Lex McMenamin (they/them)
@lexmcmenamin.com
I have friends everywhere
movement building reporter @us.theguardian.com
member @transjournalists.org
linktr.ee/lexmcmenamin
tips: Lex_mcmenamin.68 on Signal
movement building reporter @us.theguardian.com
member @transjournalists.org
linktr.ee/lexmcmenamin
tips: Lex_mcmenamin.68 on Signal
Pinned
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
January 7, 2026 at 2:07 PM
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Worth remembering, as Trump tries to brutalize blue states over alleged TANF fraud: Mississippi's former welfare director ran TANF as a private slush fund, routing tens of millions to churches, wrestlers, and celebrity pet projects (including Brett Favre's)—while rejecting over 90% of poor families.
NEW: Text messages reveal the strange relationship that John Davis, the former Mississippi official who directed millions in welfare dollars to sports celebrities, shared with WWE wrestlers Ted DiBiase Jr. and Brett DiBiase.
"It is me who tried to buy your love," he wrote in one text read in court.
"It is me who tried to buy your love," he wrote in one text read in court.
DiBiase Trial Spotlights Wrestlers' Odd Bond With Mississippi Welfare Scandal Mastermind
The odd relationship between the mastermind of the Mississippi welfare scandal and two ex-wrestlers was on display in Ted DiBiase Jr.’s trial.
www.mississippifreepress.org
January 10, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Worth remembering, as Trump tries to brutalize blue states over alleged TANF fraud: Mississippi's former welfare director ran TANF as a private slush fund, routing tens of millions to churches, wrestlers, and celebrity pet projects (including Brett Favre's)—while rejecting over 90% of poor families.
since it's the chatter this morning, @kimkelly.bsky.social from 2020
There’s No Room for Police Unions in the Labor Movement
No other union employees are allowed to kill other human beings.
www.teenvogue.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:07 PM
since it's the chatter this morning, @kimkelly.bsky.social from 2020
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
For those who need a quick primer, here's an introduction to FOPs by @interruptcrim.bsky.social - www.interruptingcriminalization.com/resources-al...
An Introduction to Police Fraternal Organizations — Interrupting Criminalization
An introduction to Police Fraternal Organizations, including what they are, why we should care, how they harm women and girls of color, and systemic responses we can use to combat them.
www.interruptingcriminalization.com
January 10, 2026 at 1:56 PM
For those who need a quick primer, here's an introduction to FOPs by @interruptcrim.bsky.social - www.interruptingcriminalization.com/resources-al...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum, who shot Marimar Martinez five times (she survived) as she drove her car in Chicago on Oct. 4, is also a firearm instructor.
ICE Agent Who Reportedly Shot Renee Good Was a Firearms Trainer, per Testimony
Jonathan Ross told a federal court in December about his professional background, including “hundreds” of encounters with drivers during enforcement actions, according to testimony obtained by WIRED.
www.wired.com
January 10, 2026 at 4:27 AM
Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum, who shot Marimar Martinez five times (she survived) as she drove her car in Chicago on Oct. 4, is also a firearm instructor.
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
another urgent mutual aid request for Minneapolis:
a friend with two undocumented parents, one with cancer (who just lost his insurance due to MNcare dropping undocumented folks), is struggling to help his family as the only one who can work.
let’s raise $2,000 for him today.
venmo me @ziibiing
a friend with two undocumented parents, one with cancer (who just lost his insurance due to MNcare dropping undocumented folks), is struggling to help his family as the only one who can work.
let’s raise $2,000 for him today.
venmo me @ziibiing
January 9, 2026 at 11:22 PM
another urgent mutual aid request for Minneapolis:
a friend with two undocumented parents, one with cancer (who just lost his insurance due to MNcare dropping undocumented folks), is struggling to help his family as the only one who can work.
let’s raise $2,000 for him today.
venmo me @ziibiing
a friend with two undocumented parents, one with cancer (who just lost his insurance due to MNcare dropping undocumented folks), is struggling to help his family as the only one who can work.
let’s raise $2,000 for him today.
venmo me @ziibiing
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
"On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns." www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Renee Macklin Good’s wife says she nurtured kindness
On Wednesday, Renee Macklin Good was fatally shot by a federal ICE agent. Becca Good, her wife, shared the following statement with MPR News.
www.mprnews.org
January 9, 2026 at 4:46 PM
"On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns." www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Last year, ICE agents used Canary Mission to kidnap pro-Palestine students for deportation. Yesterday, they prevented medical aid from reaching Renee Nicole Good. American law enforcement was already in horrific shape; it’s getting even worse in distinct ways. defector.com/ice-is-model...
ICE Is Modeling Its Brutality After The IDF | Defector
Call it recency bias, personal interest, or perhaps just a general concern for society’s trajectory right now, but as I followed Wednesday’s news of an ICE agent killing 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good ...
defector.com
January 8, 2026 at 11:19 PM
Last year, ICE agents used Canary Mission to kidnap pro-Palestine students for deportation. Yesterday, they prevented medical aid from reaching Renee Nicole Good. American law enforcement was already in horrific shape; it’s getting even worse in distinct ways. defector.com/ice-is-model...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Consensus reality has been under assault by Trumpism and by tech for years now. But it's important to underline that people are still putting their lives on the line because they believe it matters. www.theverge.com/policy/85905...
People are fighting for the truth in Minneapolis
Ordinary civilians aren’t playing along with Trump
www.theverge.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Consensus reality has been under assault by Trumpism and by tech for years now. But it's important to underline that people are still putting their lives on the line because they believe it matters. www.theverge.com/policy/85905...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Comments on this story devolving into whether The Verge is allowed to write about politics….
January 8, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Comments on this story devolving into whether The Verge is allowed to write about politics….
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:35 PM
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
new @us.theguardian.com
A 22 y/o organizer + teacher was arrested on camera during an interview after speaking at a Mich. protest over Maduro's abduction
Jessica Plichta says her arrest seems tied to her recent trip to Venezuela as part of an internationalist peace delegation amid Trump's blockade
A 22 y/o organizer + teacher was arrested on camera during an interview after speaking at a Mich. protest over Maduro's abduction
Jessica Plichta says her arrest seems tied to her recent trip to Venezuela as part of an internationalist peace delegation amid Trump's blockade
US protester arrested after TV interview says she was targeted due to Venezuela trip
Plichta faces misdemeanor charges, which locals say is a tactic of Grand Rapids police to suppress protests
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:42 PM
new @us.theguardian.com
A 22 y/o organizer + teacher was arrested on camera during an interview after speaking at a Mich. protest over Maduro's abduction
Jessica Plichta says her arrest seems tied to her recent trip to Venezuela as part of an internationalist peace delegation amid Trump's blockade
A 22 y/o organizer + teacher was arrested on camera during an interview after speaking at a Mich. protest over Maduro's abduction
Jessica Plichta says her arrest seems tied to her recent trip to Venezuela as part of an internationalist peace delegation amid Trump's blockade
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
🎉🎊 send lex your stories of fighting back and building power! 🎊🎉
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
January 8, 2026 at 1:25 PM
🎉🎊 send lex your stories of fighting back and building power! 🎊🎉
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
I was asked what image really stands out for me from the scene of today's killing of an observer by federal agents. It's this one, where border patrol Commander Greg Bovino appears to be staging a photo op less than an hour after and just a few dozen feet from where a federal agent killed a woman.
January 8, 2026 at 3:02 AM
I was asked what image really stands out for me from the scene of today's killing of an observer by federal agents. It's this one, where border patrol Commander Greg Bovino appears to be staging a photo op less than an hour after and just a few dozen feet from where a federal agent killed a woman.
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
In addition to undressing women and children, Grok is also now being used to “unmask” the ICE agent who shot Renee Good and the fake images are spreading to other platforms. Hopefully I don’t have to explain why that’s a horrible idea.
January 8, 2026 at 4:39 AM
In addition to undressing women and children, Grok is also now being used to “unmask” the ICE agent who shot Renee Good and the fake images are spreading to other platforms. Hopefully I don’t have to explain why that’s a horrible idea.
in comparison, in 2020, multiple states gave lighter sentences to motorists who drove into protesters, while charging protesters charged by cars with misdemeanors for "blocking traffic." some police unions backed immunity for people who drove into protesters
Noem: "People need to stop using their vehicles as weapons ... it's clear that it's being coordinated. People are being trained"
January 8, 2026 at 1:12 AM
in comparison, in 2020, multiple states gave lighter sentences to motorists who drove into protesters, while charging protesters charged by cars with misdemeanors for "blocking traffic." some police unions backed immunity for people who drove into protesters
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Human brains feed off of negativity. Negative thoughts are easily digested and play in a loop in your mind all of the time. The reality, however, is that there is also A LOT OF GOOD happening every single minute. You have to do more work to pay attention to the good but it's worth it.
January 7, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Human brains feed off of negativity. Negative thoughts are easily digested and play in a loop in your mind all of the time. The reality, however, is that there is also A LOT OF GOOD happening every single minute. You have to do more work to pay attention to the good but it's worth it.
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
NEW: At least four videos show what really happened when ICE shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
Our latest:
DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
Our latest:
DHS Is Lying To You About ICE Shooting a Woman
At least four videos show what really happened when ICE shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
www.404media.co
January 7, 2026 at 10:26 PM
NEW: At least four videos show what really happened when ICE shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
Our latest:
DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
Our latest:
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
the nyt says that no version of events in minneapolis can be "verified independently." but that's not true! there are multiple videos proving that the ICE version of events is a total lie. maybe the nyt can, y'know, watch one of them? www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
January 7, 2026 at 6:53 PM
the nyt says that no version of events in minneapolis can be "verified independently." but that's not true! there are multiple videos proving that the ICE version of events is a total lie. maybe the nyt can, y'know, watch one of them? www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
"Get the fuck out of Minneapolis" mayor tells ICE after an agent shoots and kill a woman. "They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense. Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is bullshit". www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Minnesota woman fatally shot by ICE agent during raid, video shows
Mayor says that ICE claims that incident was self-defense are not true and tells ICE to ‘get the fuck out of Minneapolis’
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:29 PM
"Get the fuck out of Minneapolis" mayor tells ICE after an agent shoots and kill a woman. "They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense. Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is bullshit". www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
The FEDS drugged and shot Fred Hampton in bed.
Philly cops blew up a building in the 1980s and most people don't even know the MOVE bombing happened.
I think you're downplaying how normalized US death is.
Philly cops blew up a building in the 1980s and most people don't even know the MOVE bombing happened.
I think you're downplaying how normalized US death is.
If the DEA had killed 80 innocent Americans in the course of apprehending one drug dealer, there would be riots. But we are so ghoulishly indifferent to the lives and humanity of people abroad that it's barely even part of the conversation.
A reminder that the US killed 80 people in Venezuela, and it would be nice if the US media cared enough to think that the life of a grandmother in Caracas whose building is destroyed by a US bomb matters as much as the life of a person in the US.
January 6, 2026 at 7:26 PM
The FEDS drugged and shot Fred Hampton in bed.
Philly cops blew up a building in the 1980s and most people don't even know the MOVE bombing happened.
I think you're downplaying how normalized US death is.
Philly cops blew up a building in the 1980s and most people don't even know the MOVE bombing happened.
I think you're downplaying how normalized US death is.
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Really? Wow i had no idea
There’s is no shortage of people to blame for this particular moment in American history
January 7, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Really? Wow i had no idea
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
January 7, 2026 at 2:07 PM
~news~: this week I started at The Guardian US @us.theguardian.com as Movement Building reporter, continuing my coverage of protest, repression and resistance against war, LGBTQ rights, policing, labor, and more under Trump.
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
organizers, advocates—send me your stories! I’m on Signal lex.mcmenamin.68
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
Just how bad is Grok's nonconsensual porn problem? Musk's AI chatbot is generating another sexualized image of someone without their permission every single minute:
Grok Is Generating About 'One Nonconsensual Sexualized Image Per Minute'
Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok keeps churning out nonconsenual images of women and minors in bikinis and lingerie, outraging users and regulators
www.rollingstone.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:43 PM
Just how bad is Grok's nonconsensual porn problem? Musk's AI chatbot is generating another sexualized image of someone without their permission every single minute:
Reposted by Lex McMenamin (they/them)
“...how did Black feminism become a longstanding historical tradition? In part, by shedding light on the ways Black women’s bodies have been routinely exploited to preserve white supremacy, and by providing a liberatory framework to build solidarity across communities.”
Black feminist organizers reflect on Trump’s second term & the future of their movements, reports Gracelynne West. In the face of rising fascism & political instability, activists say the liberatory framework offered by Black feminism is more crucial than ever.
Black feminist organizers reflect on Trump’s second term and the future of their movements
In the face of rising fascism and political instability, activists say the liberatory framework offered by Black feminism is more crucial than ever
prismreports.org
January 6, 2026 at 5:04 PM
“...how did Black feminism become a longstanding historical tradition? In part, by shedding light on the ways Black women’s bodies have been routinely exploited to preserve white supremacy, and by providing a liberatory framework to build solidarity across communities.”