Diara J.

Welcome to the Era of "Kavanaugh Raids" ICE crosses another big, important line.

America enters a new, dark chapter: "Kavanaugh Raids" on entire buildings and neighborhoods, a chapter surely to be remembered as infamously as we now view the "Palmer Raids" of the first Red Scare. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/welcome-to...

My husband was detained by ICE today

Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away

I have had zero contact or updates since

#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov

USDA Pulls Plug on Report That Measured Who Goes Hungry in America LaPorchia Collins, an agricultural economist, professor and researcher, answered five questions on the agency’s decision to halt data collection.

After 30 years of tracking food insecurity, the USDA discontinued a federal report that monitors level of hunger in U.S. households.

The USDA labeled the report as “redundant, costly, politicized."

capitalbnews.org/usda-ends-fo...

I’m at Foley Square for the Journalism is not a Crime rally.

A very funny dynamic is that this rally is to support us but we can’t help but be in coverage mode. (The support means the world.)

FWIW, I'm the head of the Participatory Journalism Interest Group this year for AEJMC ... if folks have thoughts on things we could be doing to encourage good research and teaching in this area I am open to ideas!

Something our glorious Secretary of War does not seem to have considered is that the reason military PT and grooming standards, plus policies for EEO and abuse reporting, are the way they are is because they're necessary for recruitment and retention

the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!

CHILE. I verbally scoffed and groaned and possibly even shouted aloud “WHAT DO YOU MEEEEEEAN” 😩

“I call it the N word” just sent me the moon

Just…what are we witnessing here? Nuclear bombs being discussed cavalierly in front of our entire military leadership apparatus?? What are they supposed to take away from this exactly??

Does the commander in chief need to pass a PT test or does he get a pass

I try to focus this account so it's for my readers, but hey writers:

NEVER sign a contract where the publisher keeps your rights indefinitely. For short stories, there should be a point when you can sell reprints.

and NEVER sign your movie/TV/etc adaptation rights to a publisher. Those are yours.

Does this man have any idea the amount of labor that goes into organizing a PT day on bases? How much effort will be spent on just SCHEDULING reserve and guard troops, let alone finding time and space in addition to their ACTUAL base jobs on Duty weekends? Moronic.

Hegseth: "Today, at my direction, each service will ensure that every requirement for every combat MOS, for every designated combat arms position, returns to the highest male standard only."

Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald who took down the mob is coming back Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, 64, served as a US attorney in Chicago for more than a decade, and he is a longtime friend and former colleague of Comey, 64.

Legendary, veteran prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, known for targeting Osama bin Laden and bringing down the Illinois mob, is coming out of retirement to defend former FBI director James Comey.

In any other country, if federal agents fired upon journalists when unprovoked — what would we call it?

If federal agents marched down streets demanding papers — what would we say?

Authoritarianism — let’s not pretend it’s something else when it happens in our American cities.

What Happens if Eric Adams Drops Out of the Mayor’s Race? Depending on the timing, his name could remain on the ballot even if he stops campaigning.

This is from @thecity.nyc reporting earlier this month. The ballot was certified on September 11th. If he wanted to drop out and not be on the ballot he would have had to drop out by then

www.thecity.nyc/2025/09/04/e...

Assata Shakur, political activist and ex-Black Liberation Army member, has died Assata Shakur “died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age,” according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Assata Shakur has "died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age."

She was 78.

In seeking places to work remotely, I found spaces and moments that remind me that journalism isn’t just about Wi-Fi or deadlines, it’s about the people and stories that emerge along the way.

Read more in my 2nd edition of Scout’s Compass 🧭 #LocalJournalism #NorthCarolina #RemoteWork #Storytelling

Overfishing Harms the Environment. Is There a Way Out? Commercial fishing is destroying ecosystems around the world. Is anything being done about it?

Commercial fishing is destroying ecosystems around the world. Is anything being done about it?

Rep. Mikie Sherrill: "My opponent and the Trump administration will stop at nothing. They will completely weaponize the federal government to achieve what they want. We saw it with Comey and we're seeing it here, releasing all of my records."

The Curious Scout The Curious Scout is a newsletter for individuals who value community-centered stories, curiosity-driven reporting, and a behind-the-scenes look at how local journalism works.

The next installment of Scout's Compass, my weekly(ish) series tracking my freelance #journalism journey and quick takes on recent/frustrating #news, goes out today!

Subscribe now to get access before I click that (terrifying) send button 😅 😄 thecuriousscout.beehiiv.com

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The African American Day Parade is underway in Harlem!

Oof. Agreed. Just a mess. I REALLY wish she was “primaried” and had her opinions and positions tested against idk REALITY, MORALITY AND INTEGRITY 🤷🏾‍♀️ maybe she would’ve gotten it together, maybe not, but chica was PLAYED.

the 'cancel' part of 'cancel culture' was also lifted from Black culture and promptly weaponized against any effort to obtain social accountability in defense of marginalized people

“Though the move is largely symbolic, it is a historic moment as the U.K. arguably laid the groundwork for the creation of the Israeli state when it was in control of what was then known as Palestine in 1917.”

I really really don’t like the advocacy for media literacy if we don’t acknowledge that the media itself hasn’t been literate

People get mad and

Good

Because how can you demand a literacy of an audience while simultaneously gaslighting them about your coverage

Raskin: "He wants to condition the public to the idea that it's completely legitimate for the president not only to be ordering prosecutions of particular people over the objections of prosecutors, but he wants to condition the public to accepting the idea he can do that in public, openly."

My grandma, 1937-2025

Bookstore at Busboys and Poets by on 14th street

Neutral Ground restaurant in McLean VA

The past week has been…a lot. I lost my grandma unexpectedly 💔, spent a few days in DC for the Local Business Journalism Fellowship, and now I’m off to Florida for what was supposed to be two weeks of Epic Universe & HHN but will start with a funeral (and don’t get me started on the media mess) 😵‍💫😩

Gas stove makers quietly delete air pollution warnings as they fight mandatory health labels Manufacturers fighting a Colorado health warning law argue gas stoves are safe. Some of their websites have suggested otherwise.

Gas stove makers quietly delete air pollution warnings as they fight mandatory health labels - Grist grist.org/accountabili...