Tonight, Atlanta press & allies gathered to honor the 60+ journalists killed since Oct. 7. We cried, made new friends, reunited with old ones. I heard people say they didn’t know they needed this. Same. Dear journalists in Gaza, we hear you. And we won’t let the world forget.
Emma Gonzalez stares into the crowd in silence as tears stream down her cheeks for 6 minutes and 23 seconds, the time it took for a gunman to take 17 lives in Parkland. Powerful.
#MarchForOurLives
My neighbor, who is disabled and lives alone, softly called for help today. I only heard because I was working on my porch. I ran and found him on uneven ground out of pedestrian sight; he was trying to get from his back door to the car when he lost footing. No rail to hold onto.
Happening now: American Jews are shutting down 8 bridges in 8 cities across the country for the 8th night of Hanukkah with one clear unified message: permanent ceasefire now.
This is Kate Rosenblatt, a professor of Religion and Jewish Studies at
#Emory
. She says it’s “unconscionable” that the university called police on students.
It fucking breaks my heart that anyone would feel like a nuisance for asking for or receiving basic human decency—and from neighbors, no less. And I notice it in my own life; I feel so surprised when anyone is kind to me.
I really hope we’re learning to be more collectivist and making efforts to lean on each other and our neighbors. It’s easy to come home from work, park the car and never exchange smiles. I don’t want to grow old in a world where I fear I’m a nuisance simply for needing a hand.
I couldn’t lift him on my own so I rang doorbells until another neighbor answered. We got him up safely, brought his concerned cat back into the yard and settled him into his car. This whole time, he wouldn’t stop apologizing for being “such a nuisance.” We all exchanged numbers.
Watching faculty/staff smile and applaud this Georgia State University Masters of Public Health graduate as she walks across the stage and uses her moment to protest for
#Palestine
— and then the crowd erupting in cheers at the sight… change is coming.
#GSU
first thing many of us will be doing Christmas morning (as we’ve been doing for the last 78 days) is immediately checking our phones to make sure motaz, bisan, hind, wael and all the other gazan journalists the world and esp the western press relies on for truth—are still alive.
#WKCR
#Columbia
Student Radio: Student journalists are finally being allowed to leave Pulitzer Hall. "Also it's Casey's birthday he just turned 20!"
I love them.
Thinking about my
#Emory
Class of 2014 Commencement keynote from the late Hon. Congressman John Lewis, in which he told our melting crowd in that Georgia sun to go out and be bold, find beloved community, get in the damn way and most of all: get in real good trouble.
What
#SimoneBiles
did by pulling out of the final for her own mental wellness takes an entirely different kind of strength, one we should be learning from and commending just as much if not more.
#WKCR
#Columbia
Student Radio: We can independently confirm there were students in Hamilton (Hind’s) Hall. Shafik’s “outside agitator” claim that’s being reported on CNN right now is false. “They are our peers.”
@callow_ella
Great idea! Luckily my parents have a contractor who might be able to help out and I’ll trying to coordinate. We just added accessibility ramps and railings to their home for my grandmother.
To see Motaz and other Gazan journalists make the decision to stop working and evacuate because it’s day 108 and what the fuck else can they show us to make the killing stop. To hell with anyone who calls themselves a member of the “free press” but hasn’t called for a ceasefire.
🚨 Police arresting students now @
#UGA
for criminal trespassing on their own campus. University of Georgia had set up the Gaza Solidarity Encampment hardly an hour ago.
From livestream of arrests hardly an hour after the University of Georgia Gaza Solidarity Encampment went up:
#UGA
Chief of Police Jeff Clark seen here pulling a protester to the ground by the hoodie. Students were told they were criminally trespassing on their own campus.
I don’t think y’all understand what it means to writers when editors reach out just to introduce themselves because they appreciate your work and hope to collaborate in the future. The imposter syndrome in this industry (especially as a freelancer!) can be so defeating!
I’m literally sobbing on my couch from Atlanta as
#WKCR
reads aloud the name of each journalist and producer who put themselves on the line tonight at
#Columbia
. The spine and heart of these students is breathtaking.
#Emory
cuts its 2024 commencement livestream as a pro-Palestine anti-apartheid graduate walks the stage with a Palestinian flag. Video via emorydivest:
I’m so tired of waiting months for payment even after publication. At this moment, I’m waiting on just under $5K. If I didn’t have a healthy savings account to fill in any financial gaps, I’d be screwed. This industry has got to do better by freelance journalists.
@hannahcrileyy
Hannah, I’ll share with my family’s circles. This is the Jamatkhana I grew up going to. It’s Persian New Year so it’ll be packed; hopefully word of mouth will be effective today.
Want to clarify that while I was watching, I felt the silence was 6 minutes 32 seconds — she later confirmed it was her speech + silence that encompassed the time it took for 17 to die. Still, her long, unbearable silence seemed to shake the country to tears.
#MarchForOurLives
We would be so completely in the dark without Palestinian journalists and without Al Jazeera. Every time I think about everything we haven’t been shown in Western mainstream media, the widespread lack of accountability to protect empire, I feel such a profound ache in my bones.
One day, the children of Palestine will get to grow up to become judges and lawyers who fight against global injustices, too. I believe it in my bones.
I don’t think Y’ll grasp what’s happening in South Africa🇿🇦. Black people that survived
#Apartheid
went to become judges and lawyers.
And now defending Palestinians🇵🇸 against the country that sent South Africa🇿🇦 weapons during Apartheid!
We are living History!!!!!!
I love the rain and I love an outdoor movie so imagine the serotonin boost I just gave myself putting together this vibey diy front porch theater with the sounds of a sweet georgia drizzle around me. no one treats me better than me lol
A joyful evening of dabke at
#Emory
in Atlanta one day after multiple incidents of violent police presence, including 28 arrests of pro-Palestinian student and faculty protesters on campus. I’d say the spirits are higher than ever.
#Morehouse
students &
#AUC
publish their demands:
1. Disclose
@Morehouse
investments
2. Divest from Israeli companies & corps
3. Cancel Biden’s grad speech
4. Sever ties w/ ACP due to construction of
#CopCity
5. Immediate statement advocating for permanent ceasefire in
#Palestine
“Do you even go here? Your dogs are thirsty.” Zionist counter protester at
#Emory
University in Atlanta boo’ed away from the quad — after protesters gave the thirsty pups water, of course.
how much are journalism schools doing to teach young journalists how to make stable money from writing and editing skills in non-news, corporate settings? because honestly that’s how I pay my mortgage…the traditional reporting pay is just extra spending and saving money lol
#Emory
now under federal investigation for alleged anti-Muslim discrimination. Emory’s police response appeared to be quickest use of police against recent campus protests for Palestine demanding divestment from Israel — & likely first to involve tasers.
please don’t get into journalism to earn recognition and win awards you will start thinking and reporting for the elite and not for the proletariats your work is intended to inform and in many ways protect
#UGA
protesters for Palestine chant “WELCOME BACK” as students arrested in the morning make their way back to the Old College quad. Organizers welcome all
#Dawgs
and Athens supporters to join the growing crowd.
I’ve been told University of Georgia faculty are mobilizing to support pro-Palestinian student protesters as they continue to fight for UGA to divest from ties to Israel. Coming from
#Emory
, the lack of professors at the encampment & subsequent rally Monday was deeply felt.
#UGA
“Are you proud of yourself?”
#UGA
organizers for Gaza speak to admins Monday as they look down at the crowd from the Old College building where 100s gathered hours after admin called police to arrest students and demolish the UGA Gaza solidarity encampment.
#Dawgs
“I’m here to support the students, people expressing their opinions, & people of conscience expressing their views. And I think administration should drop all the charges against students arrested.” -
#UGA
professor of art Benjamin Britton, April 29 in Athens, GA (views his own)
I became a first-time homeowner today and will soon be moving out of my parents’ place after a 6-month pre pandemic stay sparked by my quitting my first news job turned into two years of living under the same roof as my lovely grandparents. Feeling incredibly emotional and lucky.
my op: don’t sell your trauma solely for a paycheck/byline without really understanding the consequences but if you, like me, find healing specifically thru the personal storytelling outlet, go for it! better yet, take a workshop on writing trauma with care. save it for a memoir!
“Israel cannot claim the right of self-defense against a threat that emanates from the territory that it occupies, that is kept under belligerent occupation.” -
@FranceskAlbs
, UN Special Rapporteur
A big learning as a freelancer of 2yrs: writing is an *incredibly* valued skill beyond journalism. Non-reporting gigs often pay way more (b2b, ghost, white paper etc) so if you’re new/just left news I highly suggest applying that skillset elsewhere even if it’s just 10-15 hrs/wk!
I wish he didn’t have to fight it in silence. I know we’re praising him for what feels like a sacrifice right now, but it hurts to think of the emotional toll of having to keep your pain so private.
How do you tell the two people who left everything they knew behind to give you a better life that you don't want to be alive? For
@TeenVogue
, I wrote about the conversation that saved my life.
#SuicidePrevention
29 years around the ☀️ with a self-timer 🎈 thank you to my loved ones for the endless love. not how I planned to spend this time but a few years ago I wasn’t sure I’d even be around to see 29, so I’m giving myself the grace we all deserve. here’s to more years of creating.
I’m so worried about everyone in Texas. The people who rely on power for medical equipment at home, hospitals running out of water, the elderly and children and pets and all the communities that are already neglected and underserved. This is just so hard to watch.
I’m headed back to the city from Athens and y’all, these Georgia students are something else. Please support
#UGA
organizers and protesters in their divestment and solidarity demands for
#Palestine
. And faculty, teachers…show the hell up.
If you’re someone who has trouble turning down/saying no to opportunities that don’t excite you or ones you can’t accommodate, consider building up a roster of people you can genuinely suggest instead. Ask your colleagues/friends what they’d jump at and keep a running list.
a request: if you did drive into panic mode and purchase an admittedly over-the-top number of toilet paper rolls, consider putting a callout for elderly in the neighborhood or returning packs to the store or finding some other way to donate your supplies to the more vulnerable?
Information, the dissemination of it, the audiences we choose to serve, sources we cast, words we choose to print, they all play a part. If you/your org can’t say they’re against white supremacy over fear of retaliation or faux objectivity, your journalism serves white supremacy.
imo: journos should be coming out strongly against white supremacy right now and if that is being deemed "too political" for a news org, that's absolutely bullshit bc of the ways in which media has perpetrated and protected white supremacy in america. media is political.
Update: I was at a shabbat and Passover seder right after this but organizers have left the dining hall and are now blowing bubbles, singing songs and lovingly resisting in beloved community on the
#Emory
Gaza Quad.
anyone else worried their bodies won’t recover from the trauma of the past however many months? like I feel gravity pulling me down harder, the nerves along my spine and in my wrist are on fire, brain feels like mashed potatoes and there’s a cloudiness in every move I make. Tired
These students are not only extremely well read but they’re plugged in and highly empathetic. They’ve seen the CNN coverage and read the NYT stories since October. They know what they’re up against & aren’t going to cave to media that hasn’t given them reason to trust them.
#WKCR
#Columbia
Student Radio: I want to restate that it is not true that there were no students in Hamilton (Hind's) hall and only proof that there were non-students is a statement put out by the university at 9:26p — a statement that was never even circulated to student body.
Cardamom coffee, hot chai, mango lemonade, hibiscus tea, potatoes and rice at the
#Emory
Gaza Solidarity Encampment right now. Super peaceful, cops just lurking to the side, counter protesters have left for the most part.
is anyone sleeping? I can hardly sleep these days. nervous system on high alert, heartbeats out of rhythm. I feel crazy. we can’t do anything? how does one live with that. how does one live with these pangs.
You know the air quality is hella unhealthy when your ventilator BEEPS loudly stating your filter needs to be changed when you switched it out recently 😬
Cyborg life in this hellscape
My alma mater
#EmoryUniversity
has joined the chat. Organizers say the encampment for Palestine is open to the public — come through.
Photos:
@atlanta_press
/ Mainline
Been single for many a Valentine’s Day and feel like there’s this expectation for singles to be, like, totally broken over it, but I’ve never felt that! There are just so many ways to love and be loved. Sucker for showing love and seeing it in all its platonic and romantic forms.
In my first essay for
@guardian
, I wrote about surrendering control during a global pandemic and overcoming a lifelong fear of swimming in the deep end.
I have a new essay up today in
@romper
! About moving home to my multigenerational Indian household at 28 after quitting my job and ending my apartment lease. The plan was to give myself six months. Two years and 100 mangoes later…
Many “who place a friendship at the center of their life find that their most significant relationship is incomprehensible to others. But these friendships can be models for how we as a society might expand our conceptions of intimacy and care.” 💓
The
#Emory
Gaza Solidarity Encampment is back, anchored to the ground w/ tents for first time since Emory’s initial encampment led to violent arrests of students & faculty. Protesters continue to demand the Atlanta university divest from ties to Israeli apartheid and genocide.
#WKCR
Columbia Student Radio: President Shafik has announced NYPD will remain on campus until May 17, well past graduation. A student journalist on air is breaking down about the news.