Melanie Elyse Brewster
@melaniebrewster.substack.com
interdisciplinary: scholar, psychologist, and artist.
Professor in CCPJ at Columbia University. I research secularism + marginality + strive for a new, queer, future.
www.melaniebrewster.com
Latecomer to bsky! 😅 Views (sadly) not those of my employer.
Professor in CCPJ at Columbia University. I research secularism + marginality + strive for a new, queer, future.
www.melaniebrewster.com
Latecomer to bsky! 😅 Views (sadly) not those of my employer.
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
1/ For six months, I've been traveling the world on Pulitzer Ctr & Fund For Investigative Journalism grants investigating Trump's effect on HIV & LGBTQ health. On World AIDS Day, @theintercept.com is publishing an overview essay of Afeef Nessouli & my findings. theintercept.com/2025/12/01/w...
Trump Gutted AIDS Health Care at the Worst Possible Time
By the first World AIDS Day of his second term, Trump gutted LGBTQ+ employment globally and put humanity at greater risk of AIDS.
theintercept.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
1/ For six months, I've been traveling the world on Pulitzer Ctr & Fund For Investigative Journalism grants investigating Trump's effect on HIV & LGBTQ health. On World AIDS Day, @theintercept.com is publishing an overview essay of Afeef Nessouli & my findings. theintercept.com/2025/12/01/w...
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
listen to this king. a team with low morale is ineffective. relatedly, a team with high morale is effective. also relatedly: we are going to win
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:06 PM
listen to this king. a team with low morale is ineffective. relatedly, a team with high morale is effective. also relatedly: we are going to win
One of my favorite secularism researchers, Dena Abbott, has an important book coming out (that many very smart people—and very average people, like me—wrote for). Go preorder it now!
www.bloomsbury.com/us/culturall...
www.bloomsbury.com/us/culturall...
Culturally Responsive Mental Health Practice with Nonreligious Clients
An affordable, practical, intersectional, research-based text on culturally-responsive therapy with nonreligious clients. While this frequently maligned and sti…
www.bloomsbury.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:10 PM
One of my favorite secularism researchers, Dena Abbott, has an important book coming out (that many very smart people—and very average people, like me—wrote for). Go preorder it now!
www.bloomsbury.com/us/culturall...
www.bloomsbury.com/us/culturall...
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
I love the @metmuseum.org. It enriches the lives of NY’ers and visitors from across the world.
That’s made possible by the people who make the Met run — the curators, educators and museum workers seeking to join @uaw.org
Congrats to Met Museum workers on filing for this historic union election!
That’s made possible by the people who make the Met run — the curators, educators and museum workers seeking to join @uaw.org
Congrats to Met Museum workers on filing for this historic union election!
Workers at The Met are trying to unionize, citing “long-term pay inequities, lack of job protection, and ever-increasing workloads.” If they succeed, their union would be one of the largest museum unions in the US.
Met Museum Workers Push to Unionize
Staffers at the New York City institution have filed a petition for a union vote with the National Labor Relations Board.
hyperallergic.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
I love the @metmuseum.org. It enriches the lives of NY’ers and visitors from across the world.
That’s made possible by the people who make the Met run — the curators, educators and museum workers seeking to join @uaw.org
Congrats to Met Museum workers on filing for this historic union election!
That’s made possible by the people who make the Met run — the curators, educators and museum workers seeking to join @uaw.org
Congrats to Met Museum workers on filing for this historic union election!
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
🇵🇸Next CAHE's "Mapping Anti-Palestinian Discrimination" series with @jvp.bsky.social and AAUP/AFT Local 6741 focuses on law and higher ed policy since 2023. Join us on 11/13!🇵🇸
November 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
🇵🇸Next CAHE's "Mapping Anti-Palestinian Discrimination" series with @jvp.bsky.social and AAUP/AFT Local 6741 focuses on law and higher ed policy since 2023. Join us on 11/13!🇵🇸
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
TURN 📣 THE 📣 VOLUME 📣 UP
November 5, 2025 at 4:38 AM
TURN 📣 THE 📣 VOLUME 📣 UP
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
This person took this when they called the race
November 5, 2025 at 6:07 AM
This person took this when they called the race
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
"The opposition to the war against Palestinians has become a hammer to destroy academic freedom. Whatever your position might even be on Palestine and Israel, you have to acknowledge that this is the mechanism that’s being used to reshape higher education.”
— Bill V. Mullen, AAUP/AFT Local 6741
— Bill V. Mullen, AAUP/AFT Local 6741
Repression of Palestine Solidarity on Campus Enabled Anti-Migrant Escalation
Faculty are forming support networks to connect with each other to protect students and end the genocide in Palestine.
truthout.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
"The opposition to the war against Palestinians has become a hammer to destroy academic freedom. Whatever your position might even be on Palestine and Israel, you have to acknowledge that this is the mechanism that’s being used to reshape higher education.”
— Bill V. Mullen, AAUP/AFT Local 6741
— Bill V. Mullen, AAUP/AFT Local 6741
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
US citizen shot from behind as he warned ICE agents children would be coming to get bus, lawyers say
U.S. citizen shot from behind as he warned ICE agents about children gathering at bus stop, lawyers say
Lawyers for Carlos Jimenez said he was in fear after an agent threatened him with chemical spray, then pointed a gun at him.
www.latimes.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
US citizen shot from behind as he warned ICE agents children would be coming to get bus, lawyers say
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Souvannarath is likely a citizen, ICE kidnapped him, he filed habeas, a judge ordered he not be deported, and *the next day* DHS deported him.
DHS told the press they didn't get the order, which is undoubtedly a lie and will be perjury when they say it to the court.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
DHS told the press they didn't get the order, which is undoubtedly a lie and will be perjury when they say it to the court.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
NEW: ACLU of Louisiana asks a federal judge to order the govt to immediately return Chanthila (Shawn) Souvannarath from Laos, to which it deported him over the weekend in violation of the judge's injunction. @acluoflouisiana.bsky.social www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
October 30, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Souvannarath is likely a citizen, ICE kidnapped him, he filed habeas, a judge ordered he not be deported, and *the next day* DHS deported him.
DHS told the press they didn't get the order, which is undoubtedly a lie and will be perjury when they say it to the court.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
DHS told the press they didn't get the order, which is undoubtedly a lie and will be perjury when they say it to the court.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Wow, Mamdani ends with FDR's words "I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master." DAMN, BOO!
It’s quite impressive how Mamdani has pulled almost every Dem into his coalition, not him into theirs. He keeps the door open for everyone but true enemies (Adams, Cuomo) & rather than try to extort a Hochul into a promise, he just puts her onstage & lets the popular will confront her. Amazing.
Governor Kathy Hochul is speaking on stage, but the crowd keeps interrupting to chant #TaxTheRich
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Wow, Mamdani ends with FDR's words "I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master." DAMN, BOO!
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Full writeup in the Guardian, which posted before midnight New York time—more than ten hours ago.
Cuomo condemned over racist AI ad depicting ‘criminals for Zohran Mamdani’
Official X accounts posts and then deletes AI-generated attack ad that prompts widespread denunciation
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Full writeup in the Guardian, which posted before midnight New York time—more than ten hours ago.
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Former Columbia Provost Jonathan Cole asks the university to bravely admit where it was wrong:
www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025...
www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025...
Columbia must now show courage and empathy
Dear Columbia leaders,
www.columbiaspectator.com
October 16, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Former Columbia Provost Jonathan Cole asks the university to bravely admit where it was wrong:
www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025...
www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025...
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Palestine’s most popular leader, Marwan Barghouti, was beaten unconscious and has his ribs broken by Israeli prison guards and his family fears for his life, his son has said, citing evidence given by former Palestinian detainees released this week as part of the ceasefire deal.
Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti assaulted by Israeli prison guards, son says
Family fears for 66-year-old’s life after assault while he was being transferred between prisons
www.theguardian.com
October 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Palestine’s most popular leader, Marwan Barghouti, was beaten unconscious and has his ribs broken by Israeli prison guards and his family fears for his life, his son has said, citing evidence given by former Palestinian detainees released this week as part of the ceasefire deal.
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
When do we transition from “rapidly moving towards authoritarianism” to “definitely arrived”? I think it depends on who you are. The immigrant deported w/o due process? The prof terminated for speech? The workers fired by DOGE w/o regard to their contracts? They’re mired in the ick of lawlessness.
October 12, 2025 at 4:30 AM
When do we transition from “rapidly moving towards authoritarianism” to “definitely arrived”? I think it depends on who you are. The immigrant deported w/o due process? The prof terminated for speech? The workers fired by DOGE w/o regard to their contracts? They’re mired in the ick of lawlessness.
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
This really makes it sound like a Border Patrol agent tried to kill an anti-ICE activist in Chicago and DHS lied to cover for him
Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN
trib.al/9Sxu9IN
Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting
Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.
trib.al
October 6, 2025 at 10:45 PM
This really makes it sound like a Border Patrol agent tried to kill an anti-ICE activist in Chicago and DHS lied to cover for him
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
bit.ly
October 4, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Do you know how bad things have to be for me to approvingly share a Lee Bollinger quote
“No self-respecting university could ever accept something like this,” said Lee Bollinger, a First Amendment scholar and former Columbia University president. “Trying to protect conservative ideas against being ‘belittled’ — that’s about as violative of the First Amendment interests as you can get.”
Colleges weigh whether to sign onto Trump plan or forgo federal benefits
A new proposal from the Trump administration would give colleges funding advantages if they adopt conservative priorities.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Do you know how bad things have to be for me to approvingly share a Lee Bollinger quote
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
WE WON: "This case -– perhaps the most important ever to fall w/in..this district court squarely presents the issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in US..have the same free speech rights as the rest of us. The Court answers this Constitutional question unequivocally “yes, they do.”"
October 1, 2025 at 12:03 AM
WE WON: "This case -– perhaps the most important ever to fall w/in..this district court squarely presents the issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in US..have the same free speech rights as the rest of us. The Court answers this Constitutional question unequivocally “yes, they do.”"
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
I fully understand how difficult it is to remain focused on any one particular atrocity but this really ought to be a serious scandal and people need to pay heavy prices for this
I think the Trump admin assumed no one would try to find out who the people on the boats they blew up really were
September 30, 2025 at 1:33 AM
I fully understand how difficult it is to remain focused on any one particular atrocity but this really ought to be a serious scandal and people need to pay heavy prices for this
Reposted by Melanie Elyse Brewster
Indie director Barbara Marques has been kidnapped by ICE. She is legally married to a U.S. citizen & was at a green card mtg when she was abducted and prevented from seeing her lawyer. Her husband Tucker May does not know where she is. Please spread the word so he can find her /1
September 28, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Indie director Barbara Marques has been kidnapped by ICE. She is legally married to a U.S. citizen & was at a green card mtg when she was abducted and prevented from seeing her lawyer. Her husband Tucker May does not know where she is. Please spread the word so he can find her /1