Mary E. Hess | Lightnews

Light up
your news

About Privacy Terms Help

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her)

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her)

@mhess.bsky.social

68 followers 190 following 23 posts

Religion nerd who loves science fiction and playing with digital media. Also a professor at a mainline seminary who cares about multi-religious advocacy, universal basic income, and good pedagogy.

Philosophy 31%

Education 26%

more

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Jamie Morgan, Leah Stokes, Mary E. Hess , and 1 more Jamie Morgan, Leah Stokes, Mary E. Hess, Sheila R. Foster

Shannon Watts @shannonrwatts.bsky.social · Jun 14

It should not be lost on anyone that Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman, who was shot to death in her home last night by an assassin, was a gun safety advocate who worked tirelessly to protect her constituents from gun violence.

Reposted by Linda R. Tropp, Mary E. Hess

John Pavlovitz @johnpavlovitz.bsky.social · Jun 14

Hit the streets tomorrow.
Be nonviolent.
Be joyfully defiant.
Be defiantly joyful.
Ridicule him.
Condemn fascism.
Oppose I.C.E.
Affirm diversity.
Embody America.
Love your neighbor.
Refuse to be intimidated.
Be safe.
Be loud.
Be encouraged.
#NoKingsDay

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social · Jun 13

Every place is home.

There is no place a human being can or should be that is not home.

The whole earth belongs to human beings.

Basic concepts that have been shredded by oppressions.

What is now is not what must be.

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Jennifer C @thejenniwren.teamlh.social · Jun 13

1/2 Protesters at the front make noise. But those on the perimeter protect the truth.

We need people filming from the edges—tracking police, documenting violence, watching for agitators.

It’s safer, it’s strategic, and it keeps the story honest.

If you’ve got a phone, you’ve got power.

Reposted by Mary E. Hess, Sofya Aptekar

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · May 25

When the Cass Review came out last year, the NYT rushed to cover it complete with post notifications. After reviews in Germany and Utah came out supporting gender affirming care for trans youth, dead silence. You can be just as biased in what you don't cover as what you do.

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Laurence H. Tribe @tribelaw.bsky.social · May 25

Yes!

🪷MsGrumpyBunny🪷 @msgrumpybunny.bsky.social · May 25

Well payed, Harvard, well played.

Harvard offers FREE American Government course.

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Clint (progressive pastor in the South) @clintschnekloth.substack.com · May 25

open.substack.com/pub/clintsch...

Pride and Pastoring in a Pullback Era

Field Notes from Embedded Solidarity

open.substack.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

David Gans @dgans.bsky.social · May 24

pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...

Harvard teaches civics to Americans. For free.

We the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy | Harvard University

Gain a foundational knowledge of American constitutional democracy while crafting your own civic voice and identity.

pll.harvard.edu

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Feb 9

Posting this again because it’s so useful: greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/uploa...

greatergood.berkeley.edu

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Feb 9

baptistnews.com/article/maga...

MAGA ramps up attacks on US Christian groups

Donald Trump and his allies are widening their attacks on religious groups compassionate toward immigrants, refugees, the poor and LGBTQ people. The Catholic and Episcopal churches have faced the heat...

baptistnews.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

ProPublica @propublica.org · Feb 8

Based on what our journalists learned from conversations with the community, the team has put together a guide to responsible reporting on homelessness.

Want to Report on Homelessness? Here’s What Our Sources Taught Us About Engaging Responsibly.

Homelessness is at a record high, and there are many investigative stories to tell. We’ve compiled some of the tips and lessons we learned from our sources for other reporters pursuing this coverage.

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Feb 7

Thoughtful, incisive, definitely worth paying attention to:https://www.404media.co/you-cant-post-your-way-out-of-fascism/

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Feb 3

Posting again because it’s so useful: wagingnonviolence.org/2024/11/10-t...

10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won

The key to taking effective action if Trump wins is to avoid perpetuating his goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion and disorientation.

wagingnonviolence.org

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jan 28

Amen to this. I can’t get beyond the Globe and Mail paywall, so here it is at fb: www.facebook.com/share/p/15vR...

www.facebook.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Maya Schenwar @mayaschenwar.bsky.social · Jan 27

Chicago caregivers & parents (in the broadest sense): The @haymarketbooks.org discussion group for "We Grow the World Together" begins this weekend! It'll feature contributors Keisa Reynolds, Holly Krig, Jenny Viets, Shira Hassan, Bill Ayers. Register here:
www.tickettailor.com/events/hayma...

Against green background, text says: "We Grow the World Together: Parenting Toward Abolition." Saturdays Feb 1, Feb 15, March 1, 10am-11:30am. haymarket house. The book cover of "We Grow the World Together" is included to the left.

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jan 25

Resources on immigration in the faith space: www.sneucc.org/postdetail/r...

Resources for Churches Regarding Immigration Enforcement

A graphic from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center The Trump administration's crackdown on migrants, including a new Department of Homeland ...

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jan 25

Religious leaders speak out: www.elca.org/news-and-eve...

Presiding Bishop Eaton Issues Pastoral Message on Executive Orders

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jan 25

Religious leaders speak out: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

‘Contempt is a dangerous way to lead a country’: here is the sermon that enraged Donald Trump | Mariann Edgar Budde

This week, the Bishop of Washington delivered a sermon in front of President Trump urging him to show mercy towards LGBTQ+ and migrant communities. The president condemned it as ‘nasty’. We reproduce ...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · Jan 25

The purge of Independent Watchdogs… Trump is doing what he said he would… but how does this lower costs and raise wages for regular folks? www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/u...

Trump Fires at Least 12 Inspectors General in Late-Night Purge

The internal government watchdogs were believed to have been dismissed at several major agencies, though the Justice Department’s was not said to have been among them.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha @thellpsx.bsky.social · Jan 25

it may be that I just keep reposting @mskellymhayes.bsky.social 's posts here for a minute and that's all I do, but they're gooduns. organizingmythoughts.org/must-reads-r...

Must-Reads, Resources, and Some Thoughts Sustaining Ourselves

Let’s develop the practices and build the infrastructure we need to stay in the fight.

organizingmythoughts.org

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jan 24

Legal reflection on the border exec orders: www.justsecurity.org/106593/natio...

What Just Happened: Unpacking Exec Order on National Emergency at the Southern Border

An expert explainer on the Executive Order Declaring National Emergency Southern Border and deployment of troops.

www.justsecurity.org

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · Dec 4

As a former trustee of Social Security, I'm worried the program is in danger of running dry. Why?

As the rich have gotten richer, more of their income has escaped the cap on the SS payroll tax.

We can fix this by scrapping the cap. Watch.

How the Super Rich Are Killing Social Security | Robert Reich

Social Security taxes are rigged for the rich — and the program is in danger because of it.A CEO earning $20M/yr pays Social Security taxes on ~1% of their i...

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · Nov 26

Beautiful essay by climate scientist @petergleick.bsky.social on the difference between dismayed and defeated. With a list of what's still unstoppable....
time.com/7178677/clim...

The frustration my colleagues and I feel is almost palpable. We’ve been warning of these issues for so long that most of the pioneers in this field are now retired or dead. After giving more than a thousand lectures, talks, testimonies, and interviews I’m feeling old and worn.
Still, I cling to my optimism that the worst outcomes can still be avoided because I see positive signs of progress. The cost of non-carbon energy alternatives has fallen so low, it is now cheaper to shut down existing coal plants than to keep running them. In 2023, China built as much solar photovoltaics capacity as the entire world did in 2022. Clean energy is the leading form of new electricity generation in the U.S., with solar reaching record levels in 2023. In 2024, wind and solar will generate more electricity than hydropower. In early 2025, renewable electricity generation will surpass coal to become the largest source of electricity globally. Most encouraging, the growing efforts of younger generations to raise awareness and fight for action on climate, often at great personal cost, show they understand the stakes and care deeply about their future.

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Nov 18

5 ways to celebrate restorative justice week: catholicsmobilizing.org/5-ways-to-ce...

5 Ways to Celebrate #RJWeek2024 - Catholic Mobilizing Network

Restorative Justice Week (#RJWeek), is a global celebration that invites us to join in and lift up the inspiring restorative justice work happening around the world. #RJWeek 2024 is commemorated this ...

catholicsmobilizing.org

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Clint (progressive pastor in the South) @clintschnekloth.substack.com · Nov 17

My Guidebook to Progressive Church is on sale at Bookshop right now and I think it’s just what you might want to read in this moment we find ourselves in… bookshop.org/p/books/a-gu...

A Guidebook to Progressive Church a book by Clint Schnekloth and Amalia Vagts

Clint Schnekloth’s A Guidebook to Progressive Church is more than just a book—it's an invitation to rethink what it means to be church in the modern world. Capturing the full breadth of Clint’s vision...

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Puff the Magic Hater @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · Nov 13

I would honestly be in alarm-raising mode about what we're going to be up against, but I think more immediately, people need to get right with where they're at psychologically. Bc if we don't do that, people aren't going to be ready for what the coming months/years will demand of us. From last week:

Beyond the Blame: Fighting for Each Other in the Face of Fascism

"In dark times, people have always found ways to make their own light. That work is now upon us."

organizingmythoughts.org

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · Nov 12

to do: investigate how certain Dems succeeded (e.g. Slotkin, Gallego, Baldwin); focus on policies' impacts not politics; abandon dumb media (Politico, all cable tv);elevate local and nonprofit media holding powerful accountable; examine the rightwing media disinformation racket; defend vulnerables

Reposted by Mary E. Hess

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social · Nov 11

So, I read smart people.

There is a playbook for this next chapter.

I believe we can do this. It won’t be easy, but the map is there.

Featuring resources & wisdom from Dr. Erica Cheoweth, @prisonculture.bsky.social @mskellymhayes.bsky.social, @jaclynf.bsky.social & more.

time to level up / an early draft of a playbook

www.lifeisasacredtext.com

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Jul 4

Democracy is on the ballot: www.youtube.com/live/fupZ_8S...

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III: Democracy is on the ballot | Trinity United Church of Christ

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III: Democracy is on the ballot | Trinity United Church of ChristDownload the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! W...

www.youtube.com

Mary E. Hess, PhD (she/her) @mhess.bsky.social · Aug 3

Digital storytelling and care for the earth: earth.storyingfaith.org