Ella Simone
@ellasimone.bsky.social
Writing Program in Boston | immigrant & refugee rights | food justice | climate crisis | race & higher ed | wary city cyclist 🚴🏽♂️ (mural: Chinatown SF)
Reposted by Ella Simone
statistically a lot of you won’t know about ocellated turkeys, so, here you go
November 28, 2025 at 1:09 AM
statistically a lot of you won’t know about ocellated turkeys, so, here you go
Reposted by Ella Simone
The entire business model of R1 public universities rests on 4 revenue sources:
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
August 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The entire business model of R1 public universities rests on 4 revenue sources:
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
Reposted by Ella Simone
Today is the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Mahna Mahna on Sesame Street. You’re familiar with it by now, of course, but... well, it never hurts to be reminded, does it?
Sesame Street - Mahna Mahna (1969)
YouTube video by Tiny Dancer
youtu.be
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Today is the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Mahna Mahna on Sesame Street. You’re familiar with it by now, of course, but... well, it never hurts to be reminded, does it?
Reposted by Ella Simone
As you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving meal, remember the skilled work it took to get that food to your grocery store.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
November 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
As you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving meal, remember the skilled work it took to get that food to your grocery store.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Reposted by Ella Simone
My colleague, Dr. Vahid Abedini, was illegally detained by ICE on Saturday. He is currently being held without a court date in sight, despite being in the country legally. Please spread the word! We must ensure his due process rights are upheld. www.oudaily.com/news/ou-prof...
OU College of International Studies professor reportedly arrested by ICE
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly arrested an OU professor at Will Rogers International Airport Saturday.
www.oudaily.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
My colleague, Dr. Vahid Abedini, was illegally detained by ICE on Saturday. He is currently being held without a court date in sight, despite being in the country legally. Please spread the word! We must ensure his due process rights are upheld. www.oudaily.com/news/ou-prof...
Reposted by Ella Simone
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
November 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
Reposted by Ella Simone
Over 700,000 TPS recipients lose legal status by the end of 2025, including 550,000 who are legally working. TPS recipients contribute over $36B in annual GDP. Withdrawing their work authorization could add to labor shortages in construction, cleaning, and hospitality, especially in FL, TX, NY
550,000 Workers Lose Status by End of 2025: Potential Impact by State and Industry — Penn Wharton Budget Model
Over 700,000 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients lose legal status by the end of 2025, including 550,000 who are legally working. We estimate that TPS recipients contribute over $36 billion in...
budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu
November 19, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Over 700,000 TPS recipients lose legal status by the end of 2025, including 550,000 who are legally working. TPS recipients contribute over $36B in annual GDP. Withdrawing their work authorization could add to labor shortages in construction, cleaning, and hospitality, especially in FL, TX, NY
Reposted by Ella Simone
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Submit a Claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Reposted by Ella Simone
Given the passing of disability activist and light-in-the-world Alice Wong, we at COYOTE invite people to share what she and her work meant to them. Whether you knew Alice personally, organized with her, or were simply a fan of her writing, we'd love to hear from you. (1/3)
(📷: Jen White-Johnson)
(📷: Jen White-Johnson)
November 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Given the passing of disability activist and light-in-the-world Alice Wong, we at COYOTE invite people to share what she and her work meant to them. Whether you knew Alice personally, organized with her, or were simply a fan of her writing, we'd love to hear from you. (1/3)
(📷: Jen White-Johnson)
(📷: Jen White-Johnson)
Reposted by Ella Simone
I spent October traveling to schools throughout the South talking to students about American history. What I found were young people who understand we can tell a story that includes both the positive and the negative. As one 8th grader in Memphis said, “Doesn’t seem that hard, just say both things.”
Tell Students the Truth About American History
We owe it to Americans of all ages to be honest about the country’s past, including its contradictions.
www.theatlantic.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I spent October traveling to schools throughout the South talking to students about American history. What I found were young people who understand we can tell a story that includes both the positive and the negative. As one 8th grader in Memphis said, “Doesn’t seem that hard, just say both things.”
Reposted by Ella Simone
‘The public needs to wake up’: Rhode Island mom detained at Logan for more than a week
The woman, a legal permanent resident for 40 years, is being denied access to a lawyer while being held by Customs and Border Protection
www.boston.com/news/local-n...
The woman, a legal permanent resident for 40 years, is being denied access to a lawyer while being held by Customs and Border Protection
www.boston.com/news/local-n...
'The public needs to wake up': Rhode Island mom detained at Logan for more than a week
The woman, a legal permanent resident for 40 years, is being denied access to a lawyer while being held by federal officials at Logan.
www.boston.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:38 AM
‘The public needs to wake up’: Rhode Island mom detained at Logan for more than a week
The woman, a legal permanent resident for 40 years, is being denied access to a lawyer while being held by Customs and Border Protection
www.boston.com/news/local-n...
The woman, a legal permanent resident for 40 years, is being denied access to a lawyer while being held by Customs and Border Protection
www.boston.com/news/local-n...
Reposted by Ella Simone
“Lots of people have had to eat without SNAP, so they’ve used their rent money and their utility money, [so] we are likely to see a wave of evictions and utility shutoffs. I think we’re going to see a lot of disruptions in people’s lives for months to come.” prospect.org/2025/11/14/s...
The Shutdown Is Over. SNAP’s Struggles Aren’t. - The American Prospect
Turning off the logistically complicated SNAP system—which relies on the federal government, states, and private companies to function in concert—and then trying to turn it back on quickly is no easy ...
prospect.org
November 15, 2025 at 11:49 AM
“Lots of people have had to eat without SNAP, so they’ve used their rent money and their utility money, [so] we are likely to see a wave of evictions and utility shutoffs. I think we’re going to see a lot of disruptions in people’s lives for months to come.” prospect.org/2025/11/14/s...
Reposted by Ella Simone
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down. I love you all.”
November 15, 2025 at 6:15 AM
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down. I love you all.”
Reposted by Ella Simone
A bit of good news: I think you'd all be pleasantly surprised by how resistant the undergrads are becoming to AI. Institutions have lost their minds on this front, but more and more the students themselves are saying "no" to this horribly corrosive technology.
November 8, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A bit of good news: I think you'd all be pleasantly surprised by how resistant the undergrads are becoming to AI. Institutions have lost their minds on this front, but more and more the students themselves are saying "no" to this horribly corrosive technology.
Reposted by Ella Simone
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Reposted by Ella Simone
A new post on Refusing GenAI in Writing Studies from @jsanofranchini.bsky.social, @rcmeg.bsky.social, and me: "A Year of Refusal"
refusinggenai.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/a...
refusinggenai.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/a...
A Year of Refusal
Maggie Fernandes, University of ArkansasMegan McIntyre, University of ArkansasJennifer Sano-Franchini, West Virginia University Photo by Francis Glenn Marciano on Pexels.com It’s been about a year …
refusinggenai.wordpress.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
A new post on Refusing GenAI in Writing Studies from @jsanofranchini.bsky.social, @rcmeg.bsky.social, and me: "A Year of Refusal"
refusinggenai.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/a...
refusinggenai.wordpress.com/2025/11/12/a...
Reposted by Ella Simone
sharing this incredible resource created by a poster in r/boston: a map of local restaurants offering free or discounted meals to SNAP recipients
link: mysnapmap.com
link: mysnapmap.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
sharing this incredible resource created by a poster in r/boston: a map of local restaurants offering free or discounted meals to SNAP recipients
link: mysnapmap.com
link: mysnapmap.com
Reposted by Ella Simone
Might you have missed some of the depth of Tuesday's results, beyond the big headline races?
I'd been watching roughly 200 races heading into Election Day, so here's a thread of some of what you don't want to skip over!
🧵
I'd been watching roughly 200 races heading into Election Day, so here's a thread of some of what you don't want to skip over!
🧵
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Might you have missed some of the depth of Tuesday's results, beyond the big headline races?
I'd been watching roughly 200 races heading into Election Day, so here's a thread of some of what you don't want to skip over!
🧵
I'd been watching roughly 200 races heading into Election Day, so here's a thread of some of what you don't want to skip over!
🧵
Reposted by Ella Simone
A coalition of AAUP chapters in Atlanta stood up today for the future of higher education and marched from Morehouse College to Clark Atlanta University!
@neatoday.bsky.social
#defendacademicfreedom
@neatoday.bsky.social
#defendacademicfreedom
November 7, 2025 at 9:32 PM
A coalition of AAUP chapters in Atlanta stood up today for the future of higher education and marched from Morehouse College to Clark Atlanta University!
@neatoday.bsky.social
#defendacademicfreedom
@neatoday.bsky.social
#defendacademicfreedom
Reposted by Ella Simone
From North Carolina to Mississippi, Black-owned farms are filling the gaps left by SNAP funding delays
Black-Owned Farms Fill Gaps Left by SNAP Funding Delays
From North Carolina to Mississippi, small businesses work to feed their communities while benefits are paused.
capitalbnews.org
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
From North Carolina to Mississippi, Black-owned farms are filling the gaps left by SNAP funding delays
Reposted by Ella Simone
"Ian" is harvesting olives in Tulare County. He works from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., earning $6.50 per bucket. "The buckets are big and can weigh up to 35 lbs. My hands get sore after a day’s work from carrying the heavy buckets all day long. But this work feeds my family." #WeFeedYoul
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
"Ian" is harvesting olives in Tulare County. He works from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., earning $6.50 per bucket. "The buckets are big and can weigh up to 35 lbs. My hands get sore after a day’s work from carrying the heavy buckets all day long. But this work feeds my family." #WeFeedYoul
Reposted by Ella Simone
It’s really important that #Vancouver’s Downtown Business Association, who were originally against bike-lanes, are now among their most vigourous supporters, because of ACTUAL EVIDENCE that they’re better for downtown business than any street parking they replaced.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
November 8, 2025 at 3:51 AM
It’s really important that #Vancouver’s Downtown Business Association, who were originally against bike-lanes, are now among their most vigourous supporters, because of ACTUAL EVIDENCE that they’re better for downtown business than any street parking they replaced.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Reposted by Ella Simone
Chicagoans never stop. I was just watching a live stream of a press conference held by community members in front of FBI headquarters. In the rain in the dark. Umbrellas at hand they are calling for the release of 6 people taken by ICE, 3 also arrested by CPD. They never stop fighting.
November 9, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Chicagoans never stop. I was just watching a live stream of a press conference held by community members in front of FBI headquarters. In the rain in the dark. Umbrellas at hand they are calling for the release of 6 people taken by ICE, 3 also arrested by CPD. They never stop fighting.
Reposted by Ella Simone
They shouldn’t have to clean up the mess adults are making, but these teens who overturned book bans at their statewide reading bowl are worth celebrating. Get to know them (& what they’re excited to read!).
Last month, it was teenagers who got 8 books banned in a statewide Georgia reading bowl back into the competition. These literary heroes deserve recognition–get to meet three of these rad book-loving intellectual freedom champions.
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
Meet the High Schoolers Who Overturned a State Reading Bowl Book Ban: Book Censorship News, November 7, 2025
A Georgia statewide reading bowl banned eight books. These students led the charge to get the bans overturned and succeeded.
bookriot.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:14 PM
They shouldn’t have to clean up the mess adults are making, but these teens who overturned book bans at their statewide reading bowl are worth celebrating. Get to know them (& what they’re excited to read!).