Anirvan Chatterjee
chatterjee.net
Anirvan Chatterjee
@chatterjee.net
Techie, public historian, and activist from Berkeley, California.

I curate the monthly Berkeley South Asian radical history walking tour — now celebrating its 12th year.

Pronouns: he/him/ও/সে

https://www.chatterjee.net/
Another reminder of the everyday global struggles unfolding around us

We can be heroes: the inspiring people we met around the world in 2025 – part one www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
We can be heroes: the inspiring people we met around the world in 2025 – part one
From the Indigenous doctor balancing traditional and western medicine to a father risking death to provide for his family in Gaza, these are some of the people whose determination and bravery stood…
www.theguardian.com
December 25, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The U.S. Digital Service was one of the Crown Jewels of the US government. DOGE killed it, and now they’re claiming credit for inventing something that’s similar, but worse.

www.techdirt.com/2025/12/23/t...
Trump Admin Reinvents US Digital Services Program After Elon Musk Fired All Their Actual Tech Experts
Here’s a fun game the Trump administration keeps playing: destroy a successful government program, wait a few months, then breathlessly announce you’ve “invented” the exact …
www.techdirt.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:15 AM
The ProPublica story on the DOJ attacks on the University of California includes details I hadn’t seen before

www.propublica.org/article/ucla...
Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence that UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism
An investigation by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
www.propublica.org
December 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This story on Rainbow Families Action and trans health care organizing feels so much like histories of ACT UP and early AIDS activist movements

www.berkeleyside.org/2025/12/22/t...
They’re losing health care, even in the Bay Area. Now trans youth and their families are getting organized
As the Trump Administration ratchets up pressure on hospitals, Rainbow Families Action notches a win in the battle to protect their kids’ care.
www.berkeleyside.org
December 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
I am saddened to hear of the passing of Betty Reid Soskin, a legendary East Bay resident who was the oldest National Park ranger, retiring at age 100. Based at Richmond's Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front, Ms. Betty helped bring history to life, inspiring generations.
Betty Reid Soskin, nation's oldest park ranger, has died. She was 104
Betty Reid Soskin, one of the nation's most iconic park rangers, died peacefully at her home in Richmond on Sun., Dec. 21, 2025. She was 104.
richmondside.org
December 22, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Is “92%” Trump’s favorite fake number?

www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
There’s a 92 Percent Chance Trump Is Making It Up
When riffing, the president exhibits an unusual tell.
www.theatlantic.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
“it was the apolitical influencers who had the largest impact on survey and behavioral outcomes of their audience—three times more persuasive than political influencers per video focusing on politics or policy.”

www.wired.com/story/the-mo...
The Most Powerful Politics Influencers Barely Post About Politics
New research shows that social media creators have enormous influence over their audiences' politics—especially those who don't normally share political content.
www.wired.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
“the BBC only showed the documentary in the UK…The complaint tries to get around this by—I shit you not—claiming that because VPN usage is up in Florida, it likely means people are using VPNs in Florida to appear to be in the UK in order to watch BBC streams that are geo-locked”
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Suit Over BBC Doc That Never Aired Here—Using VPN Stats As Evidence
President Trump, who keeps pretending he’s for free speech, but who has filed more defamation lawsuits against more media organizations than any president in history (combined), has done so again. …
www.techdirt.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Thank you to the Python Software Foundation for refusing the poison pill
Python Software Foundation, National Science Foundation, And Integrity
I know, from personal experience, that it takes a significant amount of effort to research, write, revise, and submit a decently plausible funding proposal to the US government's National Science…
harihareswara.net
December 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Even after expressing shock that Trump absolved the man who stole from him, “Rosenberg, the retiree from Nevada, said he still supports the president”

www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
'Betrayed': Investors grapple with Trump commuting sentence of man who defrauded them
David Gentile was convicted in what prosecutors described as a $1.6-billion Ponzi scheme. President Trump freed him. Now victims, including Trump supporters, are at a loss.
www.latimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
The East Bay continues to stand strong with immigrants and oppose ICE opening a jail in Dublin! Stay involved - sign up at actionnetwork.org/petitions/ic...
December 18, 2025 at 6:05 AM
You know things are bad when you need to pull out this argument:

“McGovern said. ‘At least George Bush had the decency to come to Congress for approval in 2002. Don’t the American people deserve that respect today?’”

theintercept.com/2025/12/17/v...
Congress Squanders Last Chance to Block Venezuela War Before Going on Vacation
With strikes looming, Congress squandered its last chance to block a regime-change war against Venezuela before going on vacation.
theintercept.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:15 AM
This is how the Trump censorship regime works, one victim organization at a time

www.propublica.org/article/dele...
Under Trump, More Than 1,000 Nonprofits Strip DEI Language From Tax Forms
As the Trump administration ordered agencies to eradicate “illegal” diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, we identified more than 1,000 nonprofits that removed such language from the mission…
www.propublica.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM
It’s amazing how much critical environmental work is happening in local communities. Check out some of the projects mentioned here

www.no-burn.org/gaia-awards-...
GAIA Awards $40,000 to 16 Grassroots Groups Advancing Zero Waste and Environmental Justice - GAIA
GAIA is proud to announce the 16 grassroots partners selected for the 2025 recipients of its U.S. Environmental Justice Action Microfunds.
www.no-burn.org
December 16, 2025 at 8:15 PM
“Women at Carswell describe missed treatments, poor education for patients, dialysis machines that break down mid-treatment or that lacked enough clean water, and other routine problems.”

www.themarshallproject.org/2025/12/16/w...
Women Are Sent to This Federal Prison for Dialysis. They Say It’s Killing Them.
Patients at Carswell medical prison in Texas describe unsanitary conditions, missed treatments and substandard care.
www.themarshallproject.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:15 PM
“People who achieved remission from prediabetes had a 58 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure”

indiawest.com/reversing-pr...
Reversing Prediabetes Can Reduce Heart Attack Risk By Nearly 60 % - IndiaWest News
Reversing Prediabetes Can Reduce Heart Attack Risk By Nearly 60 %.
indiawest.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
A deep dive into the aftermath of San Jose, CA traffic violence on a Desi immigrant and her family:

“We pray for her to come back to normal every day. Police say it’s a normal case. The man driving was not arrested and the police say it’s a civil case not criminal.”

indicanews.com/father-of-in...
Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash - indica News
By Ritu Jha- The father of an Indian-origin woman who has been in a coma since she was struck by a - Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash
indicanews.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Hey Bay Area urbanist or anti-traffic-violence friends,

Can you please share this in your communities?

Ethnic media sometimes doesn’t get seen in our networks, but this deep dive into a recent tragedy deserves more attention.
A deep dive into the aftermath of San Jose, CA traffic violence on a Desi immigrant and her family:

“We pray for her to come back to normal every day. Police say it’s a normal case. The man driving was not arrested and the police say it’s a civil case not criminal.”

indicanews.com/father-of-in...
Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash - indica News
By Ritu Jha- The father of an Indian-origin woman who has been in a coma since she was struck by a - Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash
indicanews.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Reposted by Anirvan Chatterjee
Donald Trump has instructed the entire FBI to prioritize finding ways to bring charges against anti-fascists and other activists. Any FBI agent who wants to advance his career now has an incentive to set up naïve kids for an entrapment case.

Please read about entrapment and how to protect yourself.
December 15, 2025 at 6:59 PM
“They needed less than $20 million to fund lifesaving health programs, including cholera response efforts, for three months at the beginning of the year — an eighth of what Trump recently approved to buy private jets for one cabinet secretary and just 3% of USAID’s budget in South Sudan last year.”
Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.
Behind closed doors in Washington, top advisers made a series of decisions that had devastating repercussions for the poorest country on earth. We went to South Sudan and found people who died as a…
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
A deep dive into the aftermath of San Jose, CA traffic violence on a Desi immigrant and her family:

“We pray for her to come back to normal every day. Police say it’s a normal case. The man driving was not arrested and the police say it’s a civil case not criminal.”

indicanews.com/father-of-in...
Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash - indica News
By Ritu Jha- The father of an Indian-origin woman who has been in a coma since she was struck by a - Father of Indian-origin woman in coma questions San Jose police handling of crash
indicanews.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
“Australians are abandoning travel to the US, and boycotting World Cup matches there next year, as the Trump administration flags new rules that will soon require visitors to hand over their social media history when applying to enter the country.”

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared
Visitors will have to reveal at the border all social media activity over the past five years
www.theguardian.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:15 AM