LesLeigh Ford
@lesleighford.bsky.social
Detroiter. Sociologist. Michigan 💙💛. Will argue about sports.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Today is Veterans Day — a time to send our thanks to all those who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and values.
To all those who have served and put their lives on the line — thank you.
To all those who have served and put their lives on the line — thank you.
November 11, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Today is Veterans Day — a time to send our thanks to all those who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and values.
To all those who have served and put their lives on the line — thank you.
To all those who have served and put their lives on the line — thank you.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
"Key monthly costs for most Americans — shelter, food, health care, electricity — are outpacing inflation.
Rents are up 3.8% — the largest increase since 2011..."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Rents are up 3.8% — the largest increase since 2011..."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
From electricity to rent, monthly bills are tipping the inflation scale
Housing, healthcare, food and utility prices are outpacing inflation and taking an outsized share of Americans’ paychecks.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 22, 2025 at 6:24 PM
"Key monthly costs for most Americans — shelter, food, health care, electricity — are outpacing inflation.
Rents are up 3.8% — the largest increase since 2011..."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Rents are up 3.8% — the largest increase since 2011..."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Meanwhile…
Virginia HBCUs shutdown due to threats
Virginia universities take swift action amid threats. Virginia State University and Hampton University close campuses for safety.
hbcugameday.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Meanwhile…
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
“A respected network of hospitals and cancer centers is halting enrollment in clinical trials for children with brain cancer after the federal government said it would no longer provide funding to the group”
Pediatric Brain Cancer Group to Lose Federal Funding
www.nytimes.com
August 29, 2025 at 5:57 PM
“A respected network of hospitals and cancer centers is halting enrollment in clinical trials for children with brain cancer after the federal government said it would no longer provide funding to the group”
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
I celebrate every victory for voting rights, but this one is particularly special. No issue has been more hotly contested or more important to PA voters than this one. The DSCC and DCCC fought hard and it is great to see them prevail. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
In Big Win for Voters, Pennsylvania Must Count Undated Mail-In Ballots, Court Rules
In Big Win for Voters, Pennsylvania Must Count Undated Mail-In Ballots, Court Rules
www.democracydocket.com
August 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
I celebrate every victory for voting rights, but this one is particularly special. No issue has been more hotly contested or more important to PA voters than this one. The DSCC and DCCC fought hard and it is great to see them prevail. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
American elections withstood great pressure in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Doing so again will take vigilance, courage, and ferocious determination to defend democracy.
bit.ly/46ETsQp
bit.ly/46ETsQp
Trump’s Anti-Voter Agenda Crystallizes
The administration is now the primary threat to election integrity.
www.brennancenter.org
August 22, 2025 at 6:03 PM
American elections withstood great pressure in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Doing so again will take vigilance, courage, and ferocious determination to defend democracy.
bit.ly/46ETsQp
bit.ly/46ETsQp
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
The price of vegetables rose 38.9% in July.
August 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
The price of vegetables rose 38.9% in July.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
The Voting Rights Act, the watershed Civil Rights era law that has prevented attempts to dilute minority votes through racially gerrymandered electoral maps hundreds of times, turns 60 Wednesday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Why The Voting Rights Act's 60th Birthday Might Be Its Last
Why The Voting Rights Act's 60th Birthday Might Be Its Last
www.democracydocket.com
August 5, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The Voting Rights Act, the watershed Civil Rights era law that has prevented attempts to dilute minority votes through racially gerrymandered electoral maps hundreds of times, turns 60 Wednesday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Every reputable expert I know considers mRNA vaccine technology to be one of the most revolutionary advances in medicine in our lifetimes. Its inventors won the Nobel Prize in 2023. Shutting it down now is pointless self-harm to humanity.
Release from HHS: HHS will wind down its development of the mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
August 5, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Every reputable expert I know considers mRNA vaccine technology to be one of the most revolutionary advances in medicine in our lifetimes. Its inventors won the Nobel Prize in 2023. Shutting it down now is pointless self-harm to humanity.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
@roycoopernc.bsky.social highlights his work as governor to expand Medicaid to 670,000 North Carolinians... which is currently being undermined by Republicans, Trump and Michael Whatley as they strip Medicaid away from 17 million Americans.
Support Roy Cooper: secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_c...
Support Roy Cooper: secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_c...
July 29, 2025 at 6:45 PM
@roycoopernc.bsky.social highlights his work as governor to expand Medicaid to 670,000 North Carolinians... which is currently being undermined by Republicans, Trump and Michael Whatley as they strip Medicaid away from 17 million Americans.
Support Roy Cooper: secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_c...
Support Roy Cooper: secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_c...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The UN's top court in a landmark climate decision says a 'clean, healthy and sustainable environment' is a human right.
July 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The UN's top court in a landmark climate decision says a 'clean, healthy and sustainable environment' is a human right.
In honor of Juneteenth, we published a blog that examines the potential implications of the shifting federal landscape on Black Americans. Saddened to hear about the loss of vital support to and repair for land theft and other injustices to Black farmers.
www.urban.org/urban-wire/j...
www.urban.org/urban-wire/j...
July 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
In honor of Juneteenth, we published a blog that examines the potential implications of the shifting federal landscape on Black Americans. Saddened to hear about the loss of vital support to and repair for land theft and other injustices to Black farmers.
www.urban.org/urban-wire/j...
www.urban.org/urban-wire/j...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Note also that the lawsuit alleges that because race and class are correlated, providing free tuition to lower income students is also racial preference.
They just want a pure aristocracy of inherited wealth
They just want a pure aristocracy of inherited wealth
“Johns Hopkins has not merely preserved its discriminatory DEI framework — it has entrenched, expanded and openly celebrated it as a cornerstone of its institutional identity,”
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/hi...
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/hi...
Conservative group files complaint against Hopkins medical school
America First Legal is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a formal investigation into diversity policies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
www.thebaltimorebanner.com
July 18, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Note also that the lawsuit alleges that because race and class are correlated, providing free tuition to lower income students is also racial preference.
They just want a pure aristocracy of inherited wealth
They just want a pure aristocracy of inherited wealth
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
I'm old enough to remember when the prevailing argument against affirmative action was that it failed to consider the "real" form of unfairness, which was income disparity
July 18, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I'm old enough to remember when the prevailing argument against affirmative action was that it failed to consider the "real" form of unfairness, which was income disparity
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
After resigning from Michigan and bending over backwards to try and appease them, "The Florida Board of Governors voted Tuesday to reject Santa Ono as the next president of the University of Florida"
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
Florida Board Rejects Ono for UF Job
The Florida Board of Governors decided against confirming Santa Ono as president of the University of Florida in a contentious vote focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.
www.insidehighered.com
June 3, 2025 at 9:33 PM
After resigning from Michigan and bending over backwards to try and appease them, "The Florida Board of Governors voted Tuesday to reject Santa Ono as the next president of the University of Florida"
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
It’s been around since 1983.
May 30, 2025 at 2:40 AM
It’s been around since 1983.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
NPR took a walk through Minneapolis with its former police chief Medaria Arradondo. He says "the worst thing we can do" is dismiss the 2020 protests and outrage over police brutality as an anomaly.
Minneapolis' former police chief reflects on 2020 protests and George Floyd's murder
NPR took a walk through Minneapolis with its former police chief Medaria Arradondo. He says "the worst thing we can do" is dismiss the 2020 protests and outrage over police brutality as an anomaly.
www.npr.org
May 23, 2025 at 5:57 PM
NPR took a walk through Minneapolis with its former police chief Medaria Arradondo. He says "the worst thing we can do" is dismiss the 2020 protests and outrage over police brutality as an anomaly.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Lorraine Hansberry and Malcolm X were both born in May 19, in 1930 and 1925 respectively. The world lost them both in 1965, within a month of each other. What an all too brief gift, what a time for the world that 40 year period was.
May 19, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Lorraine Hansberry and Malcolm X were both born in May 19, in 1930 and 1925 respectively. The world lost them both in 1965, within a month of each other. What an all too brief gift, what a time for the world that 40 year period was.
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Pope Leo XIV presided over his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/w...
May 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Pope Leo XIV presided over his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/w...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Very sad news.
apnews.com/article/bide...
apnews.com/article/bide...
Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
Former President Joe Biden's office says he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Biden was seen last week by doctors after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found.
apnews.com
May 18, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Very sad news.
apnews.com/article/bide...
apnews.com/article/bide...
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
This is just not true. The majority view among researchers at this point is that work requirements do not work. There is a reason they do not cite a single study here.
May 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
This is just not true. The majority view among researchers at this point is that work requirements do not work. There is a reason they do not cite a single study here.
The new pontiff's maternal grandparents lived in New Orleans and in the 1900 census were described as Black. www.nola.com/news/first-a...
Pope Leo XIV has roots in New Orleans' 7th Ward. See his family lineage and history.
In prior interviews, Pope Leo XIV said he was open to a vocation to the priesthood because neighborhood priests were always in and out of his childhood, as his mother often fed them.
"Now we know wh...
www.nola.com
May 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
"If the large increases in tariffs that have been announced are sustained, they are likely to generate a rise in inflation, a slowdown in economic growth, and an increase in unemployment." -Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve
May 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"If the large increases in tariffs that have been announced are sustained, they are likely to generate a rise in inflation, a slowdown in economic growth, and an increase in unemployment." -Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve
Reposted by LesLeigh Ford
Six months after the November election, Republican state supreme court candidate Jefferson Griffin finally conceded to Democratic Justice Allison Riggs on Wednesday after his unprecedented effort to throw out thousands of votes and overturn Riggs’ win was rejected by a federal court.
North Carolina GOP judge finally concedes after six-month effort to steal the election Fails
Democrat Allison Riggs wins the North Carolina Supreme Court race, but the GOP scheme to overturn the election will do lasting damage to democracy.
www.motherjones.com
May 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Six months after the November election, Republican state supreme court candidate Jefferson Griffin finally conceded to Democratic Justice Allison Riggs on Wednesday after his unprecedented effort to throw out thousands of votes and overturn Riggs’ win was rejected by a federal court.