Maya Schenwar

That Viral Essay Scandal is (SURPRISE!) Actually About Trans People A shoddy Oklahoma University essay went viral. Cis people think this is about conservatives whining for better grades. Trans people see a planned attack on a trans academic. (Note for free subscriber...

For my newsletter, I wrote about that college essay scandal that's gone viral and what everyone is seeming to miss:

It's about ATTACKING TRANS PEOPLE!!!

www.burnsnotice.com/that-viral-e...

SPOTTED over Lake Michigan!

Israeli Settlers Have Injured More Palestinians in West Bank in 2025 Than Last 2 Years Combined Israeli settler violence has hit a record high this year, with explicit backing from the government.

Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank have injured over 1000 Palestinians so far this year — nearly more than the tally for the past two years combined. These injuries are on top of 690 Palestinians, including 131 children, killed by Israeli forces or settlers between 2024 and September.

From the inbox: local activists have taken it upon themselves to print and distro this story to the community. Absolutely love to see it.

U.S. is exporting xenophobia through some Latin American embassies A Prism investigation reveals the State Department’s social media campaign of fear in Venezuela, Brazil, and Mexico

Exclusive: The U.S. is exporting Trump’s xenophobia through some of its Latin American embassies, investigates @nicolefroio.bsky.social. The State Dept’s social media campaign of fear in Venezuela, Brazil, & Mexico lays bare the anti-immigrant messaging behind the new face of American diplomacy.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the U.S. at the end of the year is poised to lose its elimination status, a long-held designation indicating that outbreaks in the country had been rare and rapidly contained.

"Let’s look out for each other. Let’s care for each other. Let’s fight with everything we’ve got. We can get through this—and we can build something better."

I appreciate Daniel Hunter's piece in @wagingnonviolence.org, chronicling many current facets of resistance & strategies for future action.

Free Buses Can Be a Reality — Just Look at Maryland Zohran Mamdani’s plan for free buses is not a pipe dream. Montgomery County, Maryland, made its buses free this year.

Montgomery County first made its “Ride On” buses free to all riders under 18 in 2019. Then on June 29, 2025, it made all of its buses fare-free for all passengers. The system has a fleet of nearly 400 buses, 80 routes, and provided 19.2 million rides in the 2025 fiscal year.

As immigration agents swept Chicago this fall, communities stepped in to get kids to school safely A new WBEZ analysis finds student attendance briefly plummeted following intense moments of immigration enforcement, but overall rates are comparable to last year. Some credit “magic school buses” and...

“Nearly 14,000 students who attend predominantly Latino schools, or about 12% of students, stayed home from school on Sept. 29, the Monday after Border Patrol agents marched through downtown.”

Red-mittened hands form a heart. Text says: The Annual Holiday Solidarity drive ensures parents inside Cook County Jail and other IL facilities can give gifts to their kids. Thank you for making it possible. That is the true spirit of holiday solidarity. #FreeThemAll

Help make it possible for parents who are incarcerated to give presents to their kids this season!
Most people in jail & prison are parents. Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration has run this drive for 11 years, and it is a powerful act of support & resistance.
www.kohls.com/babyregistry...

How North Carolina Rose Up Against Trump’s Latest Anti-Immigrant Crackdown “Operation Charlotte’s Web” may mobilize North Carolina’s working-class Latino members and allies to shift the political balance of power at the local, state, and national levels.

My latest, about @siembranc.bsky.social and how they organized in North Carolina to counter Operation Charlotte's Web and Border Patrol's latest anti-immigrant crackdown, co-published in @thenation.com and @southernstudies.bsky.social

www.thenation.com/article/poli...

Israel is violating all its ceasefire agreements and escalating on all fronts Israel is using existing ceasefire agreements to establish new realities on the ground, projecting itself as the regional hegemon by launching attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.

"Israel is now escalating on all fronts."

"[L]aunching strikes and military incursions across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank."

"All of this takes place as Israel is nominally party to two ceasefires."
#Israel #Gaza #WestBank #Palestine #Lebanon #Syria #Genocide #Housing #Military

Progressive philanthropy needs to commit to funding journalism Marginalized voices are facing new pressures amid industry cutbacks and increasing attacks from the Trump administration

“[Movement journalism is] not in ‘business’ to funnel advertising dollars to the pockets of billionaires; we’re here to perform liberatory work” write @femmfeministe.bsky.social & @mayaschenwar.bsky.social. It’s time for progressive philanthropy to commit to funding journalism.

Artwork by Monica Trinidad, featuring illustrated tan-colored text on a purple background: “Block It! Don't Build It. Don't Fill It. Don't Fuel It. How are YOU disrupting the ICE kidnapping, detention, & deportation machine?" In the middle are three rows of drawings in orange, tan, and black, depicting: a protest in front of a construction vehicle, transport vans and three Avelo Airlines planes, and hands holding and ripping apart money and a paper with "Palantir" on it.

New resource⚡️ Block it! Don’t Build It. Don’t Fill It. Don’t Fuel It.

A mini-toolkit to take action to slow down and disrupt the government’s kidnapping, detention, and deportation machine.

Info on strategies/tactics, ways to take action, and more:
www.interruptingcriminalization.com/block-it

Border Agents Target Mississippi Communities in ‘Swamp Sweep’ Border agents are set to conduct a major immigration crackdown called "Swamp Sweep,” targeting immigrants in southeast Mississippi and Louisiana.

Border agents are set to target communities in southeast Mississippi and Louisiana in a major immigration crackdown called "Swamp Sweep.”

Federal agents aim to arrest 5,000 people during the operation.

buff.ly/ISpXE0l

The Right Funds Its Media. Can Progressive Philanthropy Meet the Moment? Rigorous, principled, independent journalism is an essential part of movement building.

"Rigorous, principled, independent journalism is an essential part of movement building." Read @femmfeministe.bsky.social and @mayaschenwar.bsky.social's urgent appeal to keep progressive media alive -- and thriving -- during these terrible times.

every trans suicide is a murder

every trans murder is a policy consequence

and the bodies keep piling up as the elected officials who today tell us they care about us — ALL of them. — still label the hate against us as a “distraction”

sorry, the funeral i went to last week was not a distraction

North Carolina immigration raids expected to escalate As the impacts of the raids quickly ripple outward from Charlotte, North Carolinians are mobilizing to stem enforcement operations in their communities

NEW: As immigration enforcement continues across North Carolina, communities are mobilizing--inside and outside formal organizing networks--to protect their neighbors:

ICE Raided My Son’s Daycare to Abduct a Teacher. This Kind of Trauma Lasts. Children in Illinois have suffered months of systematic abuse by federal agents enacting Trump’s immigration raids.

Children at my son’s Spanish immersion preschool in Chicago bore witness to a teacher being violently assaulted by ICE agents who entered their school, armed with weapons, earlier this month. Miss Diana was abducted by ICE on the morning of November 5 as she prepared to start her shift for the day.

The Right Funds Its Media. Can Progressive Philanthropy Meet the Moment? Rigorous, principled, independent journalism is an essential part of movement building.

Trump would really hate it if you sent this article to your friends at progressive foundations.

Federal agents used chemical weapons on Chicagoans at least 49 times — even after a judge said to stop.

Contrary to federal claims about attacks on agents, most of these incidents appear to involve nonviolent protesters or bystanders. blockclubchi.co/47PoaXb

Progressive philanthropy needs to commit to funding journalism Marginalized voices are facing new pressures amid industry cutbacks and increasing attacks from the Trump administration

It’s time for progressive philanthropy to commit to funding journalism, write @femmfeministe.bsky.social & @mayaschenwar.bsky.social in an op-ed. With the folding of Teen Vogue into Vogue & the loss of newsroom diversity, marginalized voices face new obstacles amid cutbacks & right-wing pressure.

"Most of the doctors spoke with ProPublica on the condition of anonymity, as they feared retaliation for violating ... a hospital 'gag order' against discussing abortion. In a sign of how secretive this decision-making has become, most said their hospitals had not written down these new policies."

Chicago’s top cop pledges to address rise in officers pointing their guns at people The independent monitor overseeing the city’s consent decree pointed to CPD data showing a nearly 44% increase from 2022 to 2024.

www.wbez.org/public-safet... - the fact that this is just regular order really speaks to this country.

Thanks for your wonderful work, October!

please read, share, and fund movement journalism! we are out here working our asses off to make media for us that actually respects human dignity.

Progressive philanthropy needs to commit to funding journalism Marginalized voices are facing new pressures amid industry cutbacks and increasing attacks from the Trump administration

🚨HERE IS OUR SOLUTION ➡️

My colleague @mayaschenwar.bsky.social at @truthout.org and I argue that it is time for progressive philanthropy and left philanthropy to make a serious, wide-ranging investment in journalism–and stick with it for the long haul.

prismreports.org/2025/11/19/p...

Thank YOU for being such a brilliant star, and initiating this! Love you too!

The Right Funds Its Media. Can Progressive Philanthropy Meet the Moment? Rigorous, principled, independent journalism is an essential part of movement building.

Movement journalism isn't just a nice thing to have: It's essential to expose injustice, uplift movements, and share visions for our collective futures.

Amazing @femmfeministe.bsky.social and I wrote about why resourcing journalism is important, especially right now!

truthout.org/articles/the...

🚨 WHY THIS STARBUCKS STRIKE IS DIFFERENT - @kimkelly.bsky.social

Reporting on the ground from the Red Cup Rally in Philly, Kim Kelly breaks down why this strike is so important & how it's different from other collective actions @sbworkersunited.org have taken against Starbucks.

@therealnews.com