Nicole

In Texas flood response, FEMA slowed by Noem’s cost controls | CNN Politics As monstrous floodwaters surged across central Texas late last week, officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency leapt into action, preparing to deploy critical search and rescue teams and li...

Exhibit 2: amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/07/...

The tab for Florida's immigrant prison in the Everglades is $250 million — and counting Florida in Five: Five stories to read from the past week in Florida politics.

The federal government has spent millions of dollars for disaster response companies to build prison camps for immigrants in FL while it’s pinching pennies on actual disaster response in TX. What’s wrong with this picture? open.substack.com/pub/jasongar...

Composite of 2 photos: 1st frame is the front of a birthday card that says “Happy Birthday! Wishing You Well” over a background of colorful shapes and squiggles. 2nd frame is the inside of the card with a doodle of balloons and confetti and the message: “¡Feliz Compleaños! My name is Nicole and I’m writing as part of the Abolitionist Mail Project. I’m wishing you a year full of peace and continued learning and growth. Nicole.” Colored pens cover the name of the person the card is written to.

Earlier today, the kiddo and I joined @massamp1312.bsky.social in writing birthday cards to incarcerated people. Later, we watched Prince Shakur’s (@thedugoutpod.bsky.social) amazing “Mutual Aid: How to Survive When the State Fails Us.”

#mutualaid #directaction #microactivism

Update from John Ismay

What country are we in?!?

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...

7 Climbers Rigged a Trans Pride Flag Over El Cap. Here’s What They Want You To Know. On May 20, seven trans climbers and allies few a trans pride flag from Heart Ledges on El Cap. Here's what the lead organizer has to say.

Per the NPS: “We take the protection of our National parks seriously and will not tolerate behavior that undermines their integrity.” I think that’s exactly why the flag was put up.

www.climbing.com/news/trans-p...

Having lived in NYC for several years vs. my current smaller city, the big bonus for me was the lack of eye contact. In NY, no one walking down the street dared make eye contact with each other. Here, if you don’t look at and nod to everyone in your path, people think you’re a jerk.

A group of black and white postcards, with one turned over. The back reads “Dear Maureen, Your Republican Congressman was the deciding vote to kick millions of Americans off of Medicaid and food assistance to pay for tax cuts for the super rich. Call Congressman Lawler and tell him you are outraged over these cuts: (202) 225-6506 Thank you, Nicole, a volunteer”

I can’t do big protests anymore, but I can write postcards until the cows come home (or the Dems are back in office). This batch of old Hudson River lighthouses went to voters in NY. #autisticadvocacy

Picture of 2 stacks of postcards. One has the word “VOTE” and a hand drawn flower with stars scattered around the image. The other has the handwritten text: “Dear Marcos, Trumps tarifes are a MASSIVE NEW TAX HIKE on working Ohio families. They are driving up the cost of everything Ohioans buy! Can we count on you to CALL SENATOR HUSTED and tell him the Senate should do its part to control tariffs and SUPPORT OHIO FAMILIES. (202) 224-3353 Thanks, Nicole, a volunteer”

Picture of Jodie Foster with the following words: “Being gay is like being left-handed; some people are, most people aren't, and nobody really knows exactly why. It's not right or wrong, it's just one of the many natural ways to be. The world works best when everyone gets to live as they truly are. So if you ever feel out of place, remember: you're not broken, you're just beautifully different, and that's something the world needs. JODIE FOSTER”

The same reasoning can be applied to autism.

Wish there was something you could *do*? I’m sending out postcards to Ohio voters through Activate America. You can too! @activateamerica.bsky.social activateamerica.vote/postcards

Protect the Rights and Privacy of Autistic Americans! We need states to intervene, protecting Americans' medical data and stopping RFK Jr.'s dangerous stigmatization of autistic and disabled people. Add your name to the petition!

We need states to intervene, protecting Americans' medical data and stopping RFK Jr.'s dangerous stigmatization of autistic and disabled people. Add your name to the petition! sign.moveon.org/petitions/pr...

A List of Virtual, Accessible, & At-Home Ways to Dissent The first edition of ADA accessible, virtual, and at-home dissenting actions

open.substack.com/pub/thepeopl...

Opinion | Three Well-Tested Ways to Undermine an Autocrat

Among the trio? Humor and mockery, as we discussed in our e-newsletter on Sunday.

Terrific inspiration here for #artactivism.

"Three Well-Tested Ways to Undermine an Autocrat"
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/o...

I feel that so profoundly. I love your comparison to kintsugi.

Photo of passage in Laura James’ book, Odd Girl Out. Text reads: I think of kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with powdered precious metals. The craft and the philosophy treat breakages and repairs as part of the history of any piece rather than as something to hide. I am flawed. I am, in part, broken. Not by my autism, but by my insistence on fighting it and by the stresses it places on me. My being different from most people around me-and the years of living a life not meant for me-have taken their toll. I look up pictures of kintsugi bowls. I see the gold cracks glistening and realize that without them many of the pieces filling the screen on my laptop would be dull and ordinary. If they had been invisibly mended, they would always be slightly inferior, a lesser version of what they once were. Now, with their imperfections celebrated, they are somehow more. They are damaged, and that damage makes them beautiful.

Photo of a white and blue ceramic bowl that has been broken and put back together with visible gold lines where the cracks were.

Wow.

“I am flawed. I am, in part, broken. Not by my autism, but by my insistence on fighting it and by the stresses it places on me. My being different from most people around me—and the years of living a life not meant for me—have taken their toll.” - Laura James, Odd Girl Out
#ActuallyAutistic ♾️

I am absolutely autistic. It permeates everything I do. I don’t think of it as a “disorder,” though. It’s just my neurotype. It’s like being white or female. Saying someone “has autism” makes it sound like an illness or disease. I hope you’ll let your kiddo choose how they want to define themself.

Yes!!! That’s exactly my problem with them. Especially cherry tomatoes when they squish open in my mouth.

I just sat here for at least a minute trying to remember what it was every though I literally diagnosis it on a regular basis. (It’s “inattentive”)

Why RFK Jr.’s search for autism’s cause is so divisive Groups advocating for people with the condition are split on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s effort to understand why so many more are being diagnosed with it.

The question behind this article is moot— Kennedy isn’t trying to find the real causes of autism, he’s funneling taxpayer money into proving his debunked quack theories.

He has no intention of doing actual science. He’s not willing to be wrong.

www.politico.com/news/2025/05...

I think he also might be a willing patsy for the push to abdicate the government’s responsibility to provide benefits for autistic and, eventually, all disabled people. This is just the tip of the iceberg and there’s already this BS narrative to get the ball rolling.

If they’re going to mandate autism screening for every trans or GNC child who needs affirming treatment, they sure as heck better start making it available for every child who just needs an autism assessment.

When I was in middle school in the 80s, my Spanish teacher used to tell me I lived in a box. I used to think it was because she thought I was homeless and was so confused because I was solidly middle class. The psychologist doing my testing a year ago explained she was referring to my autism.

RFK Jr.'s autism study to amass medical records of many Americans The autism study is planning to link confidential data "with broad coverage in the U.S. population" in one place for the first time.

This should frighten everyone. They are amassing this data for more than just an autism study, that noone is going to be able to opt in/ opt out of. This is about grabbing data for tech bros. www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-... RFK Jr.'s autism study to amass medical records of many Americans

I’m an autistic 50yo who has voted for you and participated in stand-outs and rallies with you several times. I’m hoping you’re in this fight with me, too.

I’m pretty sure that’s not how that works.

Shoot. Is it too late to refuse to pay taxes this year? I’m thinking my wife shouldn’t, either.

I was being sarcastic.

I’m making a profile now! Thanks for providing this resource.

Sometimes, there aren’t enough stimulants in the world.