ARIAH she/her 🏳️⚧️
@ariahlewis.bsky.social
Thrive House Shelter saved my life
Struggle is a struggle but defeat is not a option
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/thrive-house-stay-open
Struggle is a struggle but defeat is not a option
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/thrive-house-stay-open
What they don’t know is trans people never give up. Because we have no choice
February 6, 2026 at 9:48 AM
What they don’t know is trans people never give up. Because we have no choice
Reposted by ARIAH she/her 🏳️⚧️
This month, we honor Lucy Hicks Anderson a Black trans chef, socialite, and Prohibition era entrepreneur. She became the first Black American trans woman to defend her identity in court, boldly stating:
February 3, 2026 at 12:28 AM
This month, we honor Lucy Hicks Anderson a Black trans chef, socialite, and Prohibition era entrepreneur. She became the first Black American trans woman to defend her identity in court, boldly stating:
For decades, people have been told that if the rich prosper, prosperity will “trickle down.” In reality, that promise has functioned more like a slogan than an economic truth.
February 6, 2026 at 9:21 AM
For decades, people have been told that if the rich prosper, prosperity will “trickle down.” In reality, that promise has functioned more like a slogan than an economic truth.
Political systems are deeply shaped by money. Campaign donations and lobbying ensure that policies protect wealth, not people.
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Political systems are deeply shaped by money. Campaign donations and lobbying ensure that policies protect wealth, not people.
The rich benefit from public infrastructure, educated workforces, and legal systems funded by taxpayers, yet often contribute proportionally less through loopholes and offshore accounts. In effect, everyone pays into the system but only a few extract the gains.
February 6, 2026 at 8:56 AM
The rich benefit from public infrastructure, educated workforces, and legal systems funded by taxpayers, yet often contribute proportionally less through loopholes and offshore accounts. In effect, everyone pays into the system but only a few extract the gains.
Communities in need are rarely empowered by this process. They are treated as recipients, not participants, in solutions that affect their lives.
February 6, 2026 at 8:46 AM
Communities in need are rarely empowered by this process. They are treated as recipients, not participants, in solutions that affect their lives.
The rich rely heavily on public goods roads, schools, courts, research, and healthcare systems that are paid for by society as a whole. Their success is not self-made, despite how it is marketed.
February 6, 2026 at 8:37 AM
The rich rely heavily on public goods roads, schools, courts, research, and healthcare systems that are paid for by society as a whole. Their success is not self-made, despite how it is marketed.
While corporate profits and executive pay rise, wages for workers barely move. People produce more than ever, yet take home less relative to the value they create.
February 6, 2026 at 8:22 AM
While corporate profits and executive pay rise, wages for workers barely move. People produce more than ever, yet take home less relative to the value they create.
Real help would mean fair wages, strong labor protections, and taxes that reflect ability to pay. It would mean fewer billionaires
February 6, 2026 at 8:12 AM
Real help would mean fair wages, strong labor protections, and taxes that reflect ability to pay. It would mean fewer billionaires
There’s also a cultural cost. When society glorifies the rich as saviors, it shifts blame onto the poor.
February 6, 2026 at 8:02 AM
There’s also a cultural cost. When society glorifies the rich as saviors, it shifts blame onto the poor.
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
February 6, 2026 at 7:52 AM
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
Even philanthropy, often held up as proof of generosity, can distort priorities. Wealthy donors decide which problems are “worth” solving, sidelining democratic decision making.
February 6, 2026 at 7:42 AM
Even philanthropy, often held up as proof of generosity, can distort priorities. Wealthy donors decide which problems are “worth” solving, sidelining democratic decision making.
If help exists and people still struggle, the narrative becomes personal failure instead of structural injustice. This mindset excuses inequality and normalizes suffering as inevitable or deserved.
February 6, 2026 at 7:33 AM
If help exists and people still struggle, the narrative becomes personal failure instead of structural injustice. This mindset excuses inequality and normalizes suffering as inevitable or deserved.
The rich are often praised as job creators, philanthropists, and engines of progress but in practice, their help is limited, selective, and often self serving.
February 6, 2026 at 7:21 AM
The rich are often praised as job creators, philanthropists, and engines of progress but in practice, their help is limited, selective, and often self serving.
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
February 6, 2026 at 7:09 AM
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
Environmental damage follows the same pattern. Industries extract resources, pollute communities, and then fund “green” initiatives that barely offset the destruction.
February 6, 2026 at 6:56 AM
Environmental damage follows the same pattern. Industries extract resources, pollute communities, and then fund “green” initiatives that barely offset the destruction.
Philanthropy is often presented as evidence of generosity, but it is a poor substitute for accountability. Giving away surplus wealth does not undo the harm caused in accumulating it.
February 6, 2026 at 6:47 AM
Philanthropy is often presented as evidence of generosity, but it is a poor substitute for accountability. Giving away surplus wealth does not undo the harm caused in accumulating it.
Wealth does not flow downward on its own. It accumulates, compounds, and hardens into permanence, passed between a small group while others are locked out. With great wealth comes great power.
February 6, 2026 at 6:38 AM
Wealth does not flow downward on its own. It accumulates, compounds, and hardens into permanence, passed between a small group while others are locked out. With great wealth comes great power.
There is also a moral sleight of hand at work. A donation can distract from low wages, union-busting, or unsafe working conditions that created the need for help in the first place.
February 6, 2026 at 6:22 AM
There is also a moral sleight of hand at work. A donation can distract from low wages, union-busting, or unsafe working conditions that created the need for help in the first place.
A billionaire can fund a school while opposing taxes that would fund thousands. They can sponsor a food drive while paying workers so little those workers need food assistance. This isn’t help it’s patchwork.
February 6, 2026 at 6:13 AM
A billionaire can fund a school while opposing taxes that would fund thousands. They can sponsor a food drive while paying workers so little those workers need food assistance. This isn’t help it’s patchwork.
Wealth does not flow downward on its own. It accumulates, compounds, and hardens into permanence, passed between a small group while others are locked out. With great wealth comes great power.
February 6, 2026 at 6:03 AM
Wealth does not flow downward on its own. It accumulates, compounds, and hardens into permanence, passed between a small group while others are locked out. With great wealth comes great power.
The rich rely heavily on public goods roads, schools, courts, research, and healthcare systems that are paid for by society as a whole. Their success is not self-made, despite how it is marketed.
February 6, 2026 at 5:52 AM
The rich rely heavily on public goods roads, schools, courts, research, and healthcare systems that are paid for by society as a whole. Their success is not self-made, despite how it is marketed.
Environmental damage follows the same pattern. Industries extract resources, pollute communities, and then fund “green” initiatives that barely offset the destruction.
February 6, 2026 at 5:42 AM
Environmental damage follows the same pattern. Industries extract resources, pollute communities, and then fund “green” initiatives that barely offset the destruction.
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
February 6, 2026 at 5:33 AM
As inequality grows, democracy weakens. When a few can buy influence, the many lose their voice.
Wealth concentrates power, and power rarely moves without pressure. When the rich do “help,” it is usually through charity that they control, on terms they set, and in ways that preserve their status. Donations become branding. Foundations become tax shelters.
February 6, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Wealth concentrates power, and power rarely moves without pressure. When the rich do “help,” it is usually through charity that they control, on terms they set, and in ways that preserve their status. Donations become branding. Foundations become tax shelters.