A drawing by a 5-year-old girl detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas with her mother Hayam El-Gamal. “I am 5 years old” is written at the top of the page. Lower down, next to stick figures, are the words “let us go.” Courtesy of Eric Lee, Lee & Godshall-Bennett, LLP

A Puerto Rican activist in Minneapolis had to prepare her kids for if they got stopped by ICE. She told her daughter, “‘Do not engage. This is not the time to be cussing at anyone.’” But she said, “‘Mom, if I create enough noise, my friends can get away.’”

This morning our newsletter readers received Mays Kuhail’s mstory “Between the Seas,” which was awarded second place in our annual Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction competition by Nancy Jooyoun Kim (@nancyjooyounkim.bsky.social). nimrodjournal.substack.com/p/between-th...

Please buy books that are coming out this year. Doesn’t have to be mine. But there is a stellar release calendar this year especially of Black writers and it would be a shame if one of the fascist victories was people not buying those books (from the indies that are in the fight with us). #BookSky

A resignation letter: "We all saw it. We all saw, with our own two eyes, people getting dragged like dogs and killed. But we could not write one line about it on the newspaper. In shame, we put down our pens. May 20, 1980 All Journalists of Jeonnam Maeil Shinmun"

People really don't believe me when I say THIS BOOK IS MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT but especially right now THIS BOOK IS MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT Gather a group of friends and read it together. Organizers, especially lefties, should be doing a reading group about it.

It’s like a toddler but zero charm and zero beauty 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you weren’t able to join us for the 2025 Literary Prize presentation, you can view it here. An inspiring double reading! Our thanks to our winners and judges, including @talianeffson.bsky.social, @nancyjooyounkim.bsky.social, and @randallmann.bsky.social! youtube.com/watch?v=r53p...

Go to protests Sign up to be on mailing lists Practice good operational security Don’t volunteer information you don’t need to, like where you plan to be Know your phone gives away information even when locked Don’t use face unlock or print to unlock your phone

@lataco.bsky.social is featuring my newest on how la migra has ruined summer in LA. I spoke to an elected official, activists, and educators about how they are meeting the moment and protecting youth!

The daily fear of simply living in LA, under a constant threat from ICE, has upended life for undocumented immigrants. For many, it means sheltering in place—avoiding work, social life, or even a walk outside.

The president is attempting to destroy federal funding for libraries. EveryLibrary made it easy to take action today! action.everylibrary.org/saveimls2025 via @everylibrary.bsky.social

AL CAPONE DILLINGER NANCY

Working on my third (and possibly final?!) Koreatown novel now and getting emotional and hungry. Hope to see some of you in my great, suffering and proud hometown (LA!) next week

this vulture review made me cry (complimentary) happy pub day to my clown book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dazzled to be part of this all-star panel! Come find us at AWP!

It’s late. Read it in the morning. But my new one is up. open.substack.com/pub/sherrily...

If you're going to be at AWP, don't miss this amazing panel on finding and working with the agent that's right for you, moderated by our very own senior editor, Emma Komlos-Hrobsky! #AWP25

#awp25 LA, meet us there? I know we are all full of dread but I promise this will be a good one—smart, informative, and…fun. Trust us women to get the job done as they say 😉💞📚 @thebestjasmine.bsky.social @abwycisk.bsky.social @rootliterary.bsky.social @pw.org w/ Emma Komlos-Hrobsky

@lailalalami.com on why people fear real-life dystopia but love dystopian fiction.

If you think resisting the nazis was only about active violence, & not also about the grinding & halting of gears, the bureaucratic sabotage, the disruption of process, then go reassess what you understand about history. It's not everything, but it's a slowdown for them, & breathing space for us.

A legend has passed. K.W. Lee was a towering figure in journalism, Koreatown, Asian America and the pursuit of truth and justice. So gratified that Julie Ha and Eugene Yi centered K.W. in "Free Chol Soo Lee." Deepest sympathy to his family and loved ones. asamnews.com/2025/03/10/f...

If you’re looking for something smart, deeply uncomfortable, moving, AND hilarious, this is it www.vulture.com/article/mo-a...

If you’re feeling demoralized, know that psychological warfare is part of the enemy’s tactics and manage your PUBLIC response accordingly

The US was certain it could beat the Vietnamese into submission The Montgomery Bus Boycott looked for a long while like it wouldn’t work Napoleon had a better prepared army than Russia It really ain’t over until it’s over

Freedom à la Nancy

Trump: I’m going to kill your loved ones. Democrats: [wave placard] Trump: Especially the black ones. And the gay ones Democrats: [strenuously wave placards]

Amazon will be a euphemism for commissary

Some figures on the potential death toll from Musk's pointless destruction of USAID, from a memo written by a fired official. He will be remembered as one of the great monsters of history. 1/x

Yes everything is horrible and you can still have a beautiful brunch with friends @ Lulu’s in Albany CA (mezze platter, shukaquiles, Philly roti)

This is a gruesome DOGE-sque response to the WaPo opinions implosion. Instead of being ashamed of themselves and doing better, it’s like “look, at least we are not WaPo” while revealing their absolute vileness to trans people and people of color

It would be great if this were every Friday and eventually …forever?

I can literally only read this if I imagine it in the voice of Dr. Evil trying to hug his son/Seth Green

He loved 1984! He’s read it a billionaire times by the glow of his megayacht hearth where he giggles, and sometimes cries. Big Brother is his Tom Sawyer

My next novel, BOG QUEEN, comes out on October 7 from @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social and you can preorder it here: geni.us/bogqueen

I just borrowed the Age of Surveillance Capitalism like it’s a beach read from the library 🤷🏻‍♀️

Does anyone else use ecosia?

When five generations is a conservative estimate 🇰🇷

This is the exact moment in history where everyone’s gotta use whatever rando talents ya got to stop fascism

Some of the most empathetic people I know in the world cannot or do not read at all.

Yes and this is why I love writing my lil dystopian novel too

Letter Of Recommendation: Buying A Huge Fountain Soda To Drink In The Car While You Drive Around Doing Your Little Errands

Trump’s EO ruining the independence of federal agencies shows the real goal of Musk and Trump is not efficiency or even winning the culture wars. It’s thievery. And they are *exceptional* thieves. My latest in @thenation.com

I wrote about Cafewal, a "free restaurant" in the East Village training refugees to work in professional kitchens ny.eater.com/2025/2/20/24...

Teachers teach. We need a leaderful movement, and there are leaders all around us.

Working on a longer thing, so this week’s nl is short and cozy

When a whole country becomes a game show called Flip the Plane! so that a handful of people can trash and leave our planet

And they’re using this same plan on our bodies as well.

“Imagining the future beyond the end of this world is part of what it means to live life now.”