Stacy Kess. -30-

My first nursing job was as a home care vent nurse for a five-year-old boy.

After the car crash, my husband (then boyfriend) did most of my care. It allowed me to rehab in a safe place: home.

Living at home, living with family, being in the community, matters. Home care matters.

Idaho considers an 'apocalyptic' choice for disabled people and families Difficult budget decisions in a number of states are threatening vital programs for disabled people at home and caregivers in the workforce.

States have started proposing steep reductions in disability services to cope with Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Idaho is the first to suggest scrapping home care altogether — An action with a high human cost. My latest @19thnews.org.

Good excuse to get a whole new laptop, imho...

"I can't use this one anymore. @lollardfish.bsky.social made me laugh and now it's got cheerios stuck to the screen. It's broken."

(Also, you can take or leave my info as a Bostonian, Baystater, New Englander, etc.)

Michiganders vs. Michiganians — what's the history, and which one is better? One of our names was an insult, and the other is sort of dull — so what's your pleasure, fellow citizen?

When I worked in Michigan in the early 2000s as a reporter and editor, our style book directed us to use Michiganian.

But it's up for debate linguistically.

www.freep.com/story/news/l...

Thanks. This made me laugh out loud while eating my breakfast. Now I have Cheerios stuck to my laptop screen.

Exit strategy? Who needs it?

I'm the founder of @equalaccesspublicmedia.org. We focus on #accessibility in the field of journalism and public-facing news products.

I've not just been saying this. I've been screaming this.

Now @chadtopaz.bsky.social has the data to show it.

Maybe your phone knows something you don't. Like a new couple is having a meet-cute today.

Also, if your phone knows something you don't, destroy that phone immediately because it has clearly gone sentient.

Guns and butter...

On the ground...? The @equalaccesspublicmedia.org bank account is dry. I spoke to one LGBTQ+ nonprofit news outlet who was recently ghosted by foundations who funded them in previous years. It's rough out there.

As this retreat from #DEIA has ramped up, our funding has dried up.

Which is why we need your help. Donate now.

www.equalaccesspublicmedia.org/support-us/

If you read those three bullet points, you saw lots of those words that Chad tracked in there. Lots of those DEI trigger words.

Because you can't have #Accessibility without #Diversity, #Equity, and #Inclusion.

• Aims to eliminate barriers, ensuring equal access and participation for all individuals, including those with disabilities, limited mobility, or diverse backgrounds.

• Encompasses various aspects, including physical, digital, and communication accessibility.

I emphasize: breaking barriers.

3. There's actually a definition of accessibility, which I break into three bullet points:
• The design and provision of products, services, environments, and facilities that can be accessed and used by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status.

2. The current administration often uses accessibility in some kind of way to mean access for those who meet their standards. (White, Christian, cis-het, definitely not poor and in need of government assistance...) So in an inclusive-exclusive way. It boggles the mind...

What we mean when we say 'accessibility' - The Word "Accessibility" is thrown around in journalism, but it’s often not really what we intend

A few additional thoughts here:
1. A couple months ago, I wrote about the different ways people think about accessibility. the-word.news/2025/1123/ac... One of the most common ways people use accessibility incorrectly is to mean approachability.

I will say over and over again, you cannot have #accessibility without #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion. It just doesn't work.

I'm the founder of @equalaccesspublicmedia.org. We focus on #accessibility in the field of journalism and public-facing news products.

I've not just been saying this. I've been screaming this.

Now @chadtopaz.bsky.social has the data to show it.

Now I'm really curious where the Massachusetts of Arkansas is...

Short notice #JournoRequest. A reporter working on an article about journalists experiencing #trauma from work. She can use just your first name. Email editor@the-word.news and I can put you in touch with @bethmccowen.bsky.social. Deadline: March 2.

Last I heard, it was up to 51 dead at the Minab girls' school.

Bill, can you find the poll showing how many Americans can find Iran on a map?

Sleeping in?

On the other hand, the U.S. has a long history of unsuccessful regime change.

Which is where I again say, there are three governments involved here and not one gives a damn about the people of Iran.

8/8

Successful regime change comes from the will of the people and is a long hard process. There's examples where it happens through protest. And there's examples where it takes years (and years) of war. But successful regime change is always through the will of the people.

7/8

So that's the timeline.

Now, let's return to my first point, because Trump is encouraging the Iranian people to apparently overthrow their government — while the Iranian government has implemented an internet blackout and the U.S. and Israel are attacking the country.

6/8

Iran launched missiles following the joint Israel-U.S. strike — named Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. — across the region, targeting the Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain.

5/8

Overnight, strikes were launched against Iran with multiple targets. Israel called it a "pre-emptive strike."

(I just want to note that a "pre-emptive strike" is a first strike. I don't pre-emptively punch someone, then say, "See? Told ya!" when they beat the shit out of me.)

4/8

Friday, Feb. 27, Trump told reporters he wasn't happy with the pace of negotiations or the way Iran was negotiating, but hadn't yet made any decisions.

3/8