 15, 2025 at 12:40 AM
This is so fucked up
i don't think this is even a real statistical anomaly anymore. it seems like there's someone in the crowd at every mass shooting who has been through it before. this doesn't have to be our shared cultural experience.
Two survivors of Brown University attack escaped other school shootings
Mia Tretta was shot in the abdomen in 2019 at a school near LA and Zoe Weissman witnessed a Florida shooting in 2018
www.theguardian.com
December 14, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I think all cars should come with ignition interlock devices installed, the same way seatbelts and airbags are. They don’t need to be punishment or surveillance, we could just make all cars not turn on if you’re drunk.
The California ACLU is staunchly opposed to the ignition interlock device program and is a big reason that it has not been expanded. Despite the fact that California heavily subsidizes the cost for low-income drunk drivers, the ACLU says that the program is a form of "racialized wealth extraction."
December 13, 2025 at 3:49 PM
This essay had me in tears.
An extraordinary, beautiful, and heartbreaking piece by writer & environmentalist Tatiana Schlossberg (Caroline Kennedy’s daughter).

My prayers go out to her and her family.

www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
A Battle with My Blood
When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.
www.newyorker.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Come hang out! It’s my birthday! 🎂 🚌 🌃🌲🚲
I'm so excited for The Urbanist to roll into 2026 at full strength, covering new admins at the city and county and major stories elsewhere, including at Sound Transit.

I hope you'll consider joining us at our holiday party to support that work. It's also fun!
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
The Urbanist Winter Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with The Urbanist team, elected officials, and urbanist community members!
www.eventbrite.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:11 AM
It’s cruel that they’re doing this to chimps, I think, as I allow myself 5 more minutes of phone time.
Chimpanzees use 22 types of tools in the wild but they are capable of doomscrolling like the rest of us.

This video of Sugriva using Instagram is shocking because it's so similar to how humans use social media--engaging with content that triggers our emotions, like images of our friends and foes.
November 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
One of my favorite ways to study for finals in law school was to put recorded classes on 1.5x speed and go for a jog while I listened. Both for classes that I paid attention to and classes I doodled through. I don’t know why, things just stick better for me when my body is moving.
When I was adjuncting (10 yrs ago) it was pretty common for the school to tape the classes for enrolled students to review. Don't have any idea if that stayed common / became more common. I guess not?
November 12, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Doing something both is and feels better than doing nothing. It’s a balm for hopelessness.
I cannot emphasize enough that if you feel sad, donating money makes you feel better. Local food bank, diaper bank, mutual aid, a favorite charity, cancer research, or a local news site like @thecity.nyc; there are so many options. Money is the most efficient donation. Or sign up to volunteer.
November 9, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Maya
Check your ballot. It’s possible that it’s been challenged due to leaving the ballot envelope unsigned or a signature mismatch. You can cure that with King County Elections so your ballot is counted! kingcounty.gov/en/dept/elec...
November 8, 2025 at 2:33 AM
October 28, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The WA Supreme Court has recognized (implicitly in a court rule) that excusing jurors based on distrust of law enforcement is a way to keep people of color off of juries. This is similar.
October 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
🕯
🕯 🕯
🕯 🕯

🕯 we are gonna win 🕯

🕯 🕯
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New Seattle Poll:

Seattle Wants to Elect Progressives This Fall

In a new Stranger/DHM Poll, progressive challengers are coming out on top across the board. But in the mayoral race, it’s all about voter turnout.

www.thestranger.com/stranger-pol... #SEAelex #WAelex
October 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Okay one small bright side to this bus being so slow is that if you miss it you can probably jog a couple blocks uphill and catch it at the next stop like I just did 🤪
Join us next Thursday, July 10th at 5 PM at Denny / Dexter to race Route 8! It’s easy to outwalk the L8, but can we still beat it while doing the cha-cha slide, hopscotching, or in a conga line? Join one of our race activities or bring your own creative things you can do while still beating the bus!
October 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Reposted by Maya
Transportation costs are the second largest burden on American family budgets (17%), after housing (33%)!
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
August 5, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by Maya
🚗 $1,025/month
🚌🚈⛴️ $108/month
🔋🚲 $135-175/month
👟 $???/month

We should make the most affordable transportation options easy and convenient for people to use. Instead many American cities are designed so that driving is the only reasonable option.
August 25, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by Maya
Things that have helped me recently:
1) little things still matter
2) the power of a solid meal, a big glass of water, and a good night's sleep
3) remembering how much words of encouragement or a compliment meant after a tough day
4) action is the enemy of despair
5) I can do things through spite
October 13, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Big day!
October 7, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Reposted by Maya
Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows

The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
October 4, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Katie Wilson is the real deal
October 3, 2025 at 3:19 AM
People love to talk about how AI is going to change the profession and sometimes I worry my Luddite-like dislike/disinterest will eventually cause me to fall behind. But then I read another one of these stories. What can I say, I think the “counsel” in “right to counsel” is me, not generative AI.
An appeals court in California issued a blistering decision and record $10,000 fine against a lawyer who submitted a brief in which “nearly all of the legal quotations in plaintiff’s opening brief “are fabricated” through use of AI.

🔗 www.404media.co/18-lawyers-c...
18 Lawyers Caught Using AI Explain Why They Did It
Lawyers blame IT, family emergencies, their own poor judgment, their assistants, illness, and more.
www.404media.co
September 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
A little good news: despite King County’s best efforts to use procedural traps to avoid just outcomes, 18-20 year olds who got unconstitutional mandatory life sentences a long time ago are entitled to resentencing. www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/?fa...
Washington State Courts - Opinions
www.courts.wa.gov
September 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM