Karen Olstad
@karenolstad.bsky.social
Former public media exec at stations in WA, AK & OH. Community volunteer. Mom, Grammie, Auntie and spouse. Proud WSU alumna & fan. Hiker, biker, reader. Not a "Karen."
Looking for college football injustice? The victim is WSU, not Notre Dame - Tacoma News Tribune
December 11, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Looking for college football injustice? The victim is WSU, not Notre Dame - Tacoma News Tribune
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Incredible thread - remember the real Rosa Parks, not the watered down, convenient myth Rosa Parks.
Today is the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks' arrest. Six myths: 1) She wasn't old or tired. 42 years old that day, she had a "life history of being rebellious" & had spent two decades helping to turn the Montgomery NAACP into a more activist branch alongside ED Nixon and Johnnie Carr.
December 1, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Incredible thread - remember the real Rosa Parks, not the watered down, convenient myth Rosa Parks.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Retirees are mobilizing to defend democracy—and the benefits literally show up in their DNA.
Turns out fighting fascism helps you live longer
Retirees are mobilizing to defend democracy—and the benefits literally show up in their DNA.
www.motherjones.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Retirees are mobilizing to defend democracy—and the benefits literally show up in their DNA.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
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 Karen Olstad
Had a ball assembling this list of Best TV to Watch over Thanksgiving weekend for NPR I left out Stranger Things - separate review coming - but here’s some other cool titles, including a YouTube fave and a blast from distant past. READ: https://loom.ly/CZnZTkI
The best TV to catch up on over the Thanksgiving weekend
It's impossible to keep up with TV options. These shows are worth catching up on — or revisiting.
www.npr.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Had a ball assembling this list of Best TV to Watch over Thanksgiving weekend for NPR I left out Stranger Things - separate review coming - but here’s some other cool titles, including a YouTube fave and a blast from distant past. READ: https://loom.ly/CZnZTkI
Also worthy of support: @npr.org, @pbsnews.org and @pbs.org. Not only have they not capitulated, their member stations lost 100% of their Federal funding under this Congress and Administration.
Washington Post capitulated.
LA Times capitulated.
ABC capitulated.
CBS capitulated.
CNN capitulated.
Support independent, pro democracy media like @status.news, @thebulwark.com, @crooked.com, @boltsmag.org, @the-downballot.com, @contrariannews.org and, of course, @democracydocket.com.
LA Times capitulated.
ABC capitulated.
CBS capitulated.
CNN capitulated.
Support independent, pro democracy media like @status.news, @thebulwark.com, @crooked.com, @boltsmag.org, @the-downballot.com, @contrariannews.org and, of course, @democracydocket.com.
Scoop: During a trip to DC last week, CNN CEO Mark Thompson made a visit to the White House, where he promoted the network’s new streamer
Staffers were taken aback the next morning when Thompson urged them to ease up on East Wing renovation coverage
www.status.news/p/mark-thomp...
Staffers were taken aback the next morning when Thompson urged them to ease up on East Wing renovation coverage
www.status.news/p/mark-thomp...
October 27, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Also worthy of support: @npr.org, @pbsnews.org and @pbs.org. Not only have they not capitulated, their member stations lost 100% of their Federal funding under this Congress and Administration.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Pay attention -- what he means is allowing Democrats to win a free and fair election.
Trump: "We can never let what happened in the 2020 election happen again. We just can't let that happen. I know Kash is working on it, everybody is working on it. And certainly Tulsi is working on it. We can't let that happen again to our country."
October 22, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Pay attention -- what he means is allowing Democrats to win a free and fair election.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
The White House is asking people not to share pictures of the East Wing because it’s even worse today.
October 21, 2025 at 10:54 PM
The White House is asking people not to share pictures of the East Wing because it’s even worse today.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
if you want to cheer for a team that has never even made the World Series and represents one of the funnest cities on earth, may I humbly suggest the Seattle Mariners:
October 10, 2025 at 3:43 PM
if you want to cheer for a team that has never even made the World Series and represents one of the funnest cities on earth, may I humbly suggest the Seattle Mariners:
🤯 I must be dreaming! But also old enough to remember 2001 and take it all one game at a time. Go Ms! 🧜
September 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM
🤯 I must be dreaming! But also old enough to remember 2001 and take it all one game at a time. Go Ms! 🧜
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Once again, I'm struck by the fact that the one thing all these shooters have in common is, uh, the guns?
September 12, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Once again, I'm struck by the fact that the one thing all these shooters have in common is, uh, the guns?
Reposted by Karen Olstad
new: inside the $100 million race to rescue PBS and NPR stations (🎁🔗)
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/b...
The Race to Rescue PBS and NPR Stations
www.nytimes.com
August 19, 2025 at 9:08 AM
new: inside the $100 million race to rescue PBS and NPR stations (🎁🔗)
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/b...
Reposted by Karen Olstad
We don’t have a president
We have an Extortionist-in-Chief
We have an Extortionist-in-Chief
August 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
We don’t have a president
We have an Extortionist-in-Chief
We have an Extortionist-in-Chief
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Beautiful scenes in Anchorage, Alaska.
August 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Beautiful scenes in Anchorage, Alaska.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
evergreen reminder that if people want to donate to help keep PP clinics open, they should give to their *local affiliate* rather than the national org
If people want to donate to keep clinics from shuttering, they can Google which affiliate their closest clinic is a member of. There is also a list of the affiliates at the bottom of this page:
www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/con...
www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/con...
Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign pegged to this bill which could close up to 200 health centers is raising money not for said health centers, but for PP’s 501(c)(4) Action Fund
July 28, 2025 at 8:45 PM
evergreen reminder that if people want to donate to help keep PP clinics open, they should give to their *local affiliate* rather than the national org
Great news!
BREAKING: A judge has blocked the Trump administration's efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and ordered that it keep getting Medicaid funds.
Judge blocks Trump administration's efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
A federal judge says Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding.
bit.ly
July 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Great news!
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Anti-abortion extremists will stop at nothing to take away women's power over our bodies.
The new strategy to restrict abortion nationwide — without saying 'ban'
Trump won’t back a national abortion ban, but anti-abortion groups have other ideas on how to severely limit access to the procedure even in states where it is legal.
19thnews.org
July 24, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Anti-abortion extremists will stop at nothing to take away women's power over our bodies.
Good news, but…”While this is a massive one-time immediate response from our generous community of public media fans, stations can’t plan on this level of increased giving as a permanent strategy to fill the gap,” Ms. Mountain said.
scoop: donations to NPR and PBS stations have exploded, with donors across the country giving in unprecedented numbers since Congress cut federal funding
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/b...
Donations to NPR and PBS Stations Surge After Funding Cuts
www.nytimes.com
July 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Good news, but…”While this is a massive one-time immediate response from our generous community of public media fans, stations can’t plan on this level of increased giving as a permanent strategy to fill the gap,” Ms. Mountain said.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
I am no constitutional scholar, but I can't help but feel that "the President gets to dictate what every university can teach and what every television station should broadcast" is closer to what the founding fathers were worried about when it comes to free speech than trigger warnings on syllabi.
July 23, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I am no constitutional scholar, but I can't help but feel that "the President gets to dictate what every university can teach and what every television station should broadcast" is closer to what the founding fathers were worried about when it comes to free speech than trigger warnings on syllabi.
🤯
In a break with decades of tradition, the Internal Revenue Service says it will allow houses of worship to endorse candidates for political office without losing their tax-exempt status.
www.npr.org/2025/07/08/n...
www.npr.org/2025/07/08/n...
IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates
Since 1954, an IRS rule had barred houses of worship from explicitly endorsing political candidates.
www.npr.org
July 8, 2025 at 3:04 PM
🤯
Reposted by Karen Olstad
If blue states kept their money, they would be fine or even better off. Red states would be in deep financial trouble.
Example: California is the fourth largest economy on Earth. It grows over one third of America’s vegetables and two thirds of its fruits and nuts.
Example: California is the fourth largest economy on Earth. It grows over one third of America’s vegetables and two thirds of its fruits and nuts.
July 6, 2025 at 12:52 PM
If blue states kept their money, they would be fine or even better off. Red states would be in deep financial trouble.
Example: California is the fourth largest economy on Earth. It grows over one third of America’s vegetables and two thirds of its fruits and nuts.
Example: California is the fourth largest economy on Earth. It grows over one third of America’s vegetables and two thirds of its fruits and nuts.
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Why are folks mad at the working mom with kids on Medicaid and SNAP rather than companies like Walmart that refuse to pay her a living wage and provide health insurance?
July 6, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Why are folks mad at the working mom with kids on Medicaid and SNAP rather than companies like Walmart that refuse to pay her a living wage and provide health insurance?
Reposted by Karen Olstad
Reposted by Karen Olstad
🚑 MEDICAID covers 41% of ALL CHILDBIRTHS in the USA. In RURAL areas, it COVERS 50% ⛑️
🏥 Many WOMEN will DIE without MEDICAID 🚩
#MedicaidSavesOurLives
🏥 Many WOMEN will DIE without MEDICAID 🚩
#MedicaidSavesOurLives
June 26, 2025 at 8:11 PM
🚑 MEDICAID covers 41% of ALL CHILDBIRTHS in the USA. In RURAL areas, it COVERS 50% ⛑️
🏥 Many WOMEN will DIE without MEDICAID 🚩
#MedicaidSavesOurLives
🏥 Many WOMEN will DIE without MEDICAID 🚩
#MedicaidSavesOurLives
Reposted by Karen Olstad
This study on the impact of NPR and PBS stations, released by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., highlights stations serve 13 million people in areas threatened by hurricanes, tornadoes, disasters where the stations are an important source of information. https://loom.ly/GzzWg0M
NPR and PBS Are More Than “Tiny Desk” and “Daniel Tiger” They Are Critical to Public Safety
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, today released a Snapshot Report that highlights data on public broadcasters across the United States and broadcasters' role in responding to emergencies and public safety events. In rural areas, public broadcasters may be the sole source of information during emergencies, leaving them disproportionately impacted by federal funding cuts.
www.commerce.senate.gov
June 25, 2025 at 10:13 PM
This study on the impact of NPR and PBS stations, released by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., highlights stations serve 13 million people in areas threatened by hurricanes, tornadoes, disasters where the stations are an important source of information. https://loom.ly/GzzWg0M