Alexis Madrigal
@alexis-madrigal.bsky.social
Book: The Pacific Circuit
Job: Co-Host, KQED Forum
Life: Local Economy, Oakland Garden Club
Job: Co-Host, KQED Forum
Life: Local Economy, Oakland Garden Club
Maaaaannnn
It’s been a pleasure working with Lex and everyone in the politics vertical at Teen Vogue. I’m heartbroken that my column, Disability Visibility, is gone. Teen Vogue was one of the few places that published disabled journalists regularly. I just spent the last 2 months working on my next column
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 6, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Maaaaannnn
Year to date homicides down ~ 50% ~ from 2023
Homicide rate will still be quite high by state and national standards, but huge huge improvement.
Homicide rate will still be quite high by state and national standards, but huge huge improvement.
Third consecutive OPD report listing zero homicides. Oakland is on track to have of its lowest homicide totals in a decades, with one of the lowest numbers of police in decades also. The how/why should be the number one focus of Public Safety Committee discussions and isn't.
November 5, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Year to date homicides down ~ 50% ~ from 2023
Homicide rate will still be quite high by state and national standards, but huge huge improvement.
Homicide rate will still be quite high by state and national standards, but huge huge improvement.
Some posts on here have me thinking about the great Octavia Butler's take on sexiness in her notebooks:
"Evil is sexy. Good is only sexy when its very powerful, not sanctimonious and not too good <Real>"
"Evil is sexy. Good is only sexy when its very powerful, not sanctimonious and not too good <Real>"
November 5, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Some posts on here have me thinking about the great Octavia Butler's take on sexiness in her notebooks:
"Evil is sexy. Good is only sexy when its very powerful, not sanctimonious and not too good <Real>"
"Evil is sexy. Good is only sexy when its very powerful, not sanctimonious and not too good <Real>"
Greg with the rare Democrats in Array argument
The factional grifters will hate this, but the Mamdani-Spanberger-Sherrill axis actually suggests the outlines of a broad, emerging Dem coalition organized around both anti-Trump *and* affordability politics, not a party bitterly divided against itself.
These big wins will embolden Dems to take on Trump's lawbreaking and show there's a price for GOP enabling of him. Folks hate to hear this, but normal patterns are asserting themselves: Liberalism isn't dead, Rs are likely to lose in 2026, and Trump is really unpopular, not a magical exception.
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Greg with the rare Democrats in Array argument
I am worried about all the centrist Dems who are cooking their brains on an Elon Musk-tuned Twitter, imagining that is what “real life” is in this country.
The mapping of Twitter—>IRL was always imperfect (as is Bluesky’s), but the current Twitter is obviously, intentionally, brutally skewed.
The mapping of Twitter—>IRL was always imperfect (as is Bluesky’s), but the current Twitter is obviously, intentionally, brutally skewed.
Wow it turns out the entire country is not permanently reactionary because Trump won an election by 1.5%
November 5, 2025 at 2:38 AM
I am worried about all the centrist Dems who are cooking their brains on an Elon Musk-tuned Twitter, imagining that is what “real life” is in this country.
The mapping of Twitter—>IRL was always imperfect (as is Bluesky’s), but the current Twitter is obviously, intentionally, brutally skewed.
The mapping of Twitter—>IRL was always imperfect (as is Bluesky’s), but the current Twitter is obviously, intentionally, brutally skewed.
Are there protests yet at the single, small road link from the Coast Guard island to the rest of the Bay?
This almost seems like inviting a long-term protest there.
This almost seems like inviting a long-term protest there.
October 23, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Are there protests yet at the single, small road link from the Coast Guard island to the rest of the Bay?
This almost seems like inviting a long-term protest there.
This almost seems like inviting a long-term protest there.
Really looking forward to this. It’s a dark and instructive story.
Russell City was a predominantly Black and Latino community in Alameda County that was razed by the city of Hayward and county government in the 1960s using eminent domain to build an industrial park. SUNDAY at the Oakland Museum with @alexis-madrigal.bsky.social!
museumca.org/event/spotli...
museumca.org/event/spotli...
Spotlight Sundays: Russell City Remembered - Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)
Join us as October’s Spotlight Sunday wades into the powerful story of Russell City. We will start with a screening of The Apology, a feature-length documentary that highlights Russell City’s deep his...
museumca.org
October 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Really looking forward to this. It’s a dark and instructive story.
first time I've been on the air when an earthquake hit and YES I did consider coming on here to post about it
October 16, 2025 at 4:59 PM
first time I've been on the air when an earthquake hit and YES I did consider coming on here to post about it
Reposted by Alexis Madrigal
hey friends — if you haven't seen, The Verge is running a series on the future of being trans on the internet. it's got a bunch of very cool stories from talented writers! you should check it out www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
The future of being trans on the internet
The internet has long been a source of information and support for transgender people. Now, trans rights and the internet itself are in a moment of crisis. What happens next?
www.theverge.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:28 PM
hey friends — if you haven't seen, The Verge is running a series on the future of being trans on the internet. it's got a bunch of very cool stories from talented writers! you should check it out www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
🔥🔥🔥
This looks so good.
This looks so good.
October 14, 2025 at 3:02 AM
🔥🔥🔥
This looks so good.
This looks so good.
This is the way.
Reps for CNN, Reuters, The AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and NPR all say that journalists from their newsrooms are not signing the new paperwork about Pentagon access. Newsmax says it doesn't intend to sign, either — a potentially significant sign of MAGA dissension.
October 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
This is the way.
This rain!
Damn! I feel like quakesky should activate for moments like this in the Bay
Damn! I feel like quakesky should activate for moments like this in the Bay
October 13, 2025 at 11:17 PM
This rain!
Damn! I feel like quakesky should activate for moments like this in the Bay
Damn! I feel like quakesky should activate for moments like this in the Bay
We’ve got a fascinating event at our community space Local Economy tomorrow with some of the immigration judges who were recently fired in San Francisco and some Polish counterparts
luma.com/2th83vpt
luma.com/2th83vpt
October 13, 2025 at 9:43 PM
We’ve got a fascinating event at our community space Local Economy tomorrow with some of the immigration judges who were recently fired in San Francisco and some Polish counterparts
luma.com/2th83vpt
luma.com/2th83vpt
I know people talk about Bluesky as some dogpile hell… but wow, have y’all seen Threads recently? Every single post seems to have a nasty newspaper comment section from 2003 attached to it.
Truly the weirdest and worst form of social media I’ve ever encountered.
Truly the weirdest and worst form of social media I’ve ever encountered.
September 30, 2025 at 5:48 AM
I know people talk about Bluesky as some dogpile hell… but wow, have y’all seen Threads recently? Every single post seems to have a nasty newspaper comment section from 2003 attached to it.
Truly the weirdest and worst form of social media I’ve ever encountered.
Truly the weirdest and worst form of social media I’ve ever encountered.
Warm, soft rain
September 28, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Warm, soft rain
So excited about this! You know, I've never actually talked on stage or radio with Alice Waters? I can't wait.
Independent publishing focused on local and regional stories, culture, nature needs your support, Bay Area! Join @heydaybooks.com for our biggest fundraiser of the year on October 19.
The Heyday Harvest, our annual gathering & biggest fundraiser of the year, is Sunday October 19th at the Freight in Berkeley. Please join our community of writers, artists, & activists to honor Alice Waters of Chez Panisse & author @alexis-madrigal.bsky.social ! heyday.salsalabs.org/harvest2025r...
September 26, 2025 at 4:42 AM
So excited about this! You know, I've never actually talked on stage or radio with Alice Waters? I can't wait.
Child care in this country works for almost no one, care providers and parents alike.
And yet ... you have to figure it out or your family can't survive.
And yet ... you have to figure it out or your family can't survive.
KQED is working on stories about the incredibly high costs of childcare here in the Bay Area, and looking for stories from our audience
www.kqed.org/news/1205712...
www.kqed.org/news/1205712...
Tell Us: How Much Do You Pay for Child Care in the Bay Area? | KQED
We want to hear your story. How do child care costs impact your family, your daily life and your spending decisions?
www.kqed.org
September 24, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Child care in this country works for almost no one, care providers and parents alike.
And yet ... you have to figure it out or your family can't survive.
And yet ... you have to figure it out or your family can't survive.
Wow, what a gorgeous poem… that feeling of connection across a millenium is intense
Dear friends,
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem
September 24, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Wow, what a gorgeous poem… that feeling of connection across a millenium is intense
Reposted by Alexis Madrigal
The @oaklandreviewofbooks.org weekly calendar is up! www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/oakland-revi...
Oakland Review of Books calendar of (not just) literary events, September 23 - 28
go out but stay in
www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org
September 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The @oaklandreviewofbooks.org weekly calendar is up! www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/oakland-revi...
This was the weirdest day of parenting that I can remember. Getting the kids ready for the day (they were little then)... like... "Hey honey, want some toast?"
Trying to maintain some sense of normalcy for them, so it wouldn't be apparent that the APOCALYPSE NOW sign was flashing in our heads.
Trying to maintain some sense of normalcy for them, so it wouldn't be apparent that the APOCALYPSE NOW sign was flashing in our heads.
It’s been five years since we woke up to apocalyptic orange skies and everyone stopped for a moment and stared at the sky. Five years since @barackobama.bsky.social shared my @sfchronicle.com photos of that day, a fun fact that will follow me forever.
September 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
This was the weirdest day of parenting that I can remember. Getting the kids ready for the day (they were little then)... like... "Hey honey, want some toast?"
Trying to maintain some sense of normalcy for them, so it wouldn't be apparent that the APOCALYPSE NOW sign was flashing in our heads.
Trying to maintain some sense of normalcy for them, so it wouldn't be apparent that the APOCALYPSE NOW sign was flashing in our heads.
I'm working on a little piece of writing and I realized that I just don't know the little San Jose spots that locals know. Take "spots" broadly ... What should be on that locals-only map?
September 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I'm working on a little piece of writing and I realized that I just don't know the little San Jose spots that locals know. Take "spots" broadly ... What should be on that locals-only map?
Anyone know a great serious history of Helen Keller and her learning process? Academic, probably?
September 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Anyone know a great serious history of Helen Keller and her learning process? Academic, probably?
This really is the original sin of the current era of AI. They work precisely because humans react to human imitators in the same ways we evolved to respond to one another.
🧵 In the wake of numerous reports of interactions with AI chatbots that resulted in deadly consequences, the Center for Democracy & Technology's Dr. Michal Luria says AI firms should stop designing products that pretend to be human.
AI Chatbots Are Emotionally Deceptive by Design | TechPolicy.Press
Chatbots should stop pretending to be human, writes the Center for Democracy & Technology's Dr. Michal Luria.
www.techpolicy.press
August 31, 2025 at 3:38 PM
This really is the original sin of the current era of AI. They work precisely because humans react to human imitators in the same ways we evolved to respond to one another.