Amanda L Almond, PhD

🌍 This #OpenAccess book—edited by Julia Bentz, Jelena Ristić Trajković—explores the potential of transdisciplinary, art-science approaches in addressing current social-ecological complexities within educational contexts. bit.ly/43T2nvd #SciArt #AcademicSky #BookSky

Zohran Mamdani knows how to win Not just in New York — Mamdani's campaign shows how to inspire voters nationwide

The Democratic establishment's ugly reaction to Zohran Mamdani reveals an unpleasant truth.

They would rather lose elections than change.

The addiction to rich donors and consultants is killing the party. But Mamdani shows a path out. An analysis.

www.salon.com/2025/11/03/z...

Growing roots: the role of collective community gardening in cultural food insecurity and social integration of African immigrants in Alberta, Canada - BMC Public Health Background In western countries such as Canada, immigrants are experiencing cultural food insecurity - that is the inability to acquire, afford, and access one' ethnic foods and community gardens have emerged as potential area for addressing cultural food insecurity. However, limited knowledge exists on the role of collective community gardens in addressing the cultural food needs of immigrant communities. Methods We conducted a community-based participatory research (CBPR) informed by an Afrocentric lens using quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Data collection involved an online survey (n = 119) which was co-developed and co-administered with our community partners– Sinkunia Community Development Organization (SCDO). Semi-structured, in-depth interviews (IDI) were also conducted with purposefully sampled participants (n = 10) to obtain nuanced narratives. This study included Black identifying African immigrants from sub-Saharan countries. Results High prevalence of food insecurity (75.6%) was observed in the survey participants, higher than the general Canadian household prevalence rate. Participants recalled experiencing food insecurity ranging from mild (39.5%) to moderate (26.1%) and severe (10.1%) food insecurity. High prevalence of cultural food insecurity (80.7%) was also observed with most participants reporting some level of deprivation of cultural foods. However, participants demonstrated resilience and adaptability in maintaining their cultural food-ways amid these challenges. Collective community gardens allowed immigrant communities to: (a) cultivate connections through food production (‘seeds of sovereignty’); (b) build intergenerational bridges (‘seeds of identity’); (c) grow together across generations; and (d) grow strong to embody health and wellbeing. Conclusion The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence on the embodied benefits of community gardens for food security and social place-making of immigrant populations. High interest and engagement in gardening activities in the population suggests potential for expansion of community-led initiatives to support social and cultural integration of immigrant. This is important to Alberta’s and to Canada’s current and future sustainable economic and social growth.

A study published in BMC Public Health highlights how COVID-19 worsened food insecurity among African immigrants in Canada and how community gardens emerged as vital spaces for access to fresh food, cultural connection and well-being.

#MedSky

My beautiful and dear childhood friend tied the knot. Old friends came together to celebrate and adore our girl. It was beautiful.

Workers Are Losing Over $4 Billion in Unspent FSA Money a Year An exclusive Money analysis finds that 47% of workers failed to drain their FSA balances in 2023, adding up to billions in lost money.

I've been harping on using FSA funds because workers lose $4 BILLION in unspent funds each year. I don't think many people even know about the FSA store as just one example of a simpler way to spend some of that money. Use it for others if you don't need it yourself.

money.com/unspent-fsa-...

It's really OK to change your mind when new facts are presented. It really is.

What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity.

And what Andrew Cuomo lacks in integrity, he could never make up for with experience.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

“We may be witnessing the emergence of a population-level acquired immune deficiency — not sexually transmitted, but airborne.”

That line isn’t from a tweet. It’s from a peer-reviewed paper in AJPM Focus (2025).

My paper asserts the power of applied psychological science to achieve measurable progress towards anti-racist practices and potentially transform organizations to achieve improved health outcomes for Black patients. Give it a read!

rdcu.be/eKsC4

My paper asserts the power of applied psychological science to achieve measurable progress towards anti-racist practices and potentially transform organizations to achieve improved health outcomes for Black patients. Give it a read!

rdcu.be/eKsC4

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

I’m backstage at @colbertlateshow.bsky.social about to go on stage with Stephen Colbert.

So deeply grateful for his stand for free speech. Tune in tonight to hear our conversation.

Birdlife Among the Solar Panels: How Agrivoltaics Shape Avian Communities Study of a German trial plot reveals that high-mounted solar panels can support diverse bird use, though habitat complexity remains key

Study of a German trial plot reveals that high-mounted solar panels can support diverse bird use, though habitat complexity remains key www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...

KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS! #sino_charleston #silenceisnotanoption

Compassionate creativity.

The SPLC and the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) filed an amicus brief challenging Oklahoma’s HB 1775, a law that severely restricts classroom instruction on certain topics related to race, gender and systemic inequalities in public schools.
bit.ly/47szWag

Opinion | Students Hate Them. Universities Need Them. The Only Real Solution to the A.I. Cheating Crisis.

Blue books and oral comps. That’s how I prepared my assessments for the 25-26 academic year.

Students Hate Them. Universities Need Them. The Only Real Solution to the A.I. Cheating Crisis. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...

Twitter Is Frying Your Brain Splinter is your home for news and opinions that challenge power in our political and economic system that's becoming more unhinged each and every day.

Wrote something you can send to your friends still addicted to Twitter to help convince them to leave before they become a 'you gotta hand it to JD Vance' guy. www.splinter.com/twitter-is-f...

We are watching, in real time, the destruction of the CDC. Our kids' and families' health is going to be put at risk because Trump and RFK Jr. are running a money-making conspiracy racket instead of a public health agency.

Another result of Trump's corruption machine.

In a stunning announcement from the Oval Office, President Trump reveals that he is dead, that we’re all dead. God has abandoned us and the place we thought was the world is actually hell. We go live now to Wolf Blitzer in the Situation Room,

Wait… there’s a bird call app? I’ve been over here with my ears and binoculars and books and a journal. For real?! I’ll never go back inside.

Catch me outside.

Resident doctors are being exploited.

They’re working 70 or 80 hours a week and trying to pay off student debts with totally inadequate salaries.

The good news is that they are forming unions and fighting back. I stand with them.

DC was my home for 20 years until a few months ago when I had to leave to take care of my dad.

Yesterday, I experienced boiling rage I didn’t know I had in me. I usually go straight to sadness & despair.

Democrats & others allowed DC to be scarified now Chicago will get the same treatment.

Bountiful AF.

Declutter before you die.

A British crow is asking passersby if they're alright.

There’s renewable energy ads and there’s mother**cking wind farm ads. This, blissfully, is the latter.

The role of intellectuals is to challenge authority, not serve it.