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Christa (she/her)

@wordrascal.bsky.social
523 followers 646 following 485 posts

Graduate student: #traumainformed #emergencymanagement @umainegradschool. disaster-minded.ghost.io Survivor of corporate life, self employment, & CPTSD, not necessarily in that order; n00b #civilservant. Introverted ADHD'er. I stan #raccoons.

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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Nancy Levine Stearns @nancylevinestearns.bsky.social · 20h
🚨NEW by me: New ICE facility for unaccompanied migrant kids is about to open in Louisiana. While ICE is sanitizing optics, calling it the "Alexandria Family Staging Center," lawmakers and child advocates are raising the roof warning of child trafficking risks. www.thequeenzone.com/new-ice-faci...
thequeenzone.com
New ICE Facility for Migrant Children Raises Alarm Over Trafficking Risks
A new ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) facility for unaccompanied children, families, and single women is set to...
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 18h
(It is possible I should have waited to post this until after I read more of the Sphere Handbook, but I'm in "learn as you go" mode in class and anyway I'm practicing being imperfect and putting imperfect things out into the world)
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19h
Humanitarian Care Has Standards. Who Knew? disaster-minded.ghost.io/humanitarian... The title for this post is somewhat tongue in cheek. Until this semester of grad school, I literally didn't know that humanitarian care has standards. This post talks about how important they are for us all.
disaster-minded.ghost.io
Humanitarian Care Has Standards. Who Knew?
How to deliver mass care services without traumatizing the masses
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Almost like a whole generation of kids, having grown up watching their parents get laid off, work ridiculous hours, deal with toxic workplace bs, etc decided the corporate life wasn't for them. So, sure, let's punish them all.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My kid is a music major at WCU. He told me after he was accepted that he was told the reason it took weeks to hear back was that the music school had its largest ever application pool this year.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Not criticism directed at the organizers obv, but rarher, those gaslighting the rest of us.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The utter lack of imagination for restorative solutions that could reintegrate -- at both individual and community levels.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
jj skolnik @supremenothing.myatproto.social · 20/09/2026
i genuinely do think a lot of people’s politics start from ego instead of a genuine desire for the world to be more fair and less full of suffering
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Music in the US & maybe the West generally has become so commercialized, we forget its roots, but so many cultural traditions' music has documented oppression as much as love or angst or fun. Just heartbreaking that it *still* has to be about this.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I was able to at least research a sampling for this week's post. Ultimately though, maybe it's not what has or hasn't gone away; it's knowing what has been, what we need now & into the future, & from there how to build it.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
A lot of it is because I ended up with no time to research various government programs & projects, or more specifically, whether they were still funded / staffed after last year's cuts.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
My summer reading left me with lots of thoughts and feelings I didn't know how to articulate, especially since August brought a lot of overtime. Ironically, this semester's readings helped clear the mental logjam.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I'm neck deep in graduate classwork when I'm not at my day job, but I adapted a Brightspace discussion board post for this week's blog: This Semester's (and Summer) Reading List Has Me Mourning, and Marginally Hopeful disaster-minded.ghost.io/this-semeste...
disaster-minded.ghost.io
This Semester's (and Summer) Reading List Has Me Mourning, and Marginally Hopeful
Some reads feel like anachronisms, but others offer a different way to approach old assumptions
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
camacho @bencamach0.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Part 2 of this story is up on Inadvertent: www.inadvertent.news/p/tunneling-... This series is better paired with a longer reader session. : )
inadvertent.news
Tunneling Through Sand
How Long Beach Police used the statements of a victim with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to underpin an already weak case.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Edie Schaffer ❌👑 @sfedie.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
#Firefighting is inherently dangerous but it’s unconscionable that the #Trump admin is heightening that danger by refusing to adequately staff & provide resources & support to the #USFS. Congress must act to safeguard USFS personnel so they in turn can protect us. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
‘We’re near a breaking point:’ firefighters say US government is failing them amid intense wildfire season
US grapples with federal firefighter shortage as crews say they’re spread thin and lack resources during unrelenting year of fire
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 11/09/2026
25 years ago, terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people, including 2,753 New Yorkers. As we remember that terrible day, let us also remember the first responders, office workers and strangers who ran toward danger to help each other.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
hopeful66 @hopeful66.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Yes bc by that logic we should also not require Selective Service at 18 or allow drivers licenses at 16. Or, for that matter, jobs bc who knows what risk a young person will expose an employer to with their poor decision making? Oh but it's fine when it's for the "productivity" cult, right? 🙄
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
But I don't believe people who definitely committed crimes should be subject to this kind of exploitation. Modeling predatory behavior reinforces that it's desirable, at which point, as a society, we're communicating that we don't really want healthy reentry or rehabilitation.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Yes, increasingly it seems (has for a long time) that the presumption of guilt is the default. My contact is a woman convicted of attempted murder even though the state didn't even come close to meeting its burden of proof. She couldn't sufficiently prove she was innocent.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Thanks again. That's very helpful, but I'm so sorry you got stuck in that position with a loved one.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Thank you for the tip. I'm stretched pretty thin w limited (as in no) time to research issues like this. I did think of the AG angle, but it was unclear which to contact: my state? state where the prison is located? state where ViaPath is headquartered? so I guess it'll be my backup plan.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Natasha @nastynatasha--1.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Meanwhile, if you're looking for some long-weekend reading, this is the story to which I'm referring: www.inadvertent.news/p/tunnel-vis... and www.inadvertent.news/p/tunneling-...
inadvertent.news
Did Tunnel Vision Result in a Long Beach Woman’s Wrongful Conviction?
And did police and prosecutors exploit a victim’s traumatic brain injury to win it?
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
ViaPath insists: "We are committed to making connections easier and more accessible, so families can focus on what matters most: strengthening relationships and building strong, lasting bonds that support successful reentry." www.viapath.com/friends-fami... Nah. They don't care.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Every other company on the planet emails me unsolicited when they update their TOS. This one couldn't be arsed? Anyway, while I'm awaiting a response, I must point out the psychopathy of ViaPath's website marketing language given my experience & those of so many families: slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com
I Pay by the Minute to Look at Pictures of My Parents. Prison Math Is Heartbreaking.
In North Carolina prisons, a private company charges for every minute we want to send or receive messages. Every dollar isolates us more.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Not to mention, according to their own TOS, my attempt to message Erica should have reactivated my account. It did not. I'm sure they'll argue I should've signed up for "account inactivity" email or text alerts. I argue a) had I known it was needed, I might've, & b) I shouldn't have to at all.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I think their TOS is designed to appear that they are complying, but I never received any communications about the change of TOS, my account deactivation, or a clear process for getting a refund. Nor have I been able to get in touch with their support.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
They had previously been sued over this shit and, while we still had a functional government, ordered to pay $3m along with engaging in better business practices: www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2025/ju...
prisonlegalnews.org
GTL/ViaPath Ordered to Pay $3 Million for Violations 
of Consumer Protection Laws | Prison Legal News
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Addendum to last week's story: I had to file a complaint w the BBB after it appeared ViaPath deactivated my account w/o my knowledge (i.e. they never informed me that their TOS changed as of 6/1). They are holding funds hostage that I already deposited so I could message Erica about her story.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
My musician kid: *explains the music theory concept of circle of fifths* Me: "I cooked five pancakes in a circle in the pan"
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
When I was volunteering at the COVID19 vaccine POD in 2021, people would say over and over again that they were getting vaccinated for the people they love. Last year, only 17.5% of American adults got the COVID19 vaccine. Please get one for the people you love. 💕
Photo of a brunette with a braid in her hair, standing in front of a sign that says Vaccinated with a count of 30,000. 

She is wearing glasses, a Sun Studio t-shirt, and an orange high vis vest.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
ProPublica @propublica.org · 02/09/2026
NEW: Residents of a riverfront trailer park in the Appalachian Mountains have lost homes and loved ones in multiple storms. A policy gap puts mobile home residents in harm’s way again and again. with @theassemblync.bsky.social
propublica.org
Hurricane Helene Killed His Wife and Destroyed His Mobile Home. New Tenants Are Now Renting the Same Flood-Prone Land.
Residents of a riverfront trailer park in the Appalachian Mountains have lost homes and loved ones in multiple storms. A policy gap puts mobile home residents in harm’s way again and again.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Prison Policy Initiative @prisonpolicy.org · 02/09/2026
"The alarming conditions inside Delaney Hall and other ICE jails have long been the reality of daily life for nearly 2 million incarcerated people in this country." The entire U.S. carceral system is built on cruelty.
theappeal.org
I’ve Seen Prison Conditions Kill. That’s What’s Happening at Delaney Hall.
As a person incarcerated in Texas, I know that rotten food and poor medical care are not unique to Delaney Hall.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Puff the Magic Hater @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I was never a Potter fan, and obviously wouldn't engage with the new show on moral grounds, even if I were, but I am also so sick of repeatedly recycled IP. Give writers a chance to give us new stories ffs.
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
If Part 1 was the setup, then Part 2 is the delivery: here, I show exactly how much of a travesty this case was, for both accused AND accuser. open.substack.com/pub/inadvert...
open.substack.com
Tunneling Through Sand
How Long Beach Police used the statements of a victim with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to underpin an already weak case.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I first became aware of @thefurbearers.bsky.social after they very kindly reviewed my 1st children's book nearly 10y ago now. It's nice to see continued intersections / overlapping concerns!
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Reposted by Christa (she/her)
The Fur-Bearers @thefurbearers.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The Fur-Bearers has sent an open letter to BC’s political leadership calling for reduced commercial and recreational trapping as wildlife face growing pressures from wildfires, drought and climate change. The letter also calls for meaningful protection for beavers: buff.ly/a93y71I #BCpoli #BCgov
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
@geauxgabrielle.blacksky.app here is the investigation I was talking about, well, a month ago now: bsky.app/profile/word... Is the committee you mentioned for Illinois-based cases only? If it is, anything comparable in CA that you / your boyfriend are aware of?
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
As a reminder, Erica Johnson is currently incarcerated for life in a California prison as a result of all this.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
And why do wrongful convictions still matter in a world on fire? Well, I wrote about that too: disaster-minded.ghost.io/wrongful-con...
disaster-minded.ghost.io
Wrongful Convictions Still Matter in a World on Fire
The physical, mental, and economic traumas at the core of my investigation can make us all vulnerable
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Fifth: no call logs or text messages were introduced (or even collected, that we're aware of) to support the state's case. Sixth: witness statements that changed dramatically between the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and trial testimony.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Fourth: the way the state had to contort its narrative to support its case against Erica Johnson. At least one key witness was never interviewed or called to testify, charged as an accessory, or otherwise asked to give his side of the story.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Third: the compounding factors of mental illnesses reportedly present in both Carr and his mother, who had spoken with him about the night of the shooting before detectives were able to interview him.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Second: the police detectives hadn't received the specialized training they would have needed to conduct a proper forensic interview if, in fact, a forensic interview was even appropriate given Carr's verbal limitations.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
First: I interviewed an expert on traumatic brain injury (TBI) to lay out how vulnerable these patients can be. Medical records I received suggest the gunshot may well have affected the memories of the victim in this case, Mario Carr.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
If Part 1 was the setup, then Part 2 is the delivery: here, I show exactly how much of a travesty this case was, for both accused AND accuser. open.substack.com/pub/inadvert...
open.substack.com
Tunneling Through Sand
How Long Beach Police used the statements of a victim with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to underpin an already weak case.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
People don't understand the "first they came for the..." poem in terms of reprisals that are totally made up. You can fall in line, in other words, & have it not make any difference ultimately. Ppl who aren't familiar with abusers & abusiveness cannot comprehend the cognitive distortions.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
A happy late #Caturday from these very cautious ferals!
A white cat with black markings, curled up on dry vines, peers out from underneath green foliage.A white cat with black markings sits on broken cement in an overgrown parking lot, watching the photographer.A white cat with black markings peers out from behind a chain link fence underneath green foliage.
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Christa (she/her) @wordrascal.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
I'm afraid my first reaction to this was, "Who knew the alien invasion would begin by sucking all the pollinators up into the sky?" Clearly I have watched a few too many films of a certain genre.
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