Allison Torres Burtka's Avatar

Allison Torres Burtka

@allisonburtka.bsky.social

Freelance writer and editor in metro Detroit. Words in National Geographic, The Guardian, Outside, Parents, Audubon, Harvard Public Health, WebMD & more. writing portfolio: https://atburtka.journoportfolio.com/

853 Followers  |  703 Following  |  457 Posts  |  Joined: 20.11.2024  |  2.1581

Latest posts by allisonburtka.bsky.social on Bluesky


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Incredible shot of Rep. Al Green holding up a "BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T APES!" sign with Trump in the foreground from photographer Kenny Holston (Getty)

25.02.2026 02:42 β€” πŸ‘ 15902    πŸ” 4156    πŸ’¬ 259    πŸ“Œ 183

A look at how climate change is affecting Michigan, from forests to trout to flooding to asthma

18.02.2026 01:32 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ’šπŸ’šπŸ’š

17.02.2026 14:46 β€” πŸ‘ 5054    πŸ” 1113    πŸ’¬ 51    πŸ“Œ 36
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How a federal water pollution bill could jeopardize Detroit’s drinking water The PERMIT Act could weaken Clean Water Act protections, affecting drinking water and ecosystems in Detroit and other areas.

The PERMIT Act, a bill in the Senate, would roll back many of the Clean Water Act's protections that have cleaned up our waters over the last 50 years.

Thanks to @flowtc.bsky.social and @freshwaterfuture.bsky.social for their insight on what this might mean.
planetdetroit.org/2026/02/detr...

17.02.2026 15:08 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œI think everybody knows about the redwoods of California, but so few people know about the pines of Michigan or the beech or maple forests," Antonio Cosme, cofounder of Black to the Land Coalition, told me.

β€œYou can experience those majestic, awe-inspiring natural places up here.”

17.02.2026 14:06 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Michigan's northern forests may feel far from Detroit β€” but they filter the water we drink, clean our air, and buffer us from climate change.
We've been reporting on those connections. Now we're bringing the conversation live.
Join us Thursday at noon.
Free. πŸ‘‡ donorbox.org/events/90622...

16.02.2026 19:37 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

A 7-year-old child should never be put in jail. Ever, for any reason.

10.02.2026 23:12 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

good news for (fully caffeinated) coffee and tea drinkers!

10.02.2026 18:04 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

There are a lot of people who are going to complain about being unfairly vilified by that halftime show and it's because they know in their hearts they're on Team Hate.

09.02.2026 01:47 β€” πŸ‘ 8382    πŸ” 1469    πŸ’¬ 75    πŸ“Œ 24

And all these things have been apparent for decades. There are many individual moments that should have been the end of him as a viable candidate (like grab her by the p*ssy, mocking John McCain), but here we are.

06.02.2026 23:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

There isn't a non-white group that he hasn't been racist toward--repeatedly and publicly.

06.02.2026 21:23 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Agreed, but also, basic white people (not just powerful ones) have been doing this throughout our country's history. It's just that most of them don't do it publicly.

06.02.2026 21:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Trump is a child rapist and a vile racist who is tanking the economy and mobilizing ICE to kill and terrorize people.

We see all these things at the same time--we're not distracted.

06.02.2026 21:10 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe someone told them that vile racism matters to many Americans.

06.02.2026 17:35 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Trump Posts Video Portraying Obamas as Apes

Karoline Leavitt: β€œPlease stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

Well, KKKaroline, vicious racism actually matters to many Americans. But probably not any you know.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/u...

06.02.2026 16:57 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This is not important, but could that hat possibly be any uglier?

06.02.2026 16:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Walz: "To Americans who are watching this, I've got a question for you: What side do you want to be on? The side of an all powerful federal govt that can kill, injury, menace, & kidnap its citizens off the streets? Or on the side of a nurse at the VA hospital who died bearing witness to such govt?"

25.01.2026 20:24 β€” πŸ‘ 50345    πŸ” 14734    πŸ’¬ 889    πŸ“Œ 612
Post image 25.01.2026 14:00 β€” πŸ‘ 365    πŸ” 129    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 3

Terrorizing children

22.01.2026 13:10 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The visual of that thug's hand holding on to the boy's tiny backpack--to keep him from what, running?!--should have stopped anyone involved.

22.01.2026 13:04 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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ICE detains five-year-old Minnesota boy arriving home, say school officials Superintendent says Liam Ramos and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway and sent to Texas

A 5-year-old boy has been snatched from his driveway in Minnesota, flown to Texas, and put behind bars. How does terrorizing children "protect America"? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

22.01.2026 12:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

20.01.2026 22:53 β€” πŸ‘ 14463    πŸ” 8328    πŸ’¬ 91    πŸ“Œ 766

school being canceled because the president sent armed thugs to harass and imprison the populace for voting against him should be the biggest domestic scandal in american history

20.01.2026 16:10 β€” πŸ‘ 20257    πŸ” 5384    πŸ’¬ 222    πŸ“Œ 144

MLK could have written this today.

19.01.2026 13:57 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe I should ask Michelle Williams if she'll give me her Golden Globe award. I'm not an actor, but I'd like to be known as a Golden Globe-winning actor. This is how it works, right?

16.01.2026 15:47 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Clearly, because this is demonstrably false in several ways that any lawyer can explain.

14.01.2026 19:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

As a mom who has given birth to two babies, I'm contractually obligated to say "That's not a newborn" to people around me whenever that happens.

14.01.2026 19:27 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

If ya don't want political reactions in your factory

Don't bring politicians into your factory

Seems really simple

14.01.2026 16:34 β€” πŸ‘ 15761    πŸ” 2903    πŸ’¬ 329    πŸ“Œ 108

They exist to terrorize people.

13.01.2026 20:55 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This is completely fucking unacceptable. Shut this terrorist government down until it stops brutalizing its own citizens.

13.01.2026 18:57 β€” πŸ‘ 9815    πŸ” 4172    πŸ’¬ 688    πŸ“Œ 244

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