Wrote about the Hacks series finale in my newsletter this week: marinafang.substack.com/p/hacks-seri...

Realized I had not shared this here yet: On May 4, after over 14 months of slogging through a Sisyphean job market, I started a new job managing relationships & communications (including writing two weekly newsletters) for a nonprofit with over 200 member organizations.

New Yorkers, Mayor Mamdani will join Gothamist for a conversation about his first 100 days at The Greene Space on Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. He'll be taking questions. gothamist.com/news/mayor-m... - please consider submitting questions about keeping his public library funding commitments.

roosevelt island has volunteer “petal protectors” who stop people from shaking the cherry blossoms 🥹🥹🥹 lovely new story from @lillysabs.bsky.social:

On Monday, had the honor of going home to Pittsburgh to moderate author Jade Song's book launch for her new novel I Love You Don't Die at @cityofasylum.bsky.social. Many thanks to everyone who joined us! If you're looking for a moderator for a book talk, post-screening Q&A, etc., get in touch.

I'm one of five visiting journalists at @mujschool.bsky.social for the next few days, working with students, leading a few workshops, and seeing some films at @truefalsefilmfest.bsky.social, as part of #CriticsinColumbia. More on this exciting pilot program: journalism.missouri.edu/2026/03/crit...

Wanted to reiterate that in addition to my continued search for full-time jobs, I'd love to pick up more short-term contract work. Do you need a writer to turn around a few stories for an upcoming project? A researcher or fact-checker for your book? etc. etc. Get in touch: [email protected]

When I wrote this story a few years ago, the main thing everyone I talked to said was that JVDB was always fully committed, whether he was playing a breakup scene with utter seriousness, or mocking the breakup scene 20 years later. Not everyone would have gone so hard! www.vox.com/culture/2236...

This is always the complaint of sophists who never seem to grasp that art! is! political!

We have launched a new fundraiser to support The Washington Post's courageous international employees and local staff who were laid off, who are not eligible for Guild protections, and who face additional logistical challenges and security risks. Please give & share widely: gofund.me/e765aab9f

After a month and a half break from print, the Reader makes its debut as a monthly. Thank you to everyone who supported the paper last year when we were scraping by week to week, and all the ups and downs before then. Thank you to everyone who picks up a new issue, it means the world.

the Washington Post effectively blew up its arts section today, dismissing its books, TV, music, and theater critics, features writers, and several editors. (I'm also guessing the vacant film critic position will stay that way.) Just an insane loss of talent and a huge self-inflicted wound.

So many people doing great work here; many of us were caught in layoffs repeatedly or squeezed out of traditional staff jobs. I value the indie media ecosystem so much but there's also a critical need for newsrooms and their resources: Some stories need a lot of support, especially investigations.

Sports coverage is more than scores. It’s about the people, politics and cultural factors that drive it. Sports journalism adds vivid color and context to these dynamics. Without it, every sports fan suffers. Some of the best sports journalism all-time came from WaPo. Inexcusable loss.

Well, I was laid off at The Washington Post today. It's been an honor to work with some of the best journalists in the business. I'm hoping to continue reporting, producing videos and finding long-forgotten archival footage. If you have any openings, reach out.

My time with The Washington Post is up. I was laid off with hundreds of folks I am so honored to call my colleagues. I covered it all at The Post (really), so now I'm looking for my next adventure. ➡️ kbellware [at] gmail dot com Website update coming soon @postguild.bsky.social forever

also being edited is GOOD having colleagues is GOOD being part of a context and community makes the work BETTER we can't all just be typing in little boxes alone in the dark forever

With the closing of the Kennedy Center and the cuts at the Post, the Washington, DC metro area has lost its biggest arts institution and of its largest local journalism outlet.

In the year since my layoff, many well-meaning people have said things like: "Start a newsletter/podcast/independent publication!" What about health insurance, legal support, and all the essentials — and frankly, more peace of mind — that a full-time job at an established news outlet provides?

I really hate that media layoffs have been happening for the last three years, including my own, and most of the people responsible for the mismanagement won't experience any negative consequences, especially for decimating the number of people of color in so many American newsrooms.

When I tried reporting on LSU, football, and gendered violence as a freelancer, I hit so many walls. I joined the team at USA Today and we did award-winning work bc, in large part, it was a big team of people and they were able to sue the school repeatedly, which was withholding public documents.

I don't know what it is about idiots who buy newspapers without understanding why they exist or what their business is, but I think gutting books coverage is some kind of canary in the coalmine. These jackasses don't read books, so they assume no one else does either.

The line in this courageous essay about her child not remembering her broke my heart. I hope she knows what an impact it had on so many people.

For any editors: I know budgets are really tight right now, but in addition to taking general pitches, if you have any series/packages for which you're looking for writers, or any ongoing or evergreen content that you rely on freelancers for, please reach out: [email protected]

In a lot of cultures, it's pretty common to call any elder of your parents' generation an aunt or uncle.

Some news: I'm starting a part-time contract role managing web content & newsletters at the Pratt Institute. Excited to turn over a new leaf. Still looking for full-time work & open to other PT/freelance work, so reach out if you're looking for an experienced reporter, editor, & journalism educator.

Love when a CEO undermines the work that their company produces www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Some news: I'm starting a part-time contract role managing web content & newsletters at the Pratt Institute. Excited to turn over a new leaf. Still looking for full-time work & open to other PT/freelance work, so reach out if you're looking for an experienced reporter, editor, & journalism educator.

🎤 Since it's that time of year: I'm available to moderate post-screening Q&As, book talks, awards season FYC panels, etc. If you're looking for an experienced moderator and interviewer, email me: [email protected]

UPDATE: Following the firing of the director of the student newspaper, Indiana University has now cut the print edition of the newspaper entirely. www.idsnews.com/article/2025...

TIL Diane Keaton directed an episode of Twin Peaks

Gene Hackman, Robert Redford and Diane Keaton all going in the same year. Absolute titans of '70s cinema

I know it's rough out there, but a periodic reminder that I'm on the job hunt. If you hire me, you'll get someone with over a decade of experience (see more below). In addition to journalism jobs, I'm also very open to roles in copywriting, comms, and/or teaching writing. Email in bio. Many thanks!

Support independent media, now more than ever. Not just news and politics, but film, TV, fashion and other cultural criticism and commentary, from podcasts to apps to good old-fashioned web sites. Pay for it. Turn your adblocker off so they can keep the lights on. Share it.

The following is a statement from the WGA on ABC’s decision to pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

The first thing I think of when I see Kimmel getting shut down is all of his staff, who don’t have millions of dollars, and who are about to be suddenly stuck without a job in a shitty job market where the cost of living is too high

again, it is an especially great time to support & buy books from the wonderful team at @loyaltybooks.bsky.social: loyaltybookstores.com

The union representing the musicians from Jimmy Kimmel’s band releases a statement calling the FCC’s pressure on Disney “state censorship.”

I know it's rough out there, but a periodic reminder that I'm on the job hunt. If you hire me, you'll get someone with over a decade of experience (see more below). In addition to journalism jobs, I'm also very open to roles in copywriting, comms, and/or teaching writing. Email in bio. Many thanks!

Breaking news: The White House has increased its pressure on the Smithsonian, calling out a list of exhibitions and materials mentioning race, slavery, transgender identity and immigration to bolster President Trump’s ongoing criticism of the institution.

It’s important to pay for local journalism but not like this. www.thecity.nyc/2025/08/20/w...

"The man watched the final episode of the reboot of that show from olden times, and asked himself if he would ever, after typing a sentence, stare into the middle distance with a wry grin of unearned self-satisfaction, then realized that he would never have to ask that question again, and smiled."

SO excited for this one. One of the things we say a lot in Vox culture is that pop culture is America's subconscious. So a few months ago, I pitched a question: 25 years into the 21st century, can we use 25 pieces of pop culture to explain where we are? www.vox.com/culture/4226...

Our Eater GoFundMe is up! We all know this has been a difficult year for Vox, but the folks at Eater have been extremely dedicated in their support for each of their colleagues, past and present. Let's support them now!!! #unionstrong #voxunion #1u gofund.me/04932462

there are much worse problems. that said, as someone who loves writing reviews & has written thousands & is proud of that & thinks reviews are important, seeing culture coverage, critics & reviews constantly take it on the chin for the past decade--esp last few years--has been really fucking hard.