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Faith Smith

@faithsm.bsky.social

589 followers 252 following 349 posts

Events and other fun things @19thnews.org. I'm always happy to tell you how to make your event less sexist/racist/ableist. Married, mom, too many pets. Okie by birth, Argentine by marriage. fsmith(at)19thnews(dot)org

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Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 02/10/2026

Fleeing a violent home means finding a new place to live. California just passed a law to address that.

California’s new law aims to close a housing gap for domestic violence survivors

Fleeing a violent home means finding a new place to live. Cities and counties in the state are now required to plan for that.

Reposted by Faith Smith

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Time for this classic again.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

When it comes to the economy, the cost of groceries, childcare, caring for older family members, paid family and medical leave, women’s health and housing costs — the majority of Americans said they thought the Democrats would better handle the issues, according to a new poll. via @19thnews.org

Paychecks aren’t going as far. More Americans say they trust Democrats to help.

People, especially women, are stressed about paying for everything, from groceries and housing to healthcare and retirement, according to new polling from The 19th and YouGov.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Student reporters relentlessly chased follow-ups: the admin’s response, DA’s investigation & fallout in Ithaca. The Sun published a blistering editorial, printing the names of the accused & taking the university to task. Throughout, the team approached this case with care and moral clarity.

How Student Journalists Broke the ‘Cornell Seven’ Case

“Our coverage was absolutely completely raw from the lawsuit and nothing was concealed. At a minimum, that’s what we can do as the student newspaper.”

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 24/09/2026

Texas’ highest criminal court rejected an appeal from prosecutors seeking to reinstate the 2018 conviction of Crystal Mason, meaning the Fort Worth woman will not have to serve a five-year sentence for casting a provisional vote in 2016 while on supervised release.

Crystal Mason prevails in fight over illegal voting conviction

The court ruling means the Texas woman will not have to serve a five-year sentence for casting a provisional vote in 2016 while on supervised release.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

"]Maternal health measures death because death is the only thing it has consented to answer for. Everything else — whether she was believed, whether she was included in the decisions made about her body, whether she was treated as a person — is treated as atmosphere."

theemancipator.org

When It Comes to Black Maternal Health, White Women Are Not the Finish Line

It is 5:30 in the morning. My house is quiet. I am the only one awake. I stretch. I breathe. I center myself. Maternal mortality review days are, in a word, difficult. For years, I sat on a committee ...

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

[A] legacy of silence meant that Harris’ crash course in menopause came in her late 40s, while she was incarcerated at a Texas state prison. For 3 years, Harris experienced a litany of confusing ailments: shoulder pain, memory loss, heart palpitations, thinning hair and mood swings. @19thnews.org

In a Texas prison, Kwaneta cultivated a menopause support network from scraps of paper

The incarcerated population is getting older, but correctional facilities lag in menopause care. Kwaneta Harris is working to fill the gaps in women's prisons.

Reposted by Faith Smith

NPR @npr.org · 22/09/2026

Born in the Dominican Republic, raised in Italy and now having lived in many other parts of the world, YEИDRY's music sounds exactly like her experience. n.pr/3TJQt55

YEИDRY: Tiny Desk Concert

Born in the Dominican Republic, raised in Italy and now having lived in many other parts of the world, YEИDRY's music sounds exactly like her experience.

Reposted by Faith Smith

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 21/09/2026

ICE shot a DoorDash delivery guy.

Attorney: Austin man shot by ICE agent was making DoorDash delivery

A Venezuelan man shot by an ICE agent in Austin was making a DoorDash delivery, his attorney said. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was later released from the hospital into ICE custody.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

😮 (me pretending to be shocked)

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The first-ever congressional hearing on menopause is coming with a request to the federal government: Evaluate how to better fund treatment and research of menopause and healthcare for middle-aged women. @19thnews.org

Congress is finally talking about menopause

A bipartisan group led by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will hold Congress’ first-ever hearing on how to improve treatment for menopause and fund research.

Reposted by Faith Smith

Lisa Tozzi @lisatozzi.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Happening now: www.c-span.org/event/senate... 19thnews.org/2026/09/cong...

Congress is finally talking about menopause

A bipartisan group led by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will hold Congress’ first-ever hearing on how to improve treatment for menopause and fund research.

Reposted by Faith Smith

Shefali Luthra @shefali.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Big news: The family of Tierra Walker, who died after she couldn't get an abortion, is suing a slate of Texas actors in state court, including AG Ken Paxton. They say the state ban is unconstitutional. This is the first suit of its kind. 19thnews.org/2026/09/texa...

Tierra Walker died after she couldn’t get an abortion. Her family is suing Ken Paxton

The case, filed Tuesday, argues that Texas’ near-total abortion ban violates the state and U.S. Constitutions, which “prohibit state actors from killing their citizens.”

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“What the hell is [Jasmine Crockett] thinking? This is such a bizarre and unacceptable misstep,” feminist writer Roxane Gay posted. via @19thnews.org

Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s praise of Chris Brown hit a nerve

We're breaking down why people online are mad at the Texas Democrat.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“They're trying to create a caricature of trans people that, to average person, appears outlandish.” In this new age of AI, it’s increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what isn’t — but experts say it doesn’t matter to voters who see this kind of media. @jazzmyth.bsky.social @19thnews.org

Political ads with made-up trans people are being used to bash Democrats

Elon Musk’s super PAC dropped dozens of ads this week in key Senate races, and the majority of them focus on trans people.

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 10/09/2026

Muslim women have spent 25 years navigating the effects of 9/11 — and a growing perception that their faith and visibility pose a cultural threat.

For many Muslim women, the racism and suspicion after 9/11 still hasn’t lifted

Muslim women have spent 25 years navigating the effects of 9/11 — and a growing perception that their faith and visibility pose a cultural threat.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

It will be much more difficult to answer questions related to gender, race and ethnicity in workplaces once Trump’s U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enacts a key Project 2025 recommendation and scraps its 60-year practice collecting workforce demographic data from employers @19thnews.org

Does your employer discriminate? It's about to get harder to find out.

Congress created the EEOC to enforce civil rights laws in the workplace. The 61-year-old agency is about to stop collecting the data it has relied on to identify systemic discrimination.

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 08/09/2026

Gone are the days when the only image of a working-class voter was a blue-collar White man who works in a factory and drives a truck, though that is still who politicians often pander to. Can working-class women help Democrats win back working-class votes?

Everyone wants to win working-class voters. But have they realized many are women?

The working class isn't just White men in hard hats anymore. A crop of women candidates may be the ones who can earn their votes.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Hootie hoo it's Carla Hall! 😍

Reposted by Faith Smith

Orion Rummler @oriion.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Before I started hormone therapy, I studied all the side effects and knew what to expect long before my first doctor’s appointment. But it wasn’t until I put my reporter hat on that I realized how much more there is beneath the surface. And it’s really cool.

The surprising ways hormones can change your body

Hormone therapy can have profound effects on our immune systems, gut bacteria, our brains, senses and sex lives.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Steinem’s work combining journalism and feminist action converged in 1972, when she co-founded Ms. magazine and quickly emerged as a key symbol of second-wave feminism and its focus on the way reproductive rights, labor rights, and sexuality converged in women’s lived experiences. via @19thnews.org

Gloria Steinem, an iconic voice of feminism, dies at 92

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off,” said Steinem, who founded Ms. magazine and pushed for equality.

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 01/09/2026

She endured eight hysteroscopies, four years of fertility treatment and turned to surrogacy to grow her family. When she unexpectedly became pregnant herself, Texas’ abortion ban made her next decision far more complicated.

Tina wanted another baby. She also needed an abortion. Texas made both harder.

She endured eight hysteroscopies and years of IVF, turning to surrogacy to grow her family. When she unexpectedly became pregnant herself, the state's abortion ban made her next decision far more comp...

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Owens has successfully positioned herself as a journalist, an investigator, someone who digs deep and asks the hard questions. She mixes fact and fiction into these mirages of reality where it doesn’t matter whether things are true or false. And she weaves great narratives. @19thnews.org

These women don't trust politicians. They do trust Candace Owens.

The 19th spoke to several of her millions of listeners about why they trust her, what they’re skeptical of and how her views influence their own.

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Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 24/08/2026

Keshia Golden, a Black mother and survivor of domestic violence who says she accidentally killed her boyfriend in self-defense, accepted a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter that would allow her to avoid jail time. She will be on probation for 24 months.

Keshia Golden, who said she killed boyfriend in self-defense, accepts plea deal

As a Black woman and survivor of domestic violence, she chose not to gamble on a trial that could have seen her imprisoned for at least 20 years.

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 21/08/2026

Actions as simple as asking for and affirming a student’s name and pronouns can make trans students feel substantially safer and more likely to succeed in the classroom, a new report shows.

Higher grades and belonging: Trans students thrive when their teachers support them

Actions as simple as asking for and affirming a student’s name and pronouns can make trans students feel substantially safer and more likely to succeed in the classroom, a new report shows.

Reposted by Faith Smith

Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez @ramirez.house.gov · 21/08/2026

Residents in Gary, Indiana remain without power for more than a week after devastating storms. Residents are facing desperate conditions – spoiling food, no break from the heat, no way to keep medical devices charged. It is unacceptable!

'Survival mode': Indiana residents endure a ninth day without power

Tens of thousands of people in Indiana are entering a second week without power after a deadly storm toppled trees and power lines. Schools remain closed and businesses have been unable to reopen.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Freezing your eggs doesn’t guarantee pregnancy in the future. But it can offer a valuable option for people who are considering pregnancy down the line. @shefali.bsky.social in @19thnews.org explains what egg freezing involves and what questions to weigh if considering going through the process.

Should you freeze your eggs? What to know about the costs and process

Egg freezing is an increasingly popular fertility treatment, but there are multiple medical and financial considerations to take into account before starting the process.

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Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 03/08/2026

It’s our website’s sixth anniversary! 🎉 We hope you’ll join us in celebrating. Our goal is to raise $6,000 by the end of the week. Will you make a gift of $6 or any amount today to help power representative journalism? Every gift counts! bit.ly/3TyYZU3

Reposted by Faith Smith

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 22/07/2026

86 people in a single ICE holding room, "all jostling for space in a closet of humanity that smelled of sweat, urine and feces." What would we call it anywhere else? www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Despite being targeted at trans women, this policy has potential to impact intersex cisgender women — many of them don’t even know they are. There are no known trans women playing on the WTA. But plenty of cis women who now have to go through medical tests to prove their eligibility. @19thnews.org

Tennis is the first major women's sports league to require genetic testing

This policy impacts all women; and most other women’s leagues aren’t taking the plunge.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Bri remembers the guns [ICE] held, how the sight of them caused her to turn & run as fast as she ever had back into the safety of her apartment, back to her daughter. When she shut the door, she didn’t leave again for nearly 3 months. When her money ran out, she had no one to turn to. @19thnews.org

Single mothers lost months of income hiding from ICE — and now can’t afford to renew immigration papers

They survived ICE's takeover in Minneapolis. But now their DACA protections are set to expire, leaving dozens scrambling to afford hundreds of dollars in fees to maintain their legal status.

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Reposted by Faith Smith

Men in Blazers Media Network @meninblazers.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Spain’s Nico Williams gave his mother, Maria, his World Cup winner’s medal after Sunday’s final ❤️💛 Nico's parents trekked some 2,000 miles across the Sahara from Ghana to Spain as refugees. Now, their son is a world champion 🥹

Reposted by Faith Smith

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.

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.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Multiple reports of domestic violence incidents against Brouillette - the Maine ICE agent linked to a fatal shooting - raise questions about the agency’s hiring practices as it rapidly grew its ranks to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. @19thnews.org

Maine ICE agent linked to fatal shooting has history of domestic violence accusations

Relatives of David Brouillette told reporters he was the agent who shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. They also alleged he has physically and verbally abused women in his life.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Counterpoint. Chill out and let the host country add their unique touches. I don't recall all this pearl clutching when the hosts put a bisht on Messi at the final in Quatar.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Unlike her late brother, Darline Graham has never run for or held elected office — until appointed to serve the remainder of his term this week. Instead, she has worked in vocational rehab, publicly funded programs that help people with disabilities overcome barriers to employment. @19thnews.org

Darline Graham's career centered disability. Now she could help shape national policy.

Lindsey Graham's sister has spent decades in South Carolina's disability services, earning praise from advocates who hope she'll bring that expertise to Congress.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

By 14 Genevieve spent her free time wandering around the surrounding desert, avoiding home. That’s how she befriended a neighbor, a divorced father with two children who was 28 years older than her. “He kind of started grooming me after he figured out that I didn’t want to be at home." @19thnews.org

What would it take to end child marriage? There's a new federal push to limit it.

Child marriage is still legal in most states. Democrats in Congress introduced a bill Thursday that provides states with a practical roadmap to end the practice.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Black women were the group of voters who most strongly rejected Trump in the 24 election. Though Trump won’t be on the ballot, their experience in his second term could galvanize and reengage these Black women to show up at the polls in even greater numbers, in the midterms and beyond. @19thnews.org

For Black women hit by anti-DEI backlash, this election is personal

The career Kecia Ellick spent decades building was upended by political backlash. She sees voting for Keisha Lance Bottoms as a way to assert — and reclaim — her power.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

@19thnews.org spoke with domestic violence service providers that had to cut back hours due to delays in federal grant payouts; adding administrative overhead [to DV aid] stretches overburdened staff beyond capacity. That means less time to support people fleeing what can often be lethal violence.

Domestic violence groups fear survivor services could disappear without warning

A new rule change would allow agencies to terminate federal grants for political reasons — without a reason or appeal.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

“Children with disabilities should not be forced to travel across the city just to get the education they deserve,” Mamdani said. “Every child deserves to learn and grow in their community, and every family deserves a public education system that meets them exactly where they are.” @19thnews.org

The nation’s largest school system is expanding special education for its youngest learners

New York City’s $67.5 million investment in preschoolers comes as families and advocates worry federal changes could make special education services even harder to access.

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Reposted by Faith Smith

Aaron Bady @zunguzungu.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

It really is wild seeing people decide, on woke grounds and annoyance with FIFA and VAR shenanigans, that Argentina is somehow worse than England, the worst country in the history of the world, and recorded universe.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, has touted her medical background in treating children as the right experience for elected office. Andrews (focused on) measles pneumonia, noting the condition could be prevented by vaccines, a policy issue after a SC outbreak @bcrodriguez.bsky.social @19thnews.org

Who is Dr. Annie Andrews? The Senate candidate in the spotlight after Lindsey Graham's death

The pediatrician and Democratic nominee is drawing national attention after Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death reshaped South Carolina's U.S. Senate race.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Although many colleges offer emergency housing, food pantries or motel vouchers to students, these interventions are short-term. Dax House aims to give housing-insecure students stability with its wraparound services, including year-round housing. @nadrakn.bsky.social for @19thnews.org

College students were facing homelessness. These New York nuns had room in their convent.

At the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, eight women pay $250 a month for a room of their own — and the stability to pursue a college degree.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

“One of (Collins') biggest vulnerabilities is abortion, and she knows it,” said Mini Timmaraju. “She’s been a massive disappointment, and Maine voters do not approve of her lack of leadership on this issue." @shefali.bsky.social and @gracepanetta.bsky.social report in @19thnews.org

The race to unseat Susan Collins is resetting around abortion

Democrats say Collins' actions undermine her stated support for reproductive rights — an argument they hope will resonate with the women voters who could decide the Maine Senate race.

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Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Consumer advocates warn that gamified, app-based betting carries the same addiction risks as traditional sports betting, even if dressed up as entertainment trivia. Younger users are at higher risk, 50 percent of last season’s “Love Island” viewers were under 30. @19thnews.org

Men found 'Love Island.' Then they started betting on it.

Prediction market apps are turning America's hottest dating show into a different obsession — and bringing a new audience into the villa.

Reposted by Faith Smith

19thnews @19thnews.org · 10/07/2026

The Women’s Pro Baseball League has announced its debut teams — and they all pay homage to historical women heroes. Here’s the history behind the team names: bit.ly/4vWtCRA

Reposted by Faith Smith

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

“.. part of a growing number of similar violent interactions involving civilians and immigration agents. More than 20 people have been shot at since September, nearly all of them in their cars.” @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/u...

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

The fight over teaching race and gender in college classrooms is escalating. @nadrakn.bsky.social via @19thnews.org

The fight over teaching race and gender in college classrooms is escalating

Two court cases this week — one blocking Florida's Stop WOKE Act and another challenging restrictions at Texas Tech — could shape how states and universities decide what professors teach.

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

The stunning implosion of Platner's campaign has shaken the Democratic Party and left Maine Democrats scrambling to find a replacement — and feeds into an existential debate as to how Democrats should campaign on a vision of masculinity. @gracepanetta.bsky.social @19thnews.org

Graham Platner was ‘electable’ — until he wasn’t

Democrats say they want a fighter. Does it have to be a White man?

Faith Smith @faithsm.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

“There are far too few Americans who truly understand what is at stake,” Rep. Analilia Mejia said. “You cannot have American democracy without equality, and you cannot have equality under the law without adhering to and upholding the 14th Amendment.” @amandabecker.bsky.social for @19thnews.org

House Democrats want Americans to know their 14th Amendment rights are at risk

Rep. Analilia Mejia approached Democratic leaders with an idea to form a task force examining how attacks on the amendment promising birthright citizenship also threaten reproductive, voting and LGBTQ...