iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Ken Schwencke @schwanksta.com · 06/10/2026

A year ago, @propublica.org told you immigration agents had detained more than 170 U.S. citizens. We’ve updated our count, and we’ve got all the receipts. The tally: At least 506 citizens detained. Sometimes held at gunpoint, handcuffed, or even deported. projects.propublica.org/american-cit...

projects.propublica.org

More Than 500 U.S. Citizens Have Been Detained, Including Handcuffed or Held at Gunpoint, in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown — ProPublica

The government doesn’t track how often immigration officers detain U.S. citizens. So ProPublica did. We’ve found more than 500 Americans who were held against their will during this Trump administrati...

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Black voting power is under threat, and inside the annual gathering of the Congressional Black Caucus, members are mapping out a strategy ahead of the midterms. My dispatch: capitalbnews.org/how-the-cong...

capitalbnews.org

How the Congressional Black Caucus Is Organizing to Protect Black Voting Power

With roughly a third of the caucus’s seats at risk, members are plotting a path forward ahead of the midterms.

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aaron @imaaronrobert.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

rip bob mackie 😭🤍✨

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The Smithsonian Institution’s first Black secretary is stepping down after more than a year of escalating attacks from the White House over how the institution presents U.S. history. bit.ly/4r11081

capitalbnews.org

Smithsonian's Leader to Step Down Amid Trump Efforts to Reshape Black History

The president complains the Blacksonian focuses on negativity, but the museum also celebrates Black excellence and joy.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Rapper Lil Nas X revealed this summer that he has bipolar disorder, saying that being “Black, gay, and bipolar” feels as if you’re living life on “extreme hard mode.” Advocates say that such openness can chip away at stigma and encourage the most vulnerable to seek potentially life-saving care.

capitalbnews.org

As Lil Nas X Spotlights Black Queer Men’s Mental Health, Advocates Push for Healing

Shame and stigma have long kept some men from seeking care. A growing openness could change that.

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I was really moved by Lil Nas X's statement that being "Black, gay, and bipolar" feels as if you're living life on "extreme hard mode." I spoke with mental health advocates about the distinct pressures that can keep Black queer men from seeking help. capitalbnews.org/black-queer-...

capitalbnews.org

As Lil Nas X Spotlights Black Queer Men’s Mental Health, Advocates Push for Healing

Shame and stigma have long kept some men from seeking care. A growing openness could change that.

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patrick mcneil (he/him) @patrickryne.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

"As young people, we sometimes think that the fight is not our fight. It is our fight. Everything that’s going on — whether it’s with migrants or Black people or Indigenous people — is our fight, and we just got to stick together.”

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Thousands gathered in D.C. today to defend Black voting power at a time when it's under extreme pressure. I spoke with marchers from across the country about what this moment demands of them — about what they think it will take to protect the right to vote. capitalbnews.org/march-on-was...

capitalbnews.org

Black Voting Power Is Under Attack, So Thousands Came to D.C. to Fight Back

The reboot of the 1963 March on Washington was meant to offer a jolt of optimism at a time of deep uncertainty.

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Natalie Weiner @natalieweiner.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

my debut for the @newrepublic.com! on Dolly, and how she was always entirely herself even in a world that wasn't ready for it newrepublic.com/article/2147...

newrepublic.com

Dolly Parton Never Wavered

From making music to launching a huge literacy program, the singer always took her work seriously. Eventually, the rest of us caught up.

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Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Yes, Rocky Horror in the 1970s, indelibly and forever, but also, Tony nominations in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Tim Curry was the real thing. RIP. Not loving this week so far.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The “Queen of Country” Dolly Parton has died in Nashville, Tennessee, her family announced on Tuesday. The music icon was 80. The country legend’s reach was vast, making an impact on everyone from Whitney Houston to Lil Nas X. bit.ly/3UiDXtq

capitalbnews.org

Dolly Parton Made an Undeniable Mark on Black Culture

The country legend’s reach was vast, making an impact on everyone from Whitney Houston to Lil Nas X.

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Nitish Pahwa @nitishpahwa.com · 25/08/2026

I think the universal grieving comes in no small part from the fact she represented the best of what America could be, and that she never stopped chasing that ideal, artistically and socially

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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Actress Hayden Panettiere has died, her representative confirms. She was 36 abcnews.com/US/hayden-pa...

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Old Hollywood @theoldhollywood.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Harry Belafonte and Julie Andrews in a promotional still for their self-titled NBC variety special, 1969

Singers and actors Harry Belafonte and Julie Andrews — both in costume, Belafonte dressed in a black tuxedo with ruffled shirt collar, Andrews in a black floor-length gown with ruffled skirt and sleeves — captured together while standing side by side, both facing the camera as they each lean against a pole with their arms around it, Belafonte smiling broadly as Andrews looks toward him, in a full-length black-and-white shot for the television variety special An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte (1969)

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Rainesford Stauffer @rainesford.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

For @slate.com, I reported on the nostalgia surrounding Pizza Hut's Book It! program 🍕 People shared fond memories of falling in love with reading, what it meant to them as kids in terms of food access, and the glory days of books + personal pan pizzas. Gift link:

slate.com

It Might Be the Best Thing a Corporation Has Ever Done. It’s Finally Back.

Reading may reportedly be in crisis, but the personal pan pizza is forever.

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

I was in Wilmington yesterday for the signing of the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It creates stronger protections for Black voters — and advocates hope that it will offer a blueprint for other states. capitalbnews.org/delaware-vot...

capitalbnews.org

Delaware Gives Black Voters New Protections Against Election Discrimination

Amid recent attacks on voting rights, Delaware’s model could offer a path forward for Black voters elsewhere, advocates say.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Abdul El-Sayed is projected to win Michigan’s Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat. The primary bucked simple narratives about Black voters and set the stage for a high-stakes general election. bit.ly/3RtGwI4

capitalbnews.org

What El-Sayed’s Michigan Win Reveals About Black Voters and Democrats

The Senate primary bucked simple narratives about the state's electorate and set the stage for a high-stakes general election.

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scaachi @scaachi.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

wrote about ariana grande and karen carpenter slate.com/life/2026/08...

slate.com

The Ariana Grande News Leaves Us With Two Unsavory Options

The audience has two unsavory options.

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Michael Barajas @michaelbarajas.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

VA's governor just restored voting rights for more than 60k citizens, a reversal from the previous governor and a reminder of VA's harsh lifetime voting ban for any felony conviction The move comes ahead of a November referendum to end this system and start restoring rights when people exit prison

boltsmag.org

Virginia Governor Restores Voting Rights for Thousands With Past Felony Convictions - Bolts

This is the only state that, absent action by the governor, bans people convicted of any felony from voting for life. Virginians have an opportunity to end that system for good in November.

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

I spoke with Ida B. Wells' great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster, about how there's no evidence supporting the claim that Nolan Wells was a descendant of the trailblazing activist — and how such misinformation can obscure the search for answers. capitalbnews.org/nolan-wells-...

capitalbnews.org

Ida B. Wells’ Family Is Debunking a Viral Claim About Nolan Wells

The misinformation about Nolan Wells’ lineage is distracting from his family’s search for answers.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Join us for THE STORY WE'RE WRITING: Black Power, Politics & Possibility, a conversation on Black wealth, political power, and what's at stake in the midterms. RSVP at events@capitalbnews.org.

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

If you're like me and frequently ask, "Why was Christian rock all over the charts when I was in high school?" then your torturous search for answers is over! Laura's piece is stellar, covering everything from the Jesus Movement to the Warped Tour. Now to listen to some Switchfoot.

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Laura Bradley @lurabardley.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Ever wonder why there were so many Christian hardcore bands in the 2000s? I have for years, and it turns out, the answer was more complicated than I thought! (Read: I wound up writing, like, 3,000 words about the culture wars.) www.thefringe.blog/p/the-story-...

thefringe.blog

Why Are There So Many Christian Metalcore Bands?

How bands like Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada, Norma Jean, and more conquered a corner of the hardcore scene.

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Laura Bradley @lurabardley.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

actually, it's been a minute since i properly advertised this, so let me just do that now: a couple months ago, i started a newsletter about the emo/pop punk revival!

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Will McKinley @willmckinley.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

GHOST WORLD (2001) is 25 today and it's streaming free w/ a library card on Kanopy and Hoopla. How totally amazing. #FilmSky

Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World (2001)

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Bolts @boltsmag.org · 18/07/2026

Many trans Kansans whose licenses were cancelled by a state law this year now face a kind of poll tax: To vote, they’ll have to pay $16 for a replacement license with a gender marker that doesn’t match their identity.

boltsmag.org

A New Law Voids IDs of Transgender Kansans. It Also Threatens Their Voting Access. - Bolts

Kansas Republicans barred trans residents from getting licenses that reflect their gender identity and canceled existing IDs. The move also risks blocking their access to the polls.

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Orion Rummler @oriion.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

I wanted to visualize what it looked like when the 988 hotline’s LGBTQ+ youth services shut down. This is what it looks like: almost 70,000 people reaching out for help, then nothing. As of today, it’s been a year since "Option 3" went away.

datawrapper.de

The 988 cliff for LGBTQ+ youth | Created with Datawrapper

From September 2022 to July 2025, LGBTQ+ youth and young adults had specialized help when they reached the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Then that help went away.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Capital B is headed to Augusta, Georgia! We can’t wait to bring Capital B’s unique brand of community-rooted local journalism, honed in Atlanta and in our Gary, Indiana, newsrooms, to Augusta. capitalbnews.org/capital-b-augusta-…

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AdequateEmily @adequateemily.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Losing my mind at this Murder, She Wrote promo

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

What happens after the federal government steps back from protecting Black voters? I spoke with advocates and historians about the new struggle over redistricting and the future of Black political power: capitalbnews.org/protecting-b...

capitalbnews.org

Black Organizers Are Preparing for a New Era of Voting Rights Battles

While no single strategy will be a silver bullet, there’s been renewed focus on state Voting Rights Acts, youth-led movements, and grassroots organizing.

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Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

45 years ago today. Buried on page 20 on a holiday Friday just like this one, news that changed the world. www.nytimes.com/1981/07/03/u...

nytimes.com

RARE CANCER SEEN IN 41 HOMOSEXUALS (Published 1981)

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

"They woke him up and left with him. That was the last time we saw him alive." I've known about Emmett Till's lynching since I was 11. But hearing the Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. — Till's cousin and best friend — tell it in his own words was something else. fortherecordarchive.org/story/emmett...

fortherecordarchive.org

The Last Time Emmett Till's Cousin Saw Him Alive | For the Record

Wheeler Parker Jr. recalls the fear and final moments before Emmett Till was abducted from a Mississippi home.

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 01/07/2026

NEW: Most Supreme Court Rulings Are Secretive Votes With Little Justification ProPublica conducted a new analysis that shows the court is deciding more consequential rulings than ever before in largely unsigned orders with little to no explanation.

propublica.org

A Troubling Milestone: Most Supreme Court Rulings Are Secretive Votes With Little Justification

ProPublica conducted a new analysis that shows the court is deciding more consequential rulings than ever before in largely unsigned orders with little to no explanation.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Evan Milligan and fellow organizers secured one of the most important victories in Black voting rights in recent years. As voting rights gains across the South are eroded, they are ready to fight again. bit.ly/4vF85wM

fortherecordarchive.org

Evan Milligan on What's Next for Black Voting Rights in Alabama

Three years after Allen v. Milligan reshaped Alabama politics, Evan Milligan explains what recent legal setbacks mean for Black voters.

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Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Today, Capital B is launching its biggest project ever. For the Record: A Black Oral History Archive is a collection of over 100 firsthand stories from Black Americans across regions, generations, and identities. Learn more at fortherecordarchive.org #ForTheRecordArchive

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Capital B's most ambitious project yet is here! For the Record is an oral history archive that will collect at least 250 firsthand accounts of Black American life. It's our way of making sure that a gaunt, sanitized version of history isn't the one that endures. fortherecordarchive.org

fortherecordarchive.org

For the Record: A Black Oral History Archive

Black stories, told in Black voices, documenting the American story in full.

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Lizzie O'Leary @lizzieohreally.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I’m a @capitalb.bsky.social donor and you should be too.

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Brandon Tensley @brandontensley.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

As America turns 250, Capital B is creating a permanent archive of at least 250 firsthand accounts of Black history — from Emmett Till's cousin and best friend to major voting rights litigants, trailblazing elected officials, and more. Support the project below! capitalbnews.org?form=FUNWUJB...

capitalbnews.org

Capital B News

Capital B is a local and national nonprofit news organization reporting on stories you won’t find anywhere else.

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Candice Frederick @candicefrederick.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

The novel-to-screen adaptation process can take years. But lately, too many narratives from Black authors aren't seeing the light of day at all. For @capitalb.bsky.social, I interviewed Black novelists who share their experiences and help demystify what's happening: capitalbnews.org/black-book-a...

capitalbnews.org

Hollywood's Book Adaptation Boom Has a Black Author Problem

As studios go back to “regular programming,” Black authors remain in limbo and watch the work of their white counterparts get fast-tracked.

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Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

This oral history of Steven Spielberg's movies by @bilgeebiri.bsky.social is the kind of treat we almost never get in deadline journalism--wide, deep, and illuminating. Let yourself enjoy one section at a time--or just devour the whole thing. www.vulture.com/article/oral...

vulture.com

The Raider of a Lost Art

Over 30 actors, filmmakers, and close friends recount how Steven Spielberg infiltrated Hollywood and helped the Movie Brats take over.

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