drew xolaya costley (they/she)
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drewcostley.bsky.social
drew xolaya costley (they/she)
@drewcostley.bsky.social
black, trans, disabled. asst. managing editor for @veritenews.org.

journalist covering the lgbtqia+ community, environmental, health, science.

signal is drewcostley.12

AP, OneZero/Future Human, SFGate, East Bay Express, UCBSOJ, UDC and Howard alum.
Pinned
Starting a thread here of all of the great reporting @veritenews.org is doing on the federal immigration operation. This morning, we had a story about what local restaurants are doing to prepare to protect their workers.

veritenews.org/2025/12/04/r...
Immigration sweep has restaurants prepping for the unknown
Restaurants that cater to the throngs of tourists who visit New Orleans annually are preparing for heightened immigration enforcement as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Cus...
veritenews.org
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
When was the last time you listened to Stereolab’s ‘Dots and Loops’ (1997)? | Rediscover the album here: album.ink/StereolabDAL
February 2, 2026 at 11:00 PM
booo deni
February 2, 2026 at 5:08 AM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
February 1, 2026 at 11:48 PM
It's Saturday. Tell someone you love that you love them, especially if that someone is you.
February 1, 2026 at 2:35 AM
i fuck around but i'm not fuckin' around
January 30, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
Ida B. Wells! Ashé! We pour libations for you in this moment to welcome your spirit. Someone who knew the courage of Black journalism, that the Black journalist is at risk in the face of fascism!
January 30, 2026 at 4:08 PM
men standing intimately close to the weight rack while doing {insert arm workout}: STOP
January 29, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Today, the New Orleans City Council banned data centers for a year after community uproar over a proposed facility in New Orleans East. The city will seek to clearly define data centers in its zoning regulations in the mean time. More @veritenews.org.

veritenews.org/2026/01/28/d...
Council bans data centers for a year after citizen concerns
Previously, city zoning regulations had no clear definition for data centers. This move by City Council will change that, though some residents worry it doesn’t go far enough to prevent building.
veritenews.org
January 28, 2026 at 9:45 PM
the ESPN app is such dog shit
January 28, 2026 at 6:39 AM
hey chat is jet lag the game unwoke
January 28, 2026 at 3:54 AM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
January 25, 2026 at 3:30 PM
oh noooooo i'm too tired to go to chewbacchus
January 25, 2026 at 1:45 AM
It's Saturday. Tell someone you love that you love them, especially if that someone is you.
January 24, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
LGBTQIA+ people on the Northshore protested Slidell's annual prayer breakfast this morning because the city of Slidell had an anti-LGBTQIA+ and anti-abortion former Louisiana representative speak at the event. More @veritenews.org.

veritenews.org/2026/01/23/s...
Slidell event featuring Tony Perkins draws protesters
Former state rep. Tony Perkins avoided overt politics in his remarks, as protesters outside criticized Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal for hosting the conservative evangelical.
veritenews.org
January 24, 2026 at 1:32 AM
me after throwing a balled up paper towel into the trashcan
golden state warriors basketball player curry giving a thumbs up
Alt: golden state warriors basketball player Steph curry pointing to his ring finger after hitting a shot
media.tenor.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:40 AM
LGBTQIA+ people on the Northshore protested Slidell's annual prayer breakfast this morning because the city of Slidell had an anti-LGBTQIA+ and anti-abortion former Louisiana representative speak at the event. More @veritenews.org.

veritenews.org/2026/01/23/s...
Slidell event featuring Tony Perkins draws protesters
Former state rep. Tony Perkins avoided overt politics in his remarks, as protesters outside criticized Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal for hosting the conservative evangelical.
veritenews.org
January 24, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
gender is a fucking social construct
January 23, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
Slidell split over former state rep with anti-LGBTQIA+ views delivering prayer breakfast speech

Former state rep. Tony Perkins avoided overt politics in his remarks, as protesters outside criticized Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal for hosting the conservative evangelical.
Slidell split over former state rep with anti-LGBTQIA+ views delivering prayer breakfast speech
Former state rep. Tony Perkins avoided overt politics in his remarks, as protesters outside criticized Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal for hosting the conservative evangelical.
veritenews.org
January 23, 2026 at 8:38 PM
SCOOP: One of the largest healthcare systems in Louisiana, LCMC Health, has begun using AI to assist doctors with notetaking during patient interactions, but it isn't getting patient consent to use the software.

Great story by @madhri.bsky.social for @veritenews.org.

veritenews.org/2026/01/22/l...
LCMC Health using AI software without patient consent
Providers are in favor of the clinical notetaking AI software Nabla — which uses unidentifiable patient data — but experts recommend greater transparency.
veritenews.org
January 22, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Does anyone else not really want to have to play this game of building audience and being online constantly as a means to building said audience to make money in media? Sometimes it's exhausting and daunting.
January 22, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
BREAKING: A judge today denied the state of Louisiana's motion to dismiss the lawsuit challenging the state's law banning youth trans health care. Attorneys for the plaintiffs hope the case will go to trial later this year. @veritenews.org veritenews.org/2026/01/15/t...
Judge denies state’s motion to dismiss lawsuit challenging Louisiana law banning trans health care for minors - Verite News New Orleans
Attorneys for the plaintiffs said that the five trans teens and their parents who sued the state over the law deserve their day in court.
veritenews.org
January 15, 2026 at 11:19 PM
BREAKING: A judge today denied the state of Louisiana's motion to dismiss the lawsuit challenging the state's law banning youth trans health care. Attorneys for the plaintiffs hope the case will go to trial later this year. @veritenews.org veritenews.org/2026/01/15/t...
Judge denies state’s motion to dismiss lawsuit challenging Louisiana law banning trans health care for minors - Verite News New Orleans
Attorneys for the plaintiffs said that the five trans teens and their parents who sued the state over the law deserve their day in court.
veritenews.org
January 15, 2026 at 11:19 PM
The previously confidential legislative analysis that was entered into the public record through discovery in this case has an attorney in Jeff Landry's AG's office warning that the youth trans health care ban could open up doctors and medical licensing boards to civil rights complaints + lawsuits.
An attorney representing five trans teens and their families in a lawsuit against Louisiana attempting to overturn the state's 2023 ban on youth trans health care spoke with me for @veritenews.org about the meaning of the case in the wake of the Skrmetti decision.

veritenews.org/2026/01/14/t...
Judge set to rule on key motion in trans health care lawsuit
Local civil rights attorneys have been trying to overturn the 2023 law that banned doctors from providing trans health care to minors.
veritenews.org
January 15, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by drew xolaya costley (they/she)
An attorney representing five trans teens and their families in a lawsuit against Louisiana attempting to overturn the state's 2023 ban on youth trans health care spoke with me for @veritenews.org about the meaning of the case in the wake of the Skrmetti decision.

veritenews.org/2026/01/14/t...
Judge set to rule on key motion in trans health care lawsuit
Local civil rights attorneys have been trying to overturn the 2023 law that banned doctors from providing trans health care to minors.
veritenews.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:01 PM
An attorney representing five trans teens and their families in a lawsuit against Louisiana attempting to overturn the state's 2023 ban on youth trans health care spoke with me for @veritenews.org about the meaning of the case in the wake of the Skrmetti decision.

veritenews.org/2026/01/14/t...
Judge set to rule on key motion in trans health care lawsuit
Local civil rights attorneys have been trying to overturn the 2023 law that banned doctors from providing trans health care to minors.
veritenews.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:01 PM