iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Majority Black Gary, Indiana lost electricity for 2 weeks. @sarahlazare.bsky.social visited the city, finding buildings reeking of rotten food, elderly residents trapped in their homes, & mass chaos. This is what happens when climate disaster meets institutional neglect: prospect.org/2026/08/28/g...

prospect.org

Gary, Indiana, Is America’s Latest Climate Victim - The American Prospect

This community has already faced structural racism and disinvestment. A two-week blackout unleashed a humanitarian disaster.

11700258

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Real question: why do practically no content creators proofread their auto-generated captions? The mistakes are non-trivial and relentless, even from people with big budgets and huge followings. (Brought to you by seeing: "hitting you" when the person was saying "hitting on you.")

120

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The relentless onslaught of blatant horrors often means that quiet notice that other horrors are being planned can get overlooked. Such as the monumental implications of a HUD call for research proposals on whether they should just try to reduce housing demand: shelterforce.org/2026/07/13/s...

shelterforce.org

Should Everyone Have a Decent Home? Obscure HUD Document Suggests No — Shelterforce

A call for research proposals on reducing housing demand suggests a radical and troubling shift that may be coming in housing policy.

011

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

In this heat wave, I can't help but think of the homeless folks in Atlanta and elsewhere likely being moved along out of shady spots, losing their tents and meds, and otherwise having the already difficult business of living outside made even worse so World Cup fans don't have to see them.

shelterforce.org

Will the World Cup Fuel Arrests of Homeless People in Atlanta? — Shelterforce

As World Cup matches begin, advocates warn that Atlanta will ramp up arrests, displacement, and criminalization of homeless residents.

000

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

I am of the age that I mostly do not get comments from men on the street anymore. But if there are going to be exceptions to that, "You look like a pretty tyrant" is acceptable. Odd, but acceptable. (Especially as it was delivered with no attempt to get me to respond. Good form.)

000

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I love Eric Sirota's poetry so much. And this one crosses my personal interests in housing justice and contemporary poetic midrash, so bonus. shelterforce.org/2026/06/23/p...

shelterforce.org

Poem: Exodus — Shelterforce

A poem by housing attorney Eric Sirota that highlights the existential absurdity of our system’s treatment of low-income renters.

020

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I'm looking forward to moderating this conversation on Wednesday. We need some non-naive types of hope right now, and these folks are some great ones to give it.

010

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

No editor is excited to deal with threatening lawyers representing an unhappy article subject. But last fall @shelterforce.bsky.social encountered something worse—a landlord trying to take tenants to court for having talked to us in the past. So we did what journalists do—wrote a story about it.

shelterforce.org

How a Landlord Tried to Silence Tenants and Stop a Shelterforce Story — Shelterforce

Chicago tenants stopped speaking publicly about their landlord as part of settling their eviction cases. His lawyers still came after them.

262

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Shelterforce has been covering what can be done in the current political environment at the local level. Many tenant organizers, especially in areas with state pre-emption, have been leading the way on power building and directly targeting private actors for years. shelterforce.org/2026/05/06/s...

shelterforce.org

Rent Strikes, Targeting Tax Breaks, and Data: Tenant Organizing Beyond Legislative Campaigns — Shelterforce

Facing federal and state legislature intransigence, tenant organizing strategies that emphasize building-level organizing are gaining ground.

100

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

A core part of the Supreme Court’s stated rationale for gutting the Voting Rights Act is that racism isn’t a problem anymore, so former Confederate states would never disenfranchise Black voters the way those states are doing right now.

502245686

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Kenzie Bok, CEO of Boston Housing Authority, speaking at #HousingIs2026 about leading the way on experimenting with eviction prevention strategies that others are adopting: “It’s supposed to be the private sector that takes risks, but it’s actually the public sector all the time.”

000

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

There's never a good time to be homeless, but it's getting to be a worse time in the U.S., with attacks on services and threats of detention camps. So eviction prevention had to be part of any series on "what we can do at the state and local level." shelterforce.org/2026/04/29/a...

shelterforce.org

Avoiding Evictions: How State and Local Policy Can Keep Tenants in Their Homes — Shelterforce

Preventing unnecessary evictions is more important than ever for local governments. Here are some of the approaches being tried.

100

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

8 hours for work, 8 hours for rest, 8 hours for what we will requires a safe, decent, affordable place to rest. Which is why tenant leaders like Dolores from Albany’s Ida Yarborough Tenant Union belong at May Day! (Credit to Dio, who introduced her, for the 8 hours comparison.)

000

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Things are rough out there for many affordable housing managers, though many are, understandably, reluctant to talk about it publicly. @shelterforce.bsky.social's Shelby King will be looking into aspects of this dynamic all year long. Here's the overview. shelterforce.org/2026/04/24/b...

shelterforce.org

Breaking Point: Why the Affordable Housing Business Model Is Unraveling — Shelterforce

With rising insurance, debt, and operating costs outpacing rents and subsidies, affordable housing is becoming harder to finance.

021

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

What a great, thorough piece about the role of benches in our public spaces. As long COVID and its associated fatigue gets more common more places to sit are going to be essential for letting folks participate in public life and all the dynamics in this article will come into play in the process.

1153

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Requirements that violate federal statute and evidence-based practice. No guidance in navigating the application‚ unless you are a religious provider. And the knowledge that people who were going to be ok are now going to die. shelterforce.org/2026/04/20/w...

shelterforce.org

“A Grim March Toward Death”: What HUD’s New Homeless Policy Looks Like on the Ground — Shelterforce

Homelessness services administrators share their views on how proposed cuts, rapid changes to funding guidelines, and delays are affecting their work.

000

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Shelterforce @shelterforce.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Today at 1 PM ET. Join Shelterforce + Lincoln Institute for a live conversation on how to make homeownership more affordable. Register: bit.ly/4dxHuM1 #HousingNow

001

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 15/04/2026

Happy Tax Day, New York. We’re taxing the rich.

795362567596

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

There's some really concrete stuff in here. Glad to have been able to put it together, and grateful for everyone out there continuing to make a way out of no way.

010

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.com · 08/04/2026

The more you love ProPublica, the more reason to not visit their site today.

6743311

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

It's mindboggling to have even say this is completely unacceptable, but it is completely unacceptable, and heartbreakingly, the fact that so many of us feel like we shouldn't have to say so is probably part of what's letting it happen.

000

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Sheryl Weikal says Prosecute ICE @leftistlawyer.com · 04/04/2026

Right wingers: "People should come to the US the legal way!" Immigrants: *come in the legal way* ICE: *deports them anyway* Right wingers: "They should have come in the legal way!"

1029974

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Alaska Public Media @alaskapublic.org · 03/04/2026

A high vacancy rate should put renters in the driver's seat, but the Fairbanks rental market is an example of why that's not necessarily true. Listen to more below.

akpub.io

Think lots of vacancy means easy renting? In Fairbanks, it's not that simple.

The Fairbanks rental market goes to show why a single data point can fail to tell the whole story about what it's like to look for a place to live.

073

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

This is unconscionable. We lead homeowners to believe they are building nest eggs and then let "investors" (I would definitely argue these folks are speculators not investors, they aren't adding anything of value anywhere) steal it all without warning. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3drD...

youtube.com

How ‘zombie mortgages’ are coming back to haunt homeowners years later

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour

100

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

All eyes are on Iran right now, rightfully, but the lessons of Minneapolis for organizing and collective care in the U.S. are only going to get more relevant. And tenant organizers are in the thick of it. shelterforce.org/2026/02/27/s...

shelterforce.org

Safe and Sheltered: How Tenant Organizers Protect Their Neighbors in Minneapolis — Shelterforce

To protect themselves from ICE, many families are staying home; tenant organizers are pushing for eviction moratoriums to keep them safe.

000

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

The Vertlartnic @thev.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Why Do Some People Still Wear Masks In 2026 And On A Completely Unrelated Note Why Is Everyone In The Office Sick Right Now Apart From The Guy In The Mask?

A woman in a mask
Headline:
Why Do Some People Still Wear Masks In 2026 And On A Completely Unrelated Note Why Is Everyone In The Office Sick Right Now Apart From The Guy In The Mask?
Story from Jerk Wingley and Terramin Defishunsee

Photo from Adobe

8094233356

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Iran’s people were facing a horrible shortage of water before the war began. If we are destroying desalination plants and setting fire to Teheran we are committing unfathomable crimes.

763251228005

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

I enjoy the editing and planning work that is most of my job, but I also do love getting my teeth into actually reporting a story now and then, and I'm getting to do that this week and it's great. Been too long.

000

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Tenant organizing calls to mind neighbors in an apartment building getting together to negotiate with their landlord. But with the rise of the single family rentals and corporate landlords, it now often has to look a little different. shelterforce.org/2026/01/22/s...

shelterforce.org

Scattered Homes, Shared Landlords: The Changing Landscape of Tenant Organizing

As the single-family rental market grows, organizers are adapting their tactics to a housing landscape that stretches across neighborhoods.

010

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

The term “law enforcement” should not be used by media, except perhaps in quotations. It has sadly become an Orwellian term that is used to magically sanctify violence. Language matters. Be specific. Describe individuals with names and ranks. Say exactly what they did. Don’t repeat fascist hocum.

5536591289

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

So important. What they say is not the story. That is never the story. What happened is the story. Write what happened.

9188172771

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 25/01/2026

A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.

5154719514179

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Taylor Lorenz @taylorlorenz.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

"Haidt’s claims of inherent harm are not well-founded, and the policy proposals to ban kids entirely from social media are a bad idea. For older teenage boys, having no social media was associated with *worse* outcomes than having too much of it"

techdirt.com

Two Major Studies, 125,000 Kids: The Social Media Panic Doesn’t Hold Up

For years now, we’ve been repeatedly pointing out that the “social media is destroying kids” narrative, popularized by Jonathan Haidt and others, has been built on a foundation of…

20434153

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

@shelterforce.bsky.social doesn't usually run general housing affordability pieces b/c our readers already care. But this one was so full zingers, I couldn't not. shelterforce.org/2026/01/16/o...

shelterforce.org

Our Housing System Assumes Homelessness

Our lack of affordable housing isn't a failure on the part of the people seeking housing—it's a failure of the market.

231

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Places to send resources to support folks on the ground in Minnesota. Notice the rent funds—just like early in COVID, when home is the only safe place, helping folks staying stably housed is more crucial than ever.

docs.google.com

Stand With Minnesota: Resource Hub

Causes to Donate to in Minnesota to Help Our Communities Defend Themselves from ICE This list is now available/shareable at standwithminnesota.org *Note: I am from Minnesota, and these come from peo...

010

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

If you're heard of "TOPA" but aren't sure what it is or how it works, @shelterforce.bsky.social has got a video for you! (Hint: It stands for Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, but it's used generically to mean any such policy, not just the original one in DC.)

shelterforce.org

What Is TOPA?

TOPA is a policy that gives tenants some specific rights when their building goes up for sale. Here we describe what they typically include.

011

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 09/01/2026

Reminder that “Say her name” was developed specifically to call attention to murders of Black women

113079904

Miriam Axel-Lute @miriam-mjoy.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Infuriating that these photos show a respirator mask being worn very poorly (way too low on the nose, nose piece not shaped). I know how hard it is to find good images, but @theguardian.com should have been more careful. Also the headline writer should realize the public calls these both face masks.

theguardian.com

Face masks ‘inadequate’ and should be swapped for respirators, WHO is advised

Experts are urging guideline changes on what health professionals should wear to protect against flu-like illnesses including Covid

020

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Anthony Moser @anthonymoser.com · 08/01/2026

start with what it is (not what it isn't) focus on why they're lying (not their lies) make it about them (not her) eat their frame

2394132

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Make it viral.

3594741621268

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Iron Spike @ironspike.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

One guy tried, unsuccessfully, to blow up a plane with a bomb in his sneakers, and everybody had to take off their shoes at the airport for the next 20 years. Chatbots have a collective body count equal to Richard "The Night Stalker" Ramirez, and they're trying to put them in schools.

891693251

Reposted by Miriam Axel-Lute

Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Despite what we are often told, this line from Mamdani’s inauguration speech is what true pragmatism actually looks like: “Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed. But never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.”

216187972888