Dr Nicole Willson
@nlwillson.bsky.social
Haiti/Black Atlantic scholar, poet and mummy. Passionate about public heritage and outreach, collabs and excavating the histories of Haiti's rebel women. AHRC CATALYST BUILDING A BLACK NATION COMMENCING FALL 2025. https://linktr.ee/fanmrebel.
Pinned
Dr Nicole Willson
@nlwillson.bsky.social
· Jul 31
NEWS KLAXON 📢📢📢
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
800 words please on why this proves the Labour and Conservative strategy to primarily target Reform voters is working perfectly.
Caerphilly, Senedd constituency by-election result:
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
PC: 47.4% (+19.0)
REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
LDEM: 1.5% (-1.2)
GWL: 0.3% (+0.3)
UKIP: 0.2% (+0.2)
Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
October 24, 2025 at 6:08 AM
800 words please on why this proves the Labour and Conservative strategy to primarily target Reform voters is working perfectly.
This is horrifying beyond words: www.treadbylee.com/p/after-just...
After justices warned of prolonged suffocation, Alabama subjected Anthony Boyd to the longest nitrogen execution in U.S. history.
Boyd was the chairman of Project Hope, a death row-led nonprofit. Its members are left reeling in the wake of their leader's suffocation execution.
www.treadbylee.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:24 AM
This is horrifying beyond words: www.treadbylee.com/p/after-just...
TFW you wake up with the “thousand pies” song in your head from Octonauts and the Great Barrier Reef.
October 6, 2025 at 6:31 AM
TFW you wake up with the “thousand pies” song in your head from Octonauts and the Great Barrier Reef.
Going to hospital four times in two weeks is four times too many.
September 16, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Going to hospital four times in two weeks is four times too many.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
In the 1950s-60s, British fascists, such as Oswald Mosley, were invited to speak at various university campuses. They used these invitations to portray themselves as part of a legitimate debate (while also courting infamy), but their speeches were often opposed.
hatfulofhistory.com/2021/06/06/w...
hatfulofhistory.com/2021/06/06/w...
When the fascists went to university (and the campaigns to keep them out)
Recently there have been several mentions of Oswald Mosley being invited to speak at universities in the early 1960s. One from a piece in The Times opining for the ‘lost days of campus free s…
hatfulofhistory.com
September 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM
In the 1950s-60s, British fascists, such as Oswald Mosley, were invited to speak at various university campuses. They used these invitations to portray themselves as part of a legitimate debate (while also courting infamy), but their speeches were often opposed.
hatfulofhistory.com/2021/06/06/w...
hatfulofhistory.com/2021/06/06/w...
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
I mean, call me a Loony Lefty if you want, but it *is* starting to look a bit weird arresting disabled pensioners protesting peacefully one day and telling coked up bellends attacking you to “calm down” another day the same month.
Obviously, just my opinion. I might have got it wrong.
Obviously, just my opinion. I might have got it wrong.
September 13, 2025 at 5:05 PM
I mean, call me a Loony Lefty if you want, but it *is* starting to look a bit weird arresting disabled pensioners protesting peacefully one day and telling coked up bellends attacking you to “calm down” another day the same month.
Obviously, just my opinion. I might have got it wrong.
Obviously, just my opinion. I might have got it wrong.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Today people went around my neighborhood in north east London spray painting St George’s crosses onto people’s homes. Many of these houses have non British people living in them.
This is getting very dark, very quick.
This is getting very dark, very quick.
September 13, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Today people went around my neighborhood in north east London spray painting St George’s crosses onto people’s homes. Many of these houses have non British people living in them.
This is getting very dark, very quick.
This is getting very dark, very quick.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
UCL, Kings and LSE are so close you can walk between all three without finishing your coffee. Which one of you is closing your history department then, lads?
September 12, 2025 at 10:02 AM
UCL, Kings and LSE are so close you can walk between all three without finishing your coffee. Which one of you is closing your history department then, lads?
Can anyone on here recommend an audio transcription platform (I don’t mind it not being free but don’t have a budget for a person to do it right now, because the audio is 1h long and that would be £££) that transcribes in Haitian Kreyòl?
September 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Can anyone on here recommend an audio transcription platform (I don’t mind it not being free but don’t have a budget for a person to do it right now, because the audio is 1h long and that would be £££) that transcribes in Haitian Kreyòl?
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Today’s discovery is everyone who was too scared to speak up about against fascism or genocide has found their voice when condemning the death of a far right figure.
September 12, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Today’s discovery is everyone who was too scared to speak up about against fascism or genocide has found their voice when condemning the death of a far right figure.
What a wild week. In and out of A&E and urgent care with a fractured leg and suspected thrombosis. I would say “stick a fork in me, I’m done”, but please don’t as I am now on blood thinners.
September 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
What a wild week. In and out of A&E and urgent care with a fractured leg and suspected thrombosis. I would say “stick a fork in me, I’m done”, but please don’t as I am now on blood thinners.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Again and again the press runs these numbers, and again and again they fail to point out that the foreign-born prison population is LOWER than the native-born, proportionally.
Because if they stated that basic fact, they wouldn't have a story, because the only story they want is "racism is right".
Because if they stated that basic fact, they wouldn't have a story, because the only story they want is "racism is right".
Over 11 million people were born abroad: more than 1 in 6 (ONS)
The Times is conflating "foreign-born" and "foreigners" when approx 4/10 people born abroad are British citizens now. (Oxford)
The Times is conflating "foreign-born" and "foreigners" when approx 4/10 people born abroad are British citizens now. (Oxford)
August 1, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Again and again the press runs these numbers, and again and again they fail to point out that the foreign-born prison population is LOWER than the native-born, proportionally.
Because if they stated that basic fact, they wouldn't have a story, because the only story they want is "racism is right".
Because if they stated that basic fact, they wouldn't have a story, because the only story they want is "racism is right".
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Today’s Labour think their job is to hold the public to account, down to whether we want watch porn anonymously and what toilets we use, and can’t let our desire for health and safety and decent wages and a pleasant environment get in the way of shareholder profits. Sad people!
More than anything this play just drives home how weird it is that seemingly nobody in "mainstream" politics is actually trying to make anything better. The best we ask for is for the Worse to be smaller and more incremental.
So I saw this last night and it was excellent but you know for a FACT Nye Bevan would not have got his NHS bill approved by the Labour cabinet of 2025. A few wry groans from the audience as he talked about his vision for the NHS including glasses and dental care for everyone!
August 1, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Today’s Labour think their job is to hold the public to account, down to whether we want watch porn anonymously and what toilets we use, and can’t let our desire for health and safety and decent wages and a pleasant environment get in the way of shareholder profits. Sad people!
Whew. Just got round to watching @mehdirhasan.bsky.social’s Jubilee debate with ultra-conservatives and outright fascists. I need to add his book on debating to my growing pile of unread books…!
July 31, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Whew. Just got round to watching @mehdirhasan.bsky.social’s Jubilee debate with ultra-conservatives and outright fascists. I need to add his book on debating to my growing pile of unread books…!
This is amazing. Lela is such an incredible artist whose work engages us to reckon with and recognise our rich and diverse history in Britain.
Incredible to be at the installation today of Lela Harris’s breathtaking new portrait of Miss Lambe, from #Sanditon. Lela undertook the commission as Artist in Residence from our exhibition Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter at Harewood House. 1/
July 31, 2025 at 3:58 PM
This is amazing. Lela is such an incredible artist whose work engages us to reckon with and recognise our rich and diverse history in Britain.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
So pleased to have a role in this exciting project. Even happier to once more work with @nlwillson.bsky.social (sister from another mother). Our last confab, Rasanblaj Fanm, created a thriving community that remains in contact 1 year later. We have a pretty good track record!
NEWS KLAXON 📢📢📢
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
July 31, 2025 at 3:34 PM
So pleased to have a role in this exciting project. Even happier to once more work with @nlwillson.bsky.social (sister from another mother). Our last confab, Rasanblaj Fanm, created a thriving community that remains in contact 1 year later. We have a pretty good track record!
NEWS KLAXON 📢📢📢
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
July 31, 2025 at 11:41 AM
NEWS KLAXON 📢📢📢
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded a major AHRC Catalyst award for my project “Building a Black Nation: Haitian Dynasties of the (Long) Nineteenth Century”.
A hugely welcome solidarity statement on Palestine from @haitisupportgroup.bsky.social: haitisupportgroup.org/haiti-suppor...
July 30, 2025 at 6:39 PM
A hugely welcome solidarity statement on Palestine from @haitisupportgroup.bsky.social: haitisupportgroup.org/haiti-suppor...
Not sure what’s going on with my hand in that pic 😆 but it was a really wonderful and generative meeting in these bleak times.
A huge thank you to all who supported our Haiti Support Group AGM & public lecture yesterday. At this truly troubling time, we are united in our love of Haitian history & culture & forever in solidarity with our Ayitian brothers & sisters. #SolidarityNotCharity
haitisupportgroup.org/donate/
haitisupportgroup.org/donate/
July 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Not sure what’s going on with my hand in that pic 😆 but it was a really wonderful and generative meeting in these bleak times.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Universal basic income works; giving homeless people a place to live works; treating the sick works; paying decent wages works; welcoming refugees works; decriminalisation of drugs and sex-work works.
All these things work in the real world. Just not in conservative imaginations.
All these things work in the real world. Just not in conservative imaginations.
Germany gave people €1,200/month no strings attached.
They kept working, slept better, switched to better jobs, and even gave more to others.
Turns out, when people aren’t drowning, they swim further.
#UBI doesn’t kill ambition, it frees it.
They kept working, slept better, switched to better jobs, and even gave more to others.
Turns out, when people aren’t drowning, they swim further.
#UBI doesn’t kill ambition, it frees it.
July 25, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Universal basic income works; giving homeless people a place to live works; treating the sick works; paying decent wages works; welcoming refugees works; decriminalisation of drugs and sex-work works.
All these things work in the real world. Just not in conservative imaginations.
All these things work in the real world. Just not in conservative imaginations.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
I reported on famine in South Sudan in 2017, traveling to rebel-held territory in Unity state where tens of thousands of people were judged to be in "IPC5", which is to say, totally without food and on the verge of death.
In Gaza 244,000 people are now in that stage
In Gaza 244,000 people are now in that stage
All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.
July 24, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I reported on famine in South Sudan in 2017, traveling to rebel-held territory in Unity state where tens of thousands of people were judged to be in "IPC5", which is to say, totally without food and on the verge of death.
In Gaza 244,000 people are now in that stage
In Gaza 244,000 people are now in that stage
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.
July 24, 2025 at 1:48 PM
All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Like many, we were devastated by the loss of the Oloffson. Please help us remember Haiti’s cultural, musical, artistic, literary & intellectual hub in a positive light by sharing your happy memories of a time well spent while staying at/visiting the hotel.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
A Hotel Made Famous by Graham Greene Is a Victim of Haiti’s Violence
www.nytimes.com
July 9, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Like many, we were devastated by the loss of the Oloffson. Please help us remember Haiti’s cultural, musical, artistic, literary & intellectual hub in a positive light by sharing your happy memories of a time well spent while staying at/visiting the hotel.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
Reposted by Dr Nicole Willson
Here are some of the photos from my archive from 2010 and 2011.
I think often about how this hotel was kind of tied to my dream of becoming a journalist, which began after reading Amy Wilentz's book, The Rainy Season.
I think often about how this hotel was kind of tied to my dream of becoming a journalist, which began after reading Amy Wilentz's book, The Rainy Season.
July 7, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Here are some of the photos from my archive from 2010 and 2011.
I think often about how this hotel was kind of tied to my dream of becoming a journalist, which began after reading Amy Wilentz's book, The Rainy Season.
I think often about how this hotel was kind of tied to my dream of becoming a journalist, which began after reading Amy Wilentz's book, The Rainy Season.