Marion Davis
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marionsd.bsky.social
Marion Davis
@marionsd.bsky.social
710 followers 930 following 880 posts
Writer, editor & comms strategist focused on climate, sustainable & inclusive development, livable cities. Costa Rican in New England. Hiker, nature lover, sci-fi fan, 🐈‍⬛ mom, gardener.
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marionsd.bsky.social
It's also dickish and condescending towards working-class white people. It says they're just too stupid/primitive to not be racist, even if you call them out on it and invite them, in good faith, to be part of a multiracial coalition that treats EVERYONE with respect and dignity. Not OK. (3 of 3)
Screenshot of article excerpt. It is going to take hard politics. The kind that shows up in communities between elections and solves problems that don’t sound glamorous on television talk shows. It looks like facing down the Klan in a trailer park, not complaining about racism while doing far too little to avert it. It means believing that racism is not a natural condition of poverty but a political weapon that rich men use to constrain poor people’s political power. And — most critically — it looks like not wanting, even for a second, to be confused with the people who would do that. You don’t wear a red hat as a joke. You don’t fly the ironic flag of historical hate to get a rise out of people. You don’t wear the cool tattoo for over a decade that maybe, kind of, possibly, probably looks like something horrible and hateful. It is a remarkably low bar to clear. And a white working-class aesthetic is not nearly enough to clear it. Real working-class politics does not assume the worst of working-class people’s impulses. It does not launder their concerns for political points. It certainly does not argue, directly or indirectly, that a little racism is a good thing for reaching them.
October 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
This reads a lot like what apologists for Plattner have been doing in recent days. It boils down to a sort of [white] "boys will be boys" that seems remarkably similar to what JD Vance has been saying about his own people. And it effectively steers Plattner away from genuine contrition. (2 of 3)
Screenshot of article segment: It is an old argument. History will tell you that negotiating with racism or fascism or authoritarianism never ends well. It is also a cop-out that can sound like political pragmatism: The idea that we simply must learn to overlook bad behavior as mere human foibles. Who among us, it is implied, has not said or done or etched a hateful symbol of exclusion and oppression into our minds or bodies? If Democrats are to win back the “working class” that they have lost to Trump, they have to look beyond silly things like Nazi iconography or a little casual racism or a soupçon of sexism and anything else that the “woke” left of the party cares about. I find it hard to imagine that we would be having this conversation at all were Platner anything other than a fit middle-aged white guy who dresses like a stock photo of a “real man.” Our culture is built to eternally forgive men, generally, and white men of means, especially, for their mistakes. Every single time, they were young and immature and it would be a shame to hold them accountable for anything they did wrong. The rest of us just need to be strong-armed into the forgiving and forgetting portion of the program.
October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
An unfortunate exchange with someone who relies heavily on AI to write inspired me to post this on LinkedIn, and I thought I'd share it here as well. AI is so tempting, but trust me: it turns your thoughts into pink slime, neat and smooth but awful up-close. www.linkedin.com/posts/marion...
Screenshot of post by Marion Davis on LinkedIn. It says: Dear professionals with not-great writing skills: Please DO NOT get hooked on AI. I know what it looks like when you put your messy/clunky words through ChatGPT or other tools: It comes out neater, typo-free, organized nicely. Best of all, it's near-instant, such a time-saver and, unlike professional editors and writers, free! And the prompts to use AI are everywhere, including on LinkedIn. But please, please trust me: To anyone who actually reads what you sent or posted, it's pretty obvious. AI writing has a plastic gloss. It lacks personality, is laden with clichés and empty phrases, and can't really handle complexity. Read an AI-processed text closely, and you'll often find that beneath the façade of structure and logic, it's not actually coherent. It reads like a student who didn't do the reading, but talks a good game, when called on in class. "But writing is so hard for me, and I just don't have the time!" I get it, I really do. This is why people hire professional writers and editors to help them. A writer can take your rough notes and turn them into a polished product -- but will also alert you to gaps and inconsistencies you need to address, helping you clarify your thoughts and be more effective. An editor can show you, through tracked changes and margin comments, how to write things more clearly, how to avoid common mistakes, how to structure arguments better. Research on memory and cognition shows this is a highly effective way to learn.
October 27, 2025 at 9:07 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Big kudos to Estudio Relativo for the gorgeous cover! And a data tidbit: heat-related mortality in LAC has already risen by 140% over the past two decades, and in 2023 alone, an estimated 48,000 older adults died prematurely from heat-related causes. This is serious and urgent stuff.
Bright red and orange cover with a diverse assortment of Latin American people in a city under the shade of a big tree. The title says UNLIVABLE: Confronting Extreme Urban Heat in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the logos of the World Bank Group and GFDRR.
October 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
An original song inspired by immigrants' resilience in the face of adversity. The chorus in English: "Lke a resounding drum, together we are one, our hearts unite in song, 'cause together we are strong."
October 21, 2025 at 10:50 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Great showing for a lightly publicized immigrant solidarity vigil in East Somerville. A mom's key messages: 1) use your privilege as a white, English-speaking U.S. citizen to speak out, and 2) when you hear la migra (ICE) is around, go out, make noise, help protect immigrants from being snatched.
October 21, 2025 at 10:37 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Did you know you can now bike almost entirely on off-road paths, and in very scenic areas, all the way from Assembly Row, to downtown Medford, to Alewife? It's really nice and makes for a great ~11 mile loop with the Community Path.
Route map showing a bike loop around Somerville, Medford, Arlington and north Cambridge.
October 4, 2025 at 10:12 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
This little card from @howdoyou.guide, helpfully created in response to @npr.org's Life Kit episode, is the best.
Image of two sides of a rectangular card. One side says How do you avoid hitting people with your car and shows a car hitting a person with a big red X on it. At the bottom is the URL www.howdoyou.guide. The other side says: Avoid driving into people. Watch the Road. * Watch the road with your EYES. * All the time. * YES REALLY all the time. * No games or movies. * No texting. * Sometimes it's boring, but you do need to watch the actual road with your eyes THE WHOLE ENTIRE TIME. Note: To play games or text or watch movies, take the bus. Bring headphones as courtesy. Slow Down. * Speed limit means the MAXIMUM. * DO NOT drive faster. * You can drive slower. Note: This means you.
September 29, 2025 at 3:09 AM
marionsd.bsky.social
A little dose of joy for you today: a monarch on the asters in our backyard.
A black, orange and yellow butterfly, a monarch, is perched among little pink flowers, New England asters.
September 28, 2025 at 3:54 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Here are some gorgeous dahlias for your birthday! From a community garden on the edge of Tufts University.
Close-up of two very large bright pink-orange flowers with spiky petals.
September 23, 2025 at 1:56 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Just now at Broadway and Hathorn St. #iceout
September 20, 2025 at 4:03 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
I knew it would be bad if Minerva won. Criminals in the city are now out of control, even in full daylight.
A raccoon grazes on plants on the overgrown roof of an old fence company. The sun is shining and the sky is bright blue behind him.
September 19, 2025 at 7:24 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Hey Somervillens! Mimi says 'Go vote!" and she doesn't mean in the bike path election won by her twin. My own choices were based on leadership style, housing and affordability, truly "getting" the concept of complete streets, and incumbents' record in responding to constituents. #somervillema
Beautiful black cat stretched out on a porch railing, with bright green eyes.
September 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
The second part of the report focused on how lower-income older Bostonians make ends meet. It's rough, and safety-net programs, from food assistance to subsidized housing, are absolutely essential to these elders' survival.
Screenshot of a list in the report: \ Social Security is a lifeline, with most relying on it as their primary or sole source of income. Most low-income older households rely primarily, and often entirely, on Social Security to cover their expenses. Yet benefits are hardly enough to make ends meet in a high-cost area like Massachusetts. \ Retirement savings and pensions are limited or depleted. Few low-income older adults had pensions or retirement savings to draw from, and many who once had 401(k)s had to spend them early due to emergencies, job loss, or family needs. \ Many older adults must adjust to a lower standard of living in retirement. Many seniors described living more modestly than they did during their working years, adjusting to lower incomes and reduced spending power. Even those meeting day-to-day needs often felt that one unexpected cost could jeopardize their sense of security. \ Subsidized housing is a lifeline for many seniors. One of the ways in which some low-income older adults make ends meet in a high-cost city like Boston is securing subsidized housing so that they don’t have to pay the full cost of market-rate housing. In fact, a strong majority of our interviewees lived in some form of subsidized housing. \ Other public benefits are essential. Programs like Supplemental Security Income, SNAP, housing subsidies, and MassHealth help many older households meet basic needs, but strict income and asset limits discourage emergency saving, and benefit levels often don’t reflect the true cost of living. \ Older adults are resourceful but constrained. Participants described budgeting carefully, leaning on debt and relying on informal networks. The views shared highlight the gap between basic needs and achieving true stability, with many still facing financial precariousness despite covering day-to-day expenses.
July 31, 2025 at 10:33 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
How bad is wealth inequality among older Mass. residents? Here's a comparison of the bottom, middle and top terciles, in Mass. and nationwide. *Income* differences are less drastic: $34,340, on average, vs. $169,003. But people are working their whole lives to end up with almost nothing.
Bar chart with the title: Figure 1. Older households in Massachusetts are relatively wealthy, but that wealth is distributed unevenly. It shows the average wealth of households headed by someone aged 65+, by wealth tercile, with blue bars for Mass. and green bars for the U.S. The bottom tercile is $55,149 and $26,359, respectively; middle is $659,930 and $323,817, respectively, and the top is $3,580,749 and $2,433,180, respectively. Wealth is calculated as the total value of housing, financial assets, businesses and durable properties, minus mortgage and other debt.
July 31, 2025 at 10:29 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
I got a really inspiring fundraising email from them today, and I wish I could just link to it, but instead I'm going to have to screenshot it. In short: Legal advocacy makes a major difference for immigrants, and your donations and/or volunteering can help.
Screenshot of part of an email: An immigrant family and their three young children arrived in the Boston area seeking asylum after fleeing violence in their home country. Like many asylum seekers, their immigration case was initially assigned to a court in Arizona – over 2,000 miles away from their new home in Massachusetts. With limited financial resources and young children to care for, the family faced an impossible choice: abandon their case or spend money they didn't have on cross-country travel for multiple court appearances. That's when the immigrant family connected with our legal services team. We immediately filed a Motion to Change Venue to transfer their case to the Boston Immigration Court. This motion detailed how the family had established roots in Massachusetts, where the children were enrolled in school and the parents had found employment to support them. After several months of advocacy, we successfully secured the venue change. The immigrant family's case was transferred to Boston, eliminating the need for costly travel and allowing the family to remain in their supportive community. In 2024 alone, IFSI successfully completed 585 Change of Venue motions, a staggering increase from just 70 in 2023. This growth reflects how we have rapidly scaled our services to meet the growing needs of the immigrant community, with no plans of slowing down as we continue this critical work in 2025. But our assistance didn't end there. When the court scheduled virtual hearings due to ongoing procedural changes, the immigrant family was overwhelmed by the technology requirements. They had never participated in an online court proceeding and were worried about technical difficulties that could jeopardize their case. Our Immigration Online Court Hearing Assistance program stepped in to provide comprehensive support. Screenshot of part of an email: We helped the family test their internet connection, familiarize themselves with the video platform, organize their documents digitally, and practice presenting their testimony. On the day of their hearing, our staff provided real-time technical support, ensuring they could participate fully in the proceedings without technology barriers. Thanks to these combined services, the immigrant family avoided the financial hardship and family separation that would have resulted from traveling across the country for court appearances. Instead, they could focus on building their new life in Boston while properly pursuing their asylum case through the local court system. At the end there is a photo of women looking at a handout. Screenshot of part of an email: IFSI is ready, willing and able to help more families. IFSI’s Legal Services team is receiving families referred by other organizations in addition to those who come directly to us for immigration assistance. Led by experienced immigration attorneys and DOJ accredited staff, IFSI’s team is accomplished in handling applications for work permits, asylum, naturalization, and citizenship, to name but a few of the areas in which we can help families work through a complex system. Our modest fee schedule helps mitigate the actual cost of our services, and many clients are eligible for need-based fee reductions or waivers. An initial consultation is done at no charge to assess status and review options. Clients are offered culturally competent services in their primary language, and many consultations can be done remotely. The IFSI Legal team’s persistence and work ethic have been recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Office of Refugees and Immigrants. If you know anyone who needs immigration support, please encourage them to reach out to us. They can contact our Legal Team directly, online, or by emailing immigration@ifsi-usa.org Screenshot of part of an email: We need additional support to do this work. We try to provide our legal services pro bono and have welcomed support from foundations and individuals, but the need is increasing. Support for Legal Services also feeds into our Advocacy work. Our “Know Your Rights” campaign continues, informing the community on their legal rights, how to handle confrontation, and the latest developments around immigration policy. Our social media channels have become “go to” sources of information for many who would not otherwise have access to that information. With over 128,000 followers on Facebook, 21,000 subscribers on YouTube, and Instagram Live sessions reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers, our social media presence allows us to share critical information and advocacy messages with immigrant communities around the world. From advocating for one family’s immigration status to advocating on behalf of the immigrant community, IFSI is making a difference. Making a donation, volunteering, or providing a referral will allow us to continue to do so. Thank you.
July 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Are you horrified by what ICE is doing in our communities? Feeling helpless to stop the abuses? You *can* actually do something. Support a local immigrant advocacy organization today. There are several in Mass. but today I'm going to focus on Haitian-led IFSI-USA. www.ifsi-usa.org/get-involved
Photo of a little Black girl in an orange T-shirt holding a card that says WELCOME!!! You've GOT THIS! You're amazing, with a heart below.
July 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Today I learned why the @mbta.com Green Line doesn't have an A branch. It was discontinued in 1969 (actually before they introduced the letters, but they included it when they devised the lettering scheme) and replaced by the 57 bus. It went north to Watertown, as a streetcar, like the other lines.
Map of the Green Line and its branches, showing the discontinued A branch going north after Packard's Corner, with three stops before terminating in Watertown.
July 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
It's 2025, the @mbta.com 🟢 station in East Somerville is just a couple years old, and it's already glaringly clear that climate resilience was ignored in the design. It's 94⁰F and there's zero shade on the eastbound side because of poor roof design. It'll only get worse as the climate keeps heating.
Photo of the eastbound side of the Green Line platform at East Somerville, with a person standing in the full blazing sun. The other side is partly shaded by the sign showing the route map.
July 16, 2025 at 10:11 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Listening in on the launch of an important new GFDRR and IDB report: A Global Assessment of Building Codes, with a focus on enhancing resilience to disaster risks in a fast-changing climate, as well as improving water/energy efficiency. Focus on 22 countries in 6 regions.
hdl.handle.net/10986/43310
Cover of a report: A Global Assessment of Building Codes: Current Status and Evolving Needs to Promote Resilient, Green and Inclusive Buildings. The cover shows a city in the lower panel and a construction worker in the upper panel. The logos of GFDRR, the World Bank, and IDB are at the bottom.
July 9, 2025 at 2:35 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Happy Friday! This is a scarlet bee balm blooming in my garden.
Photo of spiky red flower against a background of foliage and a white wall
June 21, 2025 at 12:27 AM
marionsd.bsky.social
First coreopsis of the season! Enjoy the sunshine.
Close-up of bright yellow flower with spiky edges, against a dark green background.
June 6, 2025 at 7:19 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
... isn't even the worst-affected. Check out this Axios analysis, based on NAFSA data. That's a lot of money at stake for our flagship state university! Dunno if their true goal is to tank Dem-leaning cities' and states' economies, or if it's just a happy overlap with their fascism.
Bar chart showing the economic value of international students to Mass., based on data for 2023-24. Northeastern University is at the top, with 828.8m. Boston University is next, 765.0m. Harvard, 383.6m. MIT, 242.6m. UMass Amerst, 218.4m. Berklee, 147.0m. Boston College, 120.5m. Babson College, 119.2m. Tufts, 114.2m. Brandeis, 106.9m.
June 2, 2025 at 5:19 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
Looking at the news, I think we can all benefit from this. Our rambling rose is covered with buds. This is the first to open.
Orange rose, fully open, with buds on both sides.
May 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
marionsd.bsky.social
The gorgeous kitty I rescued and called Blondie is still available for adoption (just $75 fee). He's an Easy Somerville local, super smart and sweet. www.kittyconnection.net/2025/04/09/b...
Cute orange cat on a bed.
May 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM