Maya
@mayarama.bsky.social
appellate public defender in WA, transit+ ebike rider, big time jogger
This essay had me in tears.
An extraordinary, beautiful, and heartbreaking piece by writer & environmentalist Tatiana Schlossberg (Caroline Kennedy’s daughter).
My prayers go out to her and her family.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
My prayers go out to her and her family.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
A Battle with My Blood
When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.
www.newyorker.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:37 PM
This essay had me in tears.
Come hang out! It’s my birthday! 🎂 🚌 🌃🌲🚲
I'm so excited for The Urbanist to roll into 2026 at full strength, covering new admins at the city and county and major stories elsewhere, including at Sound Transit.
I hope you'll consider joining us at our holiday party to support that work. It's also fun!
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
I hope you'll consider joining us at our holiday party to support that work. It's also fun!
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
The Urbanist Winter Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with The Urbanist team, elected officials, and urbanist community members!
www.eventbrite.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Come hang out! It’s my birthday! 🎂 🚌 🌃🌲🚲
It’s cruel that they’re doing this to chimps, I think, as I allow myself 5 more minutes of phone time.
Chimpanzees use 22 types of tools in the wild but they are capable of doomscrolling like the rest of us.
This video of Sugriva using Instagram is shocking because it's so similar to how humans use social media--engaging with content that triggers our emotions, like images of our friends and foes.
This video of Sugriva using Instagram is shocking because it's so similar to how humans use social media--engaging with content that triggers our emotions, like images of our friends and foes.
November 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
It’s cruel that they’re doing this to chimps, I think, as I allow myself 5 more minutes of phone time.
One of my favorite ways to study for finals in law school was to put recorded classes on 1.5x speed and go for a jog while I listened. Both for classes that I paid attention to and classes I doodled through. I don’t know why, things just stick better for me when my body is moving.
When I was adjuncting (10 yrs ago) it was pretty common for the school to tape the classes for enrolled students to review. Don't have any idea if that stayed common / became more common. I guess not?
November 12, 2025 at 6:52 PM
One of my favorite ways to study for finals in law school was to put recorded classes on 1.5x speed and go for a jog while I listened. Both for classes that I paid attention to and classes I doodled through. I don’t know why, things just stick better for me when my body is moving.
Doing something both is and feels better than doing nothing. It’s a balm for hopelessness.
I cannot emphasize enough that if you feel sad, donating money makes you feel better. Local food bank, diaper bank, mutual aid, a favorite charity, cancer research, or a local news site like @thecity.nyc; there are so many options. Money is the most efficient donation. Or sign up to volunteer.
November 9, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Doing something both is and feels better than doing nothing. It’s a balm for hopelessness.
Reposted by Maya
Check your ballot. It’s possible that it’s been challenged due to leaving the ballot envelope unsigned or a signature mismatch. You can cure that with King County Elections so your ballot is counted! kingcounty.gov/en/dept/elec...
November 8, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Check your ballot. It’s possible that it’s been challenged due to leaving the ballot envelope unsigned or a signature mismatch. You can cure that with King County Elections so your ballot is counted! kingcounty.gov/en/dept/elec...
The WA Supreme Court has recognized (implicitly in a court rule) that excusing jurors based on distrust of law enforcement is a way to keep people of color off of juries. This is similar.
October 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
The WA Supreme Court has recognized (implicitly in a court rule) that excusing jurors based on distrust of law enforcement is a way to keep people of color off of juries. This is similar.
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New Seattle Poll:
Seattle Wants to Elect Progressives This Fall
In a new Stranger/DHM Poll, progressive challengers are coming out on top across the board. But in the mayoral race, it’s all about voter turnout.
www.thestranger.com/stranger-pol... #SEAelex #WAelex
Seattle Wants to Elect Progressives This Fall
In a new Stranger/DHM Poll, progressive challengers are coming out on top across the board. But in the mayoral race, it’s all about voter turnout.
www.thestranger.com/stranger-pol... #SEAelex #WAelex
October 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
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Okay one small bright side to this bus being so slow is that if you miss it you can probably jog a couple blocks uphill and catch it at the next stop like I just did 🤪
Join us next Thursday, July 10th at 5 PM at Denny / Dexter to race Route 8! It’s easy to outwalk the L8, but can we still beat it while doing the cha-cha slide, hopscotching, or in a conga line? Join one of our race activities or bring your own creative things you can do while still beating the bus!
October 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Okay one small bright side to this bus being so slow is that if you miss it you can probably jog a couple blocks uphill and catch it at the next stop like I just did 🤪
Reposted by Maya
Transportation costs are the second largest burden on American family budgets (17%), after housing (33%)!
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
August 5, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Transportation costs are the second largest burden on American family budgets (17%), after housing (33%)!
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
Reposted by Maya
🚗 $1,025/month
🚌🚈⛴️ $108/month
🔋🚲 $135-175/month
👟 $???/month
We should make the most affordable transportation options easy and convenient for people to use. Instead many American cities are designed so that driving is the only reasonable option.
🚌🚈⛴️ $108/month
🔋🚲 $135-175/month
👟 $???/month
We should make the most affordable transportation options easy and convenient for people to use. Instead many American cities are designed so that driving is the only reasonable option.
August 25, 2025 at 8:04 PM
🚗 $1,025/month
🚌🚈⛴️ $108/month
🔋🚲 $135-175/month
👟 $???/month
We should make the most affordable transportation options easy and convenient for people to use. Instead many American cities are designed so that driving is the only reasonable option.
🚌🚈⛴️ $108/month
🔋🚲 $135-175/month
👟 $???/month
We should make the most affordable transportation options easy and convenient for people to use. Instead many American cities are designed so that driving is the only reasonable option.
Reposted by Maya
Things that have helped me recently:
1) little things still matter
2) the power of a solid meal, a big glass of water, and a good night's sleep
3) remembering how much words of encouragement or a compliment meant after a tough day
4) action is the enemy of despair
5) I can do things through spite
1) little things still matter
2) the power of a solid meal, a big glass of water, and a good night's sleep
3) remembering how much words of encouragement or a compliment meant after a tough day
4) action is the enemy of despair
5) I can do things through spite
October 13, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Things that have helped me recently:
1) little things still matter
2) the power of a solid meal, a big glass of water, and a good night's sleep
3) remembering how much words of encouragement or a compliment meant after a tough day
4) action is the enemy of despair
5) I can do things through spite
1) little things still matter
2) the power of a solid meal, a big glass of water, and a good night's sleep
3) remembering how much words of encouragement or a compliment meant after a tough day
4) action is the enemy of despair
5) I can do things through spite
Reposted by Maya
Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows
The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
October 4, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows
The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.
Katie Wilson is the real deal
The Stranger dropped a profile of Katie Wilson today, and wow, talk about a true outsider www.thestranger.com/news/2025/10...
The Making of Katie Wilson
She’s coming for the mayor’s office.
www.thestranger.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Katie Wilson is the real deal
People love to talk about how AI is going to change the profession and sometimes I worry my Luddite-like dislike/disinterest will eventually cause me to fall behind. But then I read another one of these stories. What can I say, I think the “counsel” in “right to counsel” is me, not generative AI.
An appeals court in California issued a blistering decision and record $10,000 fine against a lawyer who submitted a brief in which “nearly all of the legal quotations in plaintiff’s opening brief “are fabricated” through use of AI.
🔗 www.404media.co/18-lawyers-c...
🔗 www.404media.co/18-lawyers-c...
18 Lawyers Caught Using AI Explain Why They Did It
Lawyers blame IT, family emergencies, their own poor judgment, their assistants, illness, and more.
www.404media.co
September 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
People love to talk about how AI is going to change the profession and sometimes I worry my Luddite-like dislike/disinterest will eventually cause me to fall behind. But then I read another one of these stories. What can I say, I think the “counsel” in “right to counsel” is me, not generative AI.
A little good news: despite King County’s best efforts to use procedural traps to avoid just outcomes, 18-20 year olds who got unconstitutional mandatory life sentences a long time ago are entitled to resentencing. www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/?fa...
Washington State Courts - Opinions
www.courts.wa.gov
September 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM
A little good news: despite King County’s best efforts to use procedural traps to avoid just outcomes, 18-20 year olds who got unconstitutional mandatory life sentences a long time ago are entitled to resentencing. www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/?fa...
Reposted by Maya
Negativity bias has a bunch of people immediately gravitating to believing the worst about folks. YET in reality, most people are pretty decent and are trying to live their lives. Folks buy into the "people are terrible" hype and that only serves other terrible people.
September 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Negativity bias has a bunch of people immediately gravitating to believing the worst about folks. YET in reality, most people are pretty decent and are trying to live their lives. Folks buy into the "people are terrible" hype and that only serves other terrible people.
IMO this is the kind of endorsement that doesn’t do that much for Bruce and makes Pete look stupid. But every day between now and November is a great day to sign up to knock doors for Katie Wilson:
www.mobilize.us/wilsonforsea...
www.mobilize.us/wilsonforsea...
September 22, 2025 at 8:45 PM
IMO this is the kind of endorsement that doesn’t do that much for Bruce and makes Pete look stupid. But every day between now and November is a great day to sign up to knock doors for Katie Wilson:
www.mobilize.us/wilsonforsea...
www.mobilize.us/wilsonforsea...
Reposted by Maya
The morning that Cmdr. Elizabeth Nakagawa was scheduled to have a D&C to remove fetal tissue after losing a very wanted pregnancy, she learned the surgery had been canceled because the military’s health insurance plan refused to pay for it.
(Published Dec. 2024)
(Published Dec. 2024)
A Coast Guard Commander Miscarried. She Nearly Died After Being Denied Care.
U.S. service members have long faced strict limits on abortions, even when used to resolve miscarriages. Under federal law, the military will only pay for abortions in cases of rape, incest or to save...
www.propublica.org
September 20, 2025 at 1:45 AM
The morning that Cmdr. Elizabeth Nakagawa was scheduled to have a D&C to remove fetal tissue after losing a very wanted pregnancy, she learned the surgery had been canceled because the military’s health insurance plan refused to pay for it.
(Published Dec. 2024)
(Published Dec. 2024)
Every time someone says anything about the tv show Andor, I briefly think there is some arty new show called “And/or” and I think “whoah great name I wonder what the premise is” and then I realize it’s Star Wars and am disappointed
September 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Every time someone says anything about the tv show Andor, I briefly think there is some arty new show called “And/or” and I think “whoah great name I wonder what the premise is” and then I realize it’s Star Wars and am disappointed
We live in frightening times
Last November I wrote that Republicans wanted to “socialize the means of cancellation” through the creation of a “Snitch State.” Feels relevant now. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
The Rise of the Right-Wing Tattletale
In Texas and elsewhere, new laws and policies have encouraged neighbors to report neighbors to the government.
www.theatlantic.com
September 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM
We live in frightening times
Reposted by Maya
Your email finds me deeply burned out and disassociating.
September 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Your email finds me deeply burned out and disassociating.