Justin Myers
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justinmyers.net
Justin Myers
@justinmyers.net
Journalist, tinkerer, crocheter, parent.
Married to @juliajrh.bsky.social.

Graphics editor, @chicago.suntimes.com and @wbez.org.

🏳️‍⚧️⚧🟨⬜🟪⬛, any pronouns.

Also active on fediverse/Mastodon:
https://mastodon.sdf.org/@myersjustinc
Reposted by Justin Myers
1/ Today, ProPublica is running a piece I've been working on for a bit. It's about what happened with a devastating wave of bird flu earlier this year, as egg prices hit record highs.

And it's a story that illuminates the ways the U.S. is failing to control what could become the next pandemic. 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
This is a go to mind settler for me. A reminder of progress even when I know it is not enough.
This morning, a friend posted a video in which he shared a quote, “Do you remember when you wanted what you have?” That hit home because, despite the unrelenting stream of harassment from neo-Nazis over the last few days, I am doing what I always wanted to do. 1/
November 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
A stunning visual of Chicago's 20-year death gap, mapped on the L, via @myersjustinc.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com. Here's what residents & community leaders are doing to close this gap: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @watchdogdiva.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org
November 21, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
And if you are a worker or small business who starts getting these robo-Google Shopping calls starting today, I’d love to talk to you: mia@theverge.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Chicago's rainbow crosswalks in @northalsted.bsky.social are making a comeback—now reflecting the Progress Pride design.

Stay tuned for more from @windycitytimes.com.
November 7, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
We’ve got a newsy day planned at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

My colleagues and I at @chicago.suntimes.com will be doing our best to push everything out as it comes, starting with the hearing in Judge Ellis’ courtroom.

Stay tuned.
November 5, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
This is gender essentialism in action. This is what happens when you try to make health coverage conditional on sexist stereotypes: you take Healthcare from people who need it regardless of their identity.
One night recently, I got a Signal message

Would I be interested in seeing an internal Trump admin memo?

I said yes (duh). Then, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.

The memo shows how the VA is making access to health coverage header for just one group:

Male vets w/ breast cancer….
November 1, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
📣 Being a journalist can take a heavy toll. Media Resilience Network is working to lessen the load.

If you're a U.S.-based journalist, fill out their mental health survey to help them shape peer support, trauma-informed care, and community partnerships:
Stay Tuned: a US journalism mental health survey
Being a journalist these days is tough and we know you are going through a lot. The Media Resilience Network aims to enhance the well-being and capacity of journalists and media organizations through peer support, trauma-informed care, collaborative problem-solving and community partnerships — building resilience from the inside out. To better help us help you, please fill out the following questionnaire. Many of the prompts are open for you to share as much, or as little, as you feel comfortable with. If you need mental help immediately, please contact our team at support@vita-activa.org....
docs.google.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
The letter said @chicago.suntimes.com would file suit for intellectual property right infringement if the three pics used in social posts over the last week aren’t immediately removed from government accounts.

A Sun-Times legal rep said DHS could be liable for damages of up to $150k per violation.
Chicago Sun-Times demands DHS remove social posts using its photos without permission
A letter sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Thursday says the government used three Sun-Times photos without permission to promote its immigration enforcement campaign. The ...
chicago.suntimes.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:48 PM
“Only 12% of U.S. adults favor the current system of daylight saving time, … while 47% are opposed and 40% are neutral,” according to an @apnews.com/@norc.org poll via @linleyann.bsky.social.

apnews.com/article/dayl...
How Americans feel about changing the clocks, according to a new AP-NORC poll
A new AP-NORC poll finds that only 12% of U.S. adults support the current system of daylight saving time, which has people in most states changing the clocks twice a year, while 47% are opposed and 40...
apnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I first learned in 2018 that “picture this” and “mind’s eye” and such weren’t just figures of speech but were things people meant literally.

I close my eyes and just see black.

I still wonder sometimes whether this is more of a benefit or more of a hindrance.

#aphantasia
Mental imagery is associated with a bewildering variety of human traits and capacities: a propensity to hold grudges; a vulnerability to trauma; emotional awareness; ways of making art; memory of one’s life. What happens if you can’t see it? https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/HgpLlB
October 29, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Before the Trump administration invented "Antifa", the government of Uzbekistan invented "Akromiya": sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/inventing-...
October 20, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Born in region 43 (and visited regularly), grew up in 37, did undergrad in 36, started my career in 55 and 59, and been in 32 for >9 years. Does a pretty good job from where I'm sitting.
This is the most accurate depiction of the Midwest to date. Wichita has always felt like the last Midwest city while also being the first plains city.
October 8, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
If you are a journalist — or know one — who has been attacked, seriously threatened, denied access by a public official or targeted with a legal order in the course of reporting, let us know. You can now submit tips in English or Spanish.

Email: tips@pressfreedomtracker.us
September 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
The annual Gender Census report is now out for 2025.

The report of >43,000 responses details our identity words, titles, pronouns, and some family words.

The full report: www.gendercensus.com/results/2025...

The summary: www.gendercensus.com/2025-worldwi...

#LGBT #LGBTQ #pronouns #gender
September 14, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
There has been a lot of confusion around about this fall's updated COVID-19 vaccine. @kwashburn.bsky.social and I dug into what Chicago area residents need to know for @wbez.org & @chicago.suntimes.com: www.wbez.org/health-medic...
COVID-19 vaccines arrive at Chicago pharmacies as pediatricians wait for doses, guidance
As doctors anticipate word from Washington, many expect Illinois will promote vaccination for those left out under new federal recommendations.
www.wbez.org
September 11, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Good news for Chicagoans, but with some caveats:
✅ life expectancy is nearly back to pre-COVID levels
✅ stark gap between Black & Chicagoans of other races has shrunk
✅can the momentum last w/dwindling government $$?

Story via me & data viz via @justinmyers.net: tinyurl.com/455a2m8x @wbez.org
Good news for Chicagoans: Life expectancy is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels
New city data shows the stark life expectancy gap between Black and Chicagoans of other races has also shrunk, though the gulf is still wide.
tinyurl.com
September 10, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Chicago has the most lead service lines of any city in the county. We mapped out which neighborhoods are hit hardest. Mega collab out today from me, @peteraldhous.com @juanpab.bsky.social @compatibilism.bsky.social + @amyqin.bsky.social

insideclimatenews.org/news/2808202...
Chicago Has a Huge Lead Pipe Problem—and We Mapped It - Inside Climate News
Lead water service lines are all over the city. But majority Black and Latino neighborhoods bear the biggest burden, our analysis finds.
insideclimatenews.org
August 28, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
A source told CST ~30-40 ICE agents had been practicing riot control at the base for months, using flash-bang grenades and marching in phalanxes with shields.

The source said the planned op would likely involve more agents than had been running drills, noting the barracks can house 200 people.
Trump’s planned Chicago blitz would use naval base to house ICE agents, possibly National Guard
Agents with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would operate out of Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago throughout September, according to an email from a Navy captain who said there were "a lot of concerns and questions" about the plan.
chicago.suntimes.com
August 27, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Last night, Gov. Pritzker announced a legal hot line/resource hub to help LGBTQ+ folks access health care, ID documents, housing, government benefits (like Medicaid/SNAP) or address safety concerns.

When it launches Monday, Illinois Pride Connect can be reached at (855) 805-9200 from 9am-4pm M-Thu.
Pritzker announces 'first of its kind' legal help line for LGBTQ+ Illinoisans
Illinois Pride Connect will come online Monday, offering advice on health care access, identifying documents, housing, government benefits and safety concerns.
chicago.suntimes.com
August 22, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
I'm going to publish the entirety of an exchange I just had with the press office of the DOJ. I want you to see how they are talking about truth.
August 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
"Learn to code" was such a post-Recession mantra that it became a meme. And here we are.
Wow…the field has changed quickly with AI coding. Comp sci majors have higher unemployment rates than art history majors 😳
August 11, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Israel has killed nearly 270 journalists and media workers since it launched its war on Gaza.
Here are the names of the journalists Israel killed in Gaza
Israel has killed nearly 270 journalists and media workers since it launched its war on Gaza.
bit.ly
August 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Justin Myers
Hello, Bluesky! This account automatically posts updates when the Census Bureau APIs add or remove datasets.

See the full tracker at www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
Tracking Census Dataset Changes
See when the U.S. Census Bureau adds or removes datasets.
www.hrecht.com
August 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM