Liz Ellcessor
@trilliz.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the University of Virginia.
Co-editor at JCMS:Journal of Cinema and Media Studies.
Emergency systems, disability, and media access.
Co-editor at JCMS:Journal of Cinema and Media Studies.
Emergency systems, disability, and media access.
Pinned
Liz Ellcessor
@trilliz.bsky.social
· Oct 18
My latest book is about the media that tell us what, and when, and where is an “emergency,” and the inequalities in those decisions.
nyupress.org/978147981162...
nyupress.org/978147981162...
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
Ya know I want to say it’s disability pride month and then make a cute remark about web accessibility.
But instead I need to say it’s disability pride month, every elected official voting to take away healthcare needs to be removed from office.
Web accessibility is a drop in an ocean of needs.
But instead I need to say it’s disability pride month, every elected official voting to take away healthcare needs to be removed from office.
Web accessibility is a drop in an ocean of needs.
July 1, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Ya know I want to say it’s disability pride month and then make a cute remark about web accessibility.
But instead I need to say it’s disability pride month, every elected official voting to take away healthcare needs to be removed from office.
Web accessibility is a drop in an ocean of needs.
But instead I need to say it’s disability pride month, every elected official voting to take away healthcare needs to be removed from office.
Web accessibility is a drop in an ocean of needs.
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
This is serious, rigorous analysis and it should change the way the media has been covering these protests. These were, in the aggregate, *massive.*
Based on crowd-sourced records of No Kings Day event turnout, and extrapolating for the cities where we don't have data yet, it looks like roughly 4-6 million people protested Trump across the U.S. yesterday. That's nearly 2% of the U.S. pop!
Mobilized anti-Trump resistance is exceeding 2017 levels
Mobilized anti-Trump resistance is exceeding 2017 levels
"No Kings Day" protests turn out millions
Our unofficial estimate is that around 4 million people attended a protest event yesterday. Anti-Trump resistance is outpacing 2017.
www.gelliottmorris.com
June 15, 2025 at 1:39 PM
This is serious, rigorous analysis and it should change the way the media has been covering these protests. These were, in the aggregate, *massive.*
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
While the university has ended the group's special status designation, with the support of the student body, student guides are doubling down on their commitment to share their campus’ history.
UVA Tried To Shut Down Its Historical Tours Discussing Slavery. These Students Resisted.
A conservative alumni group took issue with the discussion of difficult parts of UVA’s history.
www.teenvogue.com
May 6, 2025 at 1:10 PM
While the university has ended the group's special status designation, with the support of the student body, student guides are doubling down on their commitment to share their campus’ history.
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
SCOOP: FEMA employees tell WIRED that a rapid erosion of tools, external partnerships, and practices—as well as the looming threat of staffing cuts—is bad news for the country as it heads into the summer, and the official start of hurricane season.
FEMA Isn’t Ready for Disaster Season, Workers Say
Instability, cuts, and a looming sense of dread have FEMA employees unsure the agency is ready for hurricanes, fires, and floods. “We are being set up for a really, really bad situation," says one.
www.wired.com
April 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
SCOOP: FEMA employees tell WIRED that a rapid erosion of tools, external partnerships, and practices—as well as the looming threat of staffing cuts—is bad news for the country as it heads into the summer, and the official start of hurricane season.
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
They can't actually dismantle the ADA. Of course, like all everything else, they're doing it without going through Congress. Just mumbling and pointing to Trump's EO. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Justice department removes disability guidelines for US businesses
Multiple pages scrubbed from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) website due to a Trump order
www.theguardian.com
March 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
They can't actually dismantle the ADA. Of course, like all everything else, they're doing it without going through Congress. Just mumbling and pointing to Trump's EO. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Fascinating example of appropriating access tools to construct misinformation.
Fascinating anecdote about disinformation in the age of TikTok, and a reminder that a common tactic (to mislead) is to overlay subtitles onto short form video that don’t actually match the underlying audio. It can be even more effective when the original audio is ambiguous or in another language.
Ok a quick thread about disinformation and the 2024 election.
I have an ANECDOTE. And it's a doozy...
1/n
I have an ANECDOTE. And it's a doozy...
1/n
March 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Fascinating example of appropriating access tools to construct misinformation.
The world is on fire, so who you gonna call?
www.withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/call...
A reminder that many of our emergency resources are actually hyperlocal in their funding and operation, meaning that they may not work seamlessly but they are available for our attention and direct activism.
www.withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/call...
A reminder that many of our emergency resources are actually hyperlocal in their funding and operation, meaning that they may not work seamlessly but they are available for our attention and direct activism.
Call 9-1-1 - With Good Reason
The human obsession with growth has created a planetary emergency. Plus: The darling 9-1-1 is a hyperlocal network of dispatch centers.
www.withgoodreasonradio.org
March 4, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The world is on fire, so who you gonna call?
www.withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/call...
A reminder that many of our emergency resources are actually hyperlocal in their funding and operation, meaning that they may not work seamlessly but they are available for our attention and direct activism.
www.withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/call...
A reminder that many of our emergency resources are actually hyperlocal in their funding and operation, meaning that they may not work seamlessly but they are available for our attention and direct activism.
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
Republicans are going to harm kids who will be future American adults. We can build people up, which helps us all, or tear people down, which hurts us all.
Republicans are tearing people down.
"Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture."
Republicans are tearing people down.
"Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture."
"It’s easy to miss the human side of policy, legal compliance, the nitty gritty of efficient government. To get caught up in slogans about fraud or waste. That’s what Musk and Trump are counting on. And yet I see and hear the human side every time my son says “My dad’s name is David.” On @msnbc.com
Opinion | The Trump administration is ready to abandon kids like my son
Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture.
www.msnbc.com
March 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Republicans are going to harm kids who will be future American adults. We can build people up, which helps us all, or tear people down, which hurts us all.
Republicans are tearing people down.
"Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture."
Republicans are tearing people down.
"Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture."
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
"How is it possible that so many people in power seem to have such stunted imaginations, so little curiosity for how to build this world to include more of us? I find this particularly repugnant when imagination and curiosity are some of the most defining traits of the very groups at risk."
A Lawsuit Threatens the Disability Protections I've Known My Whole Life
Attorneys general from 17 states have argued Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act should be declared unconstitutional
time.com
February 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
"How is it possible that so many people in power seem to have such stunted imaginations, so little curiosity for how to build this world to include more of us? I find this particularly repugnant when imagination and curiosity are some of the most defining traits of the very groups at risk."
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
Applications are due on March 7! Learn more at this link: labsforliberation.org/2025/01/22/a...
February 11, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Applications are due on March 7! Learn more at this link: labsforliberation.org/2025/01/22/a...
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
It is *very* important to understand that Jews were never the only target of the 1930s Nazis and they are not the only targets of today’s Nazis. A Nazi salute is not only antisemitic. It is also racist, ableist, and queerphobic.
January 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
It is *very* important to understand that Jews were never the only target of the 1930s Nazis and they are not the only targets of today’s Nazis. A Nazi salute is not only antisemitic. It is also racist, ableist, and queerphobic.
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
The US Access Board--who creates and maintains access standards for buildings, telecom, transit, web, etc--has a legally-mandated annual meeting. Was supposed to be next week. Now "postponed" with no reason given and no reschedule date. www.access-board.gov/about/meetin...
U.S. Access Board - Access Board Meetings
The U.S. Access Board is a federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards for ...
www.access-board.gov
January 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
The US Access Board--who creates and maintains access standards for buildings, telecom, transit, web, etc--has a legally-mandated annual meeting. Was supposed to be next week. Now "postponed" with no reason given and no reschedule date. www.access-board.gov/about/meetin...
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
Proud to announce I've joined the newly formed editorial collective of Communication, Culture & Critique. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and call on our colleagues to stand against Israeli apartheid and the effects of genocide in Gaza.
doi.org/10.1093/ccc/...
doi.org/10.1093/ccc/...
January 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Proud to announce I've joined the newly formed editorial collective of Communication, Culture & Critique. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and call on our colleagues to stand against Israeli apartheid and the effects of genocide in Gaza.
doi.org/10.1093/ccc/...
doi.org/10.1093/ccc/...
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
We're wrapping up the week by spotlighting some fresh releases from NYUP!
Leading the lineup is "Projecting Desire: Media Architectures and Moviegoing in Urban India" by @tupur.bsky.social, highlighting how multiplex cinemas have reshaped the dynamics of theater space and culture in New Delhi.
Leading the lineup is "Projecting Desire: Media Architectures and Moviegoing in Urban India" by @tupur.bsky.social, highlighting how multiplex cinemas have reshaped the dynamics of theater space and culture in New Delhi.
January 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
We're wrapping up the week by spotlighting some fresh releases from NYUP!
Leading the lineup is "Projecting Desire: Media Architectures and Moviegoing in Urban India" by @tupur.bsky.social, highlighting how multiplex cinemas have reshaped the dynamics of theater space and culture in New Delhi.
Leading the lineup is "Projecting Desire: Media Architectures and Moviegoing in Urban India" by @tupur.bsky.social, highlighting how multiplex cinemas have reshaped the dynamics of theater space and culture in New Delhi.
Syllabus time! I'm updating a grad-level Histories of Media Technologies course, and would like 2-3 new readings on game history (ideally, showcasing a diversity of eras, nations, platforms, and/or identities). What's new? What's good?
January 3, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Syllabus time! I'm updating a grad-level Histories of Media Technologies course, and would like 2-3 new readings on game history (ideally, showcasing a diversity of eras, nations, platforms, and/or identities). What's new? What's good?
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
"Ableism isn’t just about disability. It’s connected to other forms of structural oppression and has always been," James Salanga says. "If newsrooms want to cover that seriously, they must begin analyzing ableism seriously — across journalism’s culture, history, and frames."
Investing in the disability beat
"Using the right language isn’t the be-all and end-all of better disability reporting."
buff.ly
December 17, 2024 at 10:45 PM
"Ableism isn’t just about disability. It’s connected to other forms of structural oppression and has always been," James Salanga says. "If newsrooms want to cover that seriously, they must begin analyzing ableism seriously — across journalism’s culture, history, and frames."
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
I'm at @theverge.com today talking about digital decay, link rot, watching my work slowly being erased from the internet, and how it makes me feel like I am fading away.
What happens when the internet disappears?
Huge swaths of the web are vanishing. What does that do to our culture?
www.theverge.com
December 18, 2024 at 5:27 PM
I'm at @theverge.com today talking about digital decay, link rot, watching my work slowly being erased from the internet, and how it makes me feel like I am fading away.
I've felt like getting really into zines lately, here's another good excuse to do so!
Hey aca-zine appreciators: We're doing a zine festival at 4S 2025! You can apply to a peer reviewed track, or you can just show up with zines and add them to our library. The former will be published online for folks who can't make it to Seattle. More info here: www.4sonline.org/call_for_sub...
Call for SubmissionsSearchMobile Menu
www.4sonline.org
December 17, 2024 at 8:47 PM
I've felt like getting really into zines lately, here's another good excuse to do so!
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
"Around three out of every four PDF versions of scholarly papers are largely inaccessible to low-vision and blind readers, a study has found."
"academic journals rarely provide information about accessibility for scientists with visual impairment"
#accessibility #disability #science
"academic journals rarely provide information about accessibility for scientists with visual impairment"
#accessibility #disability #science
Accessibility worsens for blind and low-vision readers of academic PDFs
alive.ws/y6w9y
#Disabled #Disabilities #Accessibility #SpecialAbliities #AliveAndAble
Accessibility worsens for blind and low-vision readers of academic PDFs
Preprints and other rapid-publishing trends have fuelled a decline in scientific publications meeting accessibility standards, study finds.
alive.ws
December 12, 2024 at 5:17 PM
"Around three out of every four PDF versions of scholarly papers are largely inaccessible to low-vision and blind readers, a study has found."
"academic journals rarely provide information about accessibility for scientists with visual impairment"
#accessibility #disability #science
"academic journals rarely provide information about accessibility for scientists with visual impairment"
#accessibility #disability #science
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
We made a zine! Artist Katie Drackert created a printable mini-magazine of our first year’s highlights!
We wanted to bring The Sick Times offline and into coffee shops, art fairs, community centers, mask bloc distributions, and anywhere else our readers want to share our work. bit.ly/3AVNltG
We wanted to bring The Sick Times offline and into coffee shops, art fairs, community centers, mask bloc distributions, and anywhere else our readers want to share our work. bit.ly/3AVNltG
Special edition zine: One year of The Sick Times - The Sick Times
We made a zine! To celebrate our first anniversary, we commissioned artist Katie Drackert to create a printable mini-magazine of our first year’s highlights, as well as top Long COVID and COVID-19 res...
bit.ly
December 2, 2024 at 4:59 PM
We made a zine! Artist Katie Drackert created a printable mini-magazine of our first year’s highlights!
We wanted to bring The Sick Times offline and into coffee shops, art fairs, community centers, mask bloc distributions, and anywhere else our readers want to share our work. bit.ly/3AVNltG
We wanted to bring The Sick Times offline and into coffee shops, art fairs, community centers, mask bloc distributions, and anywhere else our readers want to share our work. bit.ly/3AVNltG
This issue’s Spotlight introduces the Disability Caucus—origins, leadership, and goals for the future of @scmstudies.bsky.social
Lights, camera, autumn! JCMS 64.1 is here, featuring cutting-edge takes on AI’s growing role in the moving image industry, online archives, and media studies scholarship.
Full issue:
quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jcms/issues/
In Focus: AI & the Moving Image
quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jcms/image...
Full issue:
quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jcms/issues/
In Focus: AI & the Moving Image
quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jcms/image...
December 5, 2024 at 8:25 PM
This issue’s Spotlight introduces the Disability Caucus—origins, leadership, and goals for the future of @scmstudies.bsky.social
Reposted by Liz Ellcessor
Two years into the AI boom, it's imperative we understand the true power of "AGI"—as a narrative tool useful for winning investment, talent and headlines.
My report for AI Now details how OpenAI used the story of a rising AI that will replace humans to replace the need for an actual business model.
My report for AI Now details how OpenAI used the story of a rising AI that will replace humans to replace the need for an actual business model.
Today, we published an article by @bcmerchant.bsky.social arguing that OpenAI is leaning on a flimsy presentation of AGI as its eventual business model––despite the lack of evidence it is a real possibility, or a viable profit pathway.
Read: ainowinstitute.org/general/ai-g...
Read: ainowinstitute.org/general/ai-g...
AI Generated Business: The Rise of AGI and the Rush to Find a Working Revenue Model
By Brian Merchant In This Article Introduction OpenAI and the Generative AI Boom Silicon Valley Mythology, Distilled and Accelerated From “Safe AI” to AGI — and the Hype-Led Business Model Genesis Mar...
ainowinstitute.org
December 5, 2024 at 5:19 PM
Two years into the AI boom, it's imperative we understand the true power of "AGI"—as a narrative tool useful for winning investment, talent and headlines.
My report for AI Now details how OpenAI used the story of a rising AI that will replace humans to replace the need for an actual business model.
My report for AI Now details how OpenAI used the story of a rising AI that will replace humans to replace the need for an actual business model.