R. Vega Lara
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ritala.bsky.social
R. Vega Lara
@ritala.bsky.social
100 followers 190 following 17 posts
Writer | Creative | Organizer
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Reposted by R. Vega Lara
pressley.house.gov
This was never about national security.

It was always about silencing dissent, restricting due process and sowing fear on campuses & in immigrant communities.

While we wait to learn how many visas will be restored, one thing's clear: Rümeysa Öztürk must be immediately released.
nbcnews.com NBC News @nbcnews.com · Apr 25
The Trump administration is restoring all legal statuses of international students who have had their records terminated in recent weeks, a government attorney says, as ICE crafts a new policy that will “provide a framework for status record termination.”
Administration is restoring international students' legal statuses while ICE develops 'framework' for visa terminations
“It’s like somebody flipped a light switch on,” said one attorney whose client had a visa termination suddenly reversed.
nbcnews.to
April 25, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
mehdirhasan.bsky.social
We have the most anti-free speech government in modern American history.

(And yet, in true Orwellian fashion, they claim to be champions of free speech.)
April 12, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
wired.com
If you’re planning to hit the streets, here’s what you need to know.
How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid
If you’re planning to hit the streets, here’s what you need to know.
wrd.cm
April 9, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
alex-def.bsky.social
Ready to rally for @wutrain.bsky.social

Our Mayor gives hope in a time that it’s needed. This is our city, a home for everyone. Even for the adult son of a problematic billionaire.

East Boston stands with team Wu 💜
A group photo in El Jardín Restaurant and Bakery, East Boston. From left to right, Ricardo Patrón, Rita Lara, Alex DeFronzo, and Mayor Michelle Wu holding baby Mira Wu Pewarski.
March 31, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
anneapplebaum.bsky.social
The @financialtimes.com is not mincing words

"America’s astonishing act of self-harm"
on.ft.com/3YjtOLV
April 4, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
wutrain.bsky.social
Due process matters. Freedom matters.
Mass. leaders join rally in support of detained Tufts student - The Boston Globe
Rümeysa Öztürk was apprehended by masked immigration agents on a Somerville street last week.
www.bostonglobe.com
April 2, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
wutrain.bsky.social
We needed a bigger space than him.

See you Saturday, April 5th @ 2PM after the Hands Off rally! Family-friendly with activities for kids too. RSVP:
March 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
karaswisher.bsky.social
Bingo
stevehofstetter.bsky.social Steve Hofstetter @stevehofstetter.bsky.social · Mar 29
The White House Correspondents’ Association said it fired host Amber Ruffin so it can instead focus the dinner on celebrating the First Amendment.

Which apparently can be done best by preventing a gay black woman from speaking.
March 30, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
ayannapressley.bsky.social
@mayorwu.boston.gov laid out a powerful vision for Boston—one that meets this moment with urgency & empathy.

From addressing our housing crisis to strengthening our schools, she’s building a vibrant, inclusive city for everyone.

Grateful for her partnership. This moment requires it.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu smiles at the podium during her State of the City Address. She is wearing green standing in front of a blue backdrop and there is a city of Boston seal on the wooden podium.
March 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
jonathancohn.bsky.social
@mayorwu.boston.gov: “No one tells Boston how to take care of our own. Not kings and not presidents who think they are kings.”
March 19, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
karaswisher.bsky.social
Subscribe to @wired.com for its badass work
wired.com WIRED @wired.com · Mar 7
SCOOP: Elon Musk's DOGE team is automating tasks as it continues its purge of the federal workforce, WIRED has learned. How? By deploying a new custom chatbot to 1,500 federal workers.
DOGE Has Deployed Its GSAi Custom Chatbot for 1,500 Federal Workers
Elon Musk's DOGE team is automating tasks as it continues its purge of the federal workforce.
www.wired.com
March 7, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
mayorwu.boston.gov
Thank you all for your kind words these last few days. It is so powerful to see our community come together in defense of our values and the people of Boston.

We're making our city a home for everyone and we will never back down.
March 7, 2025 at 10:14 PM
ritala.bsky.social
Outstanding. Thank you for holding down #BostonStrong values to keep #Boston safe.
wutrain.bsky.social Michelle Wu 吳弭 @wutrain.bsky.social · Mar 6
It’s my honor to represent Boston, today & every day. So proud to stand with everyone who loves & fights for our city 👊

Mira & Mama are so happy to be coming home 💜
Michelle & Mira take a picture with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in the Congressional hearing room Mira snoozes in her stroller wearing an MBTA onesie in the hallway of a federal building Michelle nurses the baby from her witness seat in the hearing room before the hearing begins Michelle holds a yawning baby Mira on the plane
March 6, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
leahfeiger.bsky.social
NEW: The GSA sparked chaos by publishing, then deleting, a list of hundreds of federal buildings to sell, including the FBI headquarters. Use our interactive tools to see where they are—and which Congressional districts they're in.

from me, @dmehro.bsky.social, and @timmarchman.bsky.social:
Here's a Map of the For-Sale Government Properties the GSA Pulled From Its Website
The General Services Administration plans to sell hundreds of government buildings, including FBI headquarters. Use our interactive tools to see where they are—and the Congressional districts they're ...
www.wired.com
March 5, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
matthewchampion.bsky.social
when Elon Musk started recruiting for DOGE last November, he said the work would be “tedious” and “compensation is zero"

now it turns out some DOGE operatives are earning six-figure salaries, one as high as $195,200, as much as a civil servant can legally make

www.wired.com/story/doge-g...
Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries
Engineers and executives at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency are drawing healthy taxpayer-funded salaries—sometimes from the very agencies they are cutting.
www.wired.com
March 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
ritala.bsky.social
Must read for anyone in housing or doing business with HUD
www.wired.com/story/doge-h...

#housing #HUD
DOGE Staffers at HUD Are From an AI Real Estate Firm and a Mobile Home Operator
Elon Musk's men at HUD come from the real estate sector. They have access to vast stores of personal and financial data—and control over who can access which HUD systems.
www.wired.com
March 3, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
joekatz45.bsky.social
Boston considering its traditional methods of protest against tyranny at @teslatakedown.com this morning

#TeslaTakedown
A woman holding a sign saying "How many Tesla should we throw into Boston Harbor"
March 1, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
clancyny.bsky.social
Woot to the engagement folks at @propublica.org. Creative outreach! @kassien.bsky.social

alt: Video by @alvarezreports.bsky.social. Near USAID HQ. Illuminated sign on truck:

Are (were) you a government worker?
ProPublica journalists want to hear from you.

Signal: 917-512-0201
propublica.org/tips
aletakesphotos.bsky.social Alejandro Alvarez @aletakesphotos.bsky.social · Feb 27
Strategically parked around the corner …
February 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
handle.invalid
Word of the Day is ‘ingordigiousness’ (18th century): extreme greed at the expense of principles.
February 26, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
rbreich.bsky.social
This is what House Republicans voted for tonight.

Another reminder that we have socialism for the rich, harsh capitalism for the rest.
February 26, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
wutrain.bsky.social
This is our city. We’re going to continue following & enforcing the laws to keep all Bostonians safe. And it goes without saying that our police commissioner has my complete confidence & support.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Feb 22
Homan: "The police commission of Boston -- you said you doubled down on not helping the law enforcement office of ICE. I'm coming to Boston. I'm bringing hell with me."
February 22, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
gsnyder.bsky.social
My favorite from today’s 50501 March in Boston.
February 17, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
mayorwu.boston.gov
The City of Boston is leading 40+ mayors, cities, and counties in an amicus brief against the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding—cuts that will lead to immediate job losses nationwide.
COALITION OF MAYORS ACROSS U.S. FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DRASTIC CUTS TO FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING Led by the City of Boston, MA, City of Cleveland, OH, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN, the Mayor of Gainesville, FL, and the Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT, over 40 mayors, cities, and counties argue that NIH cuts will cause job losses, economic disruption, and undermine U.S. competitiveness BOSTON - Thursday, February 20, 2025 - Late yesterday, Mayor Michelle Wu co-led a coalition of Mayors from across the United States in writing and filing an amicus brief in federal district court in Boston to stop the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding and immediate job losses in cities nationwide. Over 40 mayors, cities, and counties from across the country joined the brief. These cities are home to universities and hospitals that employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in cutting edge medical and scientific research, and the federally-funded research in these communities has made the United States the global leader in scientific discovery. The brief seeks a temporary restraining order against the Trump Administration, alongside the research universities, medical schools, hospitals, and 22 states that are plaintiffs in the three cases filed last week in federal district court. “For decades, Congress has made a clear choice to use federally-funded research to invest in cities, build a broadly-distributed infrastructure for scientific discovery, create jobs, and drive economic growth in communities across the United States,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We join with cities across the country – in red states, purple states, and blue states – to stop this illegal action that will cause layoffs, lab closures, and undermine scientific progress in American cities. I thank Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell for her leadership on behalf of the research institutions of Boston.” This amicus brief is in response to the abrupt February 7, 2025 announcement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of an immediate reduction in funding for scientific and medical research institutions across the country. Under the NIH’s new policy, which temporarily went into effect on Monday, February 10, payments for indirect costs reimbursed to research universities would be capped at 15%, down from 30-70%. The brief makes clear that NIH funding cuts would devastate research institutions in cities across the county, cause job losses, create severe economic disruption, and undermine a critical pillar of strength and civic pride in cities across the United States. The cuts would also undermine critical medical and scientific research that residents are counting on, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and jeopardize the cities’ and country’s position of global leadership on scientific advancement. “The Gainesville community depends on this highly efficient, dependable investment of our tax dollars back into our city’s innovation economy,” said Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida. “I’m glad to join other mayors in highlighting the vital role NIH funding plays in the lives of everyday hardworking American families.” “The breadth and diversity of this coalition highlights the devastating and widespread impact of these NIH funding changes, from Alzheimer’s research to cancer clinical trials,” said Jill Habig, Founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “We’re proud to partner with mayors, cities, and counties in opposing this threat to critical federal funding and the health and vitality of our communities.” On Monday, February 10th, twenty two states and associations of medical schools, hospitals, and universities, filed three related cases, and secured a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump Administration from slashing the reimbursement rates. That initial order will be revisited this week in a hearing scheduled for Feb. 21. The Public Rights Project served as amici counsel. The full list of mayors, cities and counties who joined the brief is below. Local Governments and Mayors City of Boston, Massachusetts City of Cleveland, Ohio Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, City of Salt Lake City, Utah City of Alameda, California City of Albuquerque, New Mexico Allegheny County, Pennsylvania City of Baltimore, Maryland Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Mayor, City of Burlington, Vermont Township of Canton, Michigan Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina City of Chicago, Illinois Sandra Welch, Mayor, City of Coconut Creek, Florida City of Columbus, Ohio City of Easthampton, Massachusetts Daniel Biss, Mayor, City of Evanston, Illinois City of Fairfax, Virginia Harris County, Texas Ravinder S. Bhalla, Mayor, City of Hoboken, New Jersey Quinton Lucas, Mayor, Kansas City, Missouri Indya Kincannon, Mayor, City of Knoxville, Tennessee City of Madison, Wisconsin Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor, City of Millcreek, Utah Anissa Welch, Mayor, City of Milton, Wisconsin Montgomery County, Maryland City of New Haven, Connecticut Dontae Payne, Mayor, City of Olympia, Washington Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor, City of Plainfield, New Jersey Sue Noack, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill, California City of Pittsburgh and Ed Gainey, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania City of Providence, Rhode Island John Clark, Mayor, Town of Ridgway, Colorado City of Rochester, New York City of Sacramento, California City and County of San Francisco, California City of Santa Monica, California Constantine H. Kutteh, Mayor, City of Statesville, North Carolina Lisa Brown, Mayor, City of Spokane, Washington Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor, City of St. Louis, Missouri City of St. Paul, Minnesota Dennis R. McBride, Mayor, City of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
February 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
ericblanc.bsky.social
AOC speaking to a thousand NYC federal workers and allies about the urgency of resisting Musk 🔥🔥🔥
February 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Reposted by R. Vega Lara
anatosaurus.bsky.social
This is how the hostile takeover of our government and armed robbery of our money is going. One month in and they're completed 1/3rd of the Project 2025 agenda.

www.project2025.observer?utm_source=w...
Project 2025 Tracker
Track the progress on Project 2025
www.project2025.observer
February 20, 2025 at 12:40 AM