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Elsa Hiltner

@elsahiltner.bsky.social
223 followers 423 following 221 posts

She/her. Activist for pay equity in the arts. Co-founder of @onourteam.bsky.social Views are all mine, as some require us to say.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 08/10/2026
Employees from the Obama Foundation and Obama Presidential Center are organizing to form a union with AFSCME Council 31. The group, Obama Workers United, includes more than 250 remote and in-person workers in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and beyond.
chicago.suntimes.com
Obama Foundation and Presidential Center workers to unionize: ‘We don't even have a seat at the table’
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Jacob Hand @jacobhandphoto.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Employees of the Obama Foundation and Presidential Center are forming their union with @ilcwuafscme.bsky.social. To stand with them, add your name here: actionnetwork.org/forms/obama?...
actionnetwork.org
Support workers at the Obama Foundation and Presidential Center!
Employees of the Obama Foundation and Presidential Center are forming their union with AFSCME. To stand with them, add your name!
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
ACLU @aclu.org · 02/10/2026
Abolish the death penalty.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Magda Goebbels made a great strudel... www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/how...
mcsweeneys.net
How to Make Strudel Like Magda Goebbels
“There is no yeast in strudel. You’re not trying to facilitate the rise of anything. Say this on record.”
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/n...
nytimes.com
D.A. in Cornell Case Hopes to Speak to Accuser as He Weighs New Evidence (Gift Article)
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said a woman’s report to police in 2024 saying she had been raped at a fraternity did not support a criminal case. But he said he is now reaching out to her.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The legal system was built by people in power with the goal of protecting assets and power. "According to prosecutors, New York’s rape law excludes people who were voluntarily intoxicated from claiming they were “mentally incapacitated” during an assault and therefore unable to consent."
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Sign this petition to increase the DCASE budget! Johnson wants to be an "Arts Mayor." We're here to remind him what he needs to do. artsalliance.org/advocacy/fy2...
artsalliance.org
FY27 Chicago Budget - Arts Alliance Illinois
Policy & Advocacy Chicago’s FY27 Budget: Arts & Culture Funding Arts Alliance is organizing a citywide sign-on letter calling for increased arts and culture investment in Chicago’s FY27 budget. Read o...
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Huge congratulations to Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman on this profile of her podcast in the @nytimes.com! www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/a...
nytimes.com
Her Brother’s Dying Wish Was to Make a Podcast. First They Had to Make Up. (Gift Article)
Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman had bitter fights with her brother. With “My Brother David,” she tries to set things right.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
In These Times @inthesetimes.com · 07/08/2026
Curators Anna Kornbluh and David Maruzzella are inviting Chicago-based artists to ask what political art can do now. Their Fall of Freedom exhibition will be held Oct. 2–4 at the In These Times offices in Chicago. Proposals due Aug. 10: interccect@gmail.com
allyoufascistsboundtolose.com
Art In These Times – Fall of Freedom — In These Times Events
Authoritarian assaults on free thinking, fellow feeling, and creative making call for artists to unite in defiance. The 2nd annual Fall of Freedom festival convokes us to assemble, to curate,…
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
The Stage @thestage.co.uk · 28/07/2026
More than 13,500 people have signed a petition urging new prime minister Andy Burnham to put the arts in his upcoming ‘10-year plan’ 👇
thestage.co.uk
More than 13.5k sign petition for arts to feature in Burnham’s 10-year plan
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Anna Kornbluh @annakornbluh.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
chicago art people! midwest art people! join us! interccect.com/art-in-these...
interccect.com
Art In These Times – Fall of Freedom
Art in These Times October 2–4, 2026 Authoritarian assaults on free thinking, fellow feeling, and creative making call for artists to unite in defiance. The 2nd annual Fall of Freedom festival conv…
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Thank you for all you do for Chicago!
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
As the centerfold of @chicagoreader.com's Sex Issue, I want you to know about the @chicagoreaderunion.bsky.social negotiations the staff are in, and how you can support fair working conditions at one of our city's most vital cultural institutions. Sign the letter: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
actionnetwork.org
Tell Noisy Creek the Chicago Reader Union deserves a fair contract
We, the Chicago Reader Union, have been bargaining a new contract with Noisy Creek management since February 2026. Despite our sacrifices and dedication, management has consistently put forward propo...
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Chicago Reader Union @chicagoreaderunion.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The Chicago Reader Union has been bargaining w/ Noisy Creek since February. In that time, management has consistently offered proposals that would cut longstanding benefits in exchange for meager pay raises. We need YOU to tell Noisy Creek we deserve better! 🧵 🔗: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
July 16, 2026
union rat's log

TELL NOISY CREEK WE DESERVE BETTER.

Noisy Creek management wants us to ...

-Work longer hours
-Take fewer sick days
-And work in-office

all while offering us lower wages than other newspapers they own.

Join us in demanding a fair contract!
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
NPR @npr.org · 13/07/2026
The Trump administration's executive orders have meant that administrators are questioning what art can — and can't — be seen on campus.
n.pr
An artist brought 'I.C.E. pops' to a Texas campus. The show was shut down in days
The Trump administration's executive orders have meant that administrators are questioning what art can — and can't — be seen on campus.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Abby Klionsky @abionsky.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
And another driver just doored another cyclist in the exact same spot earlier today. We need protected bike lanes bsky.app/profile/papa...
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Manisha Sinha @profmsinha.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Historian of abolition here, history tells us how we got here, to put it succinctly “John Brown was hanged for treason and Robert E. Lee was not.”
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
"Lincoln understood the stakes of this choice when he warned at his inauguration in 1861 that if “vital questions affecting the whole people” are to be “irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court,” then “the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.”'🎁🔗 www.nytimes.com/2026/05/02/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Ruling by Ruling, the Supreme Court Is Undoing the Civil Rights Movement
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
R. Eerie VanBoo-kirk @sotsogm.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
"War is hell. But a glittering bomb-proof juke joint will feel like a little bit of heaven. And it will be a great place to hide if you happen to start another one."
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Amanda Litman @amandalitman.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
In my personal newsletter: What older women keep telling me. amandalitman.substack.com/p/noted-than...
amandalitman.substack.com
Noted, thank you for the feedback
What older women keep telling me (and what I wish I could say back)
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
I have two moods and they're both summed up by this cat. www.adoptapet.com/pet/47731338...
adoptapet.com
Versailles, KY - Manx. Meet Clover a Pet for Adoption - AdoptaPet.com
Pictures of Clover a Manx for adoption in Versailles, KY who needs a loving home.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Rally tomorrow (4/21) at Sheridan and Kenmore 10am-4pm! Unionized faculty deserve a fair contract at @loyolachicago.bsky.social!
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
"A friend who’s been deep into the whisper network on the operative side noted that after years of hearing these stories, they’ve never been wrong. The whisper network doesn’t whisper about nothing." Read this full interview.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
We're hosting a program about the history of live performance and antitrust laws, including the Live Nation/Ticketmaster lawsuit on June 9th with Spencer Weber Waller. Get registered (and check out his book!) law-arts.org/event/power-...
law-arts.org
Power & Greed: Monopolies, Mergers, and Cartels on the American Stage - Lawyers for the Creative Arts
Join us for a discussion with Spencer Weber Waller and his fascinating forthcoming book, Power and Greed: Monopolies, Mergers, and Cartels on the American
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
See you all there!
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
This is a delightful read: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Don’t Use A.I. to Do This
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
If you haven't been following the union faculty contract negotiations at @loyolachicago.bsky.social, you should. Teachers deserve a living (and thriving) wage. Loyola needs to live out their mission and come to the table with a fair and equitable deal. www.instagram.com/reel/DXFWKmp...
instagram.com
SEIU Local 73 on Instagram: "Union faculty at Loyola University Chicago are advocating for a fair contract and spreading the word in the university community. Stay tuned for more updates from union fa...
51 likes, 2 comments - seiulocal73 on April 13, 2026: "Union faculty at Loyola University Chicago are advocating for a fair contract and spreading the word in the university community. Stay tuned for ...
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
I started this program three years ago and it's one of my favorites. Please apply/spread the word - it has served the artists who have gone through it very well.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Happy birthday week!
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
John Br👻OoOOOoOoo👻ks @johnbrooks.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
You're probably gonna see a lot of this photo today, so just a reminder that it's fake
snopes.com
Investigating alleged photo of Melania Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell and unidentified girls
The image spread soon after the Department of Justice released more than 3 million files pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
I'm really loving the belts they're wearing in zero gravity.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
every time i write about wage theft i do a double take because it's so crazy corporations steal more than $50 bn from workers' paychecks each year, illegally paying workers less than they earned for their labor that significantly exceeds the combined losses from larceny, burglary, & vehicle theft
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
what next? what, are we gonna provide *roads* for the wealthy too? gonna have health inspectors keep contaminants out of their groceries? are we just gonna have gutters and sewer systems around rich people's homes?
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
The way the cops act in Hyde Park on warm nights, you'd think it was a sundown town. It's truly disgusting.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Ben Zipperer @benzipperer.org · 27/03/2026
Women with an advanced degree are paid the same as men with just a bachelor's. And at every education level, women's hourly wages are about 20% lower than men's
Bar graph titled "Women are paid less than men at every education level" and subtitled "Average horly wages, by gender and education, 2025"
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
It's only Wednesday. Chicago politics needs to get a grip. chicago.suntimes.com/2026/03/25/c...
chicago.suntimes.com
CHA Commissioner Debra Parker accused of defrauding the public housing agency
After an internal investigation, a hearing officer recommended the Chicago Housing Authority revoke Parker's housing subsidy, finding that she engaged in a pattern of actions to mislead the agency.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
making art @marigoldmagic.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
we have been giving workshops over the last few months and started doing office hours with folks around the city so they can file FOIAs with us this Friday, we're hosting another office hours, it will be the Happy Birthday Mayor Johnson edition what do you want to know about the Mayor's Office?
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
1. "Attribution" is the new "do it for exposure." 2. The empty bookshelves behind the Grammarly CEO are... *chef's kiss.* www.theverge.com/podcast/8987...
theverge.com
Confronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated me
Superhuman CEO Shishir Mehrotra responds to the Grammarly “expert review” controversy, and whether AI is extracting more value than it creates.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Love your work, @propublica.org! But, there's no ProPublica journalism without journalists! Pay your workers 21st century level salaries + benefits. With $98 million stashed in the bank, you can afford it! ProPublica takes in $18 million/year more in donations than expenses! @propublicaguild.org
Fiscal Year Ending Dec. 2024
990
Filed on Nov. 14, 2025
Primary tax return for a nonprofit's activities, finances, and governance

Revenue $64,268,632

Expenses                  Net Income             Net Assets
$45,741,720             $18,526,912            $98,057,409

Notable Sources of Revenue     Percent of Total Revenue

Contributions      $61,189,839          95.2%
Program Services  $191,906             0.3%

Investment Income  $2,074,199       13.2%

Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $365,819 10.6%
Rental Property Income $0
Net Fundraising $0
Sales of Assets -$1,240
Net Inventory Sales $0
Other Revenue $448,109 | 0.7%
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Something is deeply wrong with your business model if it relies on paying your workers a sub-minimum wage. Glad to hear that Johnson plans to veto this greedy and shortsighted repeal of One Fair Wage in Chicago. blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/18/c...
blockclubchicago.org
City Council Freezes Tipped Wage Increase, But Mayor Says He'll Veto
Alderpeople in 2023 approved a gradual phase-out of the so-called subminimum wage for tipped workers by 2028. But pushback from restaurant owners led the City Council to halt future increases.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Rachel Cohen @cohen489.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
seeing Chavez’s legacy be swiftly and correctly decimated is a powerful reminder that we as a society could, actually, hold people accountable when credible allegations are made that they are child molesters
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Chicago musicians! Get on this. It's going to be good.
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Reposted by Elsa Hiltner
Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Thank you! At an event last night I said "If the word hope doesn't work for you try, 'Never fucking surrender.'" The word hope seems too sunny to a lot of people, but the heart of it as I'm interested in it is: we make the future in the present, if we show up, and that never surrender part.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
"I think the counter to Trump always has been and always will be civil society. ... Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war. Too many people still expect it to look like war." @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/m...
nytimes.com
Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Go see Trial in the Delta at @collaboraction.bsky.social before it closes. It is an incredible work of art about a central piece of American and Civil Rights history. Seeing it will change you. For real. Go.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Check out the resources The Op Ed Project has: www.theopedproject.org/submissions They list a ton of outlets along with their submission processes.
theopedproject.org
Submission Information — The OpEd Project
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
It's only February, but I think we can call it. Lio Cundiff is Chicagoan of the Year.
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
It's like they want to make rich white cis hetero men not feel too threatened: Stratton won't make YOU pay, specifically, it's about those guys who aren't like you. Pretty wild image with a super gross coded message. 3/3
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
The feminine coding in this campaign ad is incredible. Unbuttoned shirt, jewelry, champagne glass held by the stem, crossed legs. 2/3
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Elsa Hiltner @elsahiltner.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Can we talk about this #JulianaStratton ad for a sec? As a costume designer, I have thoughts. 1/3
DLGA PAC mailer with a guy in a private jet (described in my post) which states "While Donald Trump pads his rich friends' pockets... Juliana Stratton will make guys like this pay their fair share."
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