Tanya Paperny

Debut column about overlooked historic sites in and around DC. Let me know what you think, and do share ideas for future sites! Thanks to @mitchryals.bsky.social for the sharp edits and the COUNTLESS people across DC who helped me tell this amazing story.

File under: things I wish I had access to in high school (...two decades ago). My latest for @the74.bsky.social in partnership with XQ Institute:

When something is beyond moist, you can call it utmoist

Time to Grow The 51st Help us hire Christina and Martin Full-Time!

I gave — and I don't even have a real job! If you want local media without billionaire owners, you should too:
givebutter.com/SsQ8CG

language from the email:
"federal court injunction"
"interest-bearing forbearance"
"your balance will grow"

explaining the latest dep't of education student loan email to someone not in the US:

"so i was supposed to get $20K forgiven but politicians and courts intervened. while they fight, i have to pay interest on a 6-figure balance and select between 5 complicated repayment plans"

may her memory be a blessing ✨

y'all know i'm ready for eleanor holmes norton to step down, but the first person to announce that she's running against norton is one of those "israel has a right to defend itself" types

dc's department of parks and recreation: WE'RE THE #1 PARK SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES

also dc's department of parks and recreation: you say there's been a huge hole in the ceiling and several broken showers at the pool for several months? DEAL WITH IT!

subject line: "Hiring Cycle Complete."

just got a rejection regarding a job i applied for in...february

today's lesson: poison ivy

never not learning the hard way

as far as i can tell, this job was posted 22 hours ago, received 53 applicants and already closed lol 😶

www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...

Gov. Patrick Morrisey signs the law banning diversity initiatives at a press event in Hinton last month. Photo courtesy the Governor’s office.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey signs a law banning diversity initiatives last month. Caption contest:

Stronger Together: On Pride, Resilience, and Working Toward a Better Future Six members of the queer and trans community remind us of the power of Pride as the federal government continues to attack LGBTQIA rights.

It's a big year for Pride in DC & WorldPride is here but so is the Trump administration. Rather than talking about DC's queer history I wanted to hear from the people MAKING that history right here, right now.

2025 has sucked, but these 6 queers remind us how strong & beautiful our community is 🖤

"We keep getting up every day and lacing up our boots to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to experience the kind of discrimination and hatefulness that we’re seeing now."

I interviewed trans legal advocate Sasha Buchert for the City Paper, which profiled 6 local LGBTQ+ visionaries:

i'm researching mentions of him because i found out he died in may :(

A fluffy grey cat with hazel eyes lays on a beige hardwood floor. A child has done a digital illustration of a Ukrainian soldier's uniform on top of the cat, customized to fit its shapes.

Andrei's family had Lotte the cat as a companion when they'd hide in a cellar during bombings. His daughter drew Lotte as a hero:

Please don't forget about Ukraine. Donate to @ukrainetrustchain.bsky.social: www.ukrainetrustchain.org

Life in Wartime Ukraine: Two Essays by Andrei Krasniashikh Versions of these essays—translated here by Tanya Paperny, with Katya Kompaneyets—originally appeared in Ukrayinska Pravda. A previous installment in the translation of this series appeared at Circ…

In these essays by award-winning Ukrainian writer Andrei Krasniashikh (which I translated), he describes how the companionship of pets — or even just trading pet photos — kept people alive:

"Geese saved Rome. Cats and dogs saved Kharkiv. Especially its children."

lithub.com/life-in-wart...

Rescuing Ukraine’s lost war dogs Adopting dogs abandoned on the battlefields has become a national duty in Ukraine.

I adore this new @washingtonpost.com piece about rescuing dogs in wartime Ukraine. www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...

And I'd to share a piece that brings to life how pets have helped Ukrainians cope with war.

with no respect because none is due,

nazi sympathizer = nazi
are we clear yet?

nothing makes me drip with spite more than paying rent

"pervasive social cynicism under a senile imperialism" is how my dog would describe living with me

(smart phrase about our great nation via @mattdpearce.com, sorry to turn it into stupid humor)

If you can't join in person, will you chip in for gift cards?

In response to pressure from Trump, DC is clearing out homeless encampments all over the city (read: kick people out and trash their stuff.) Tomorrow (3/11), they're targeting 1899 9th St NE. Who would like to join me in distributing gift cards to displaced people and putting up resistance flyers?

Looking forward to the ultimate weighted blanket, six feet of dirt piled on top of me.

(alt. AMA: Why am I a masochist?)

AMA: I refill my prescriptions at the lowest-rated CVS in Washington, DC.