Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and strangers today is tantamount to rejecting God himself. For @reuters.com

So now we're bombing Nigeria.

I spent the entire day not taking photos or videos and only realized just now. Oh, well 😅😅 Anyways! Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you had a day surrounded by love and peace.

We’ll probably never again see such a casual, celebratory, & memorable gathering of Jim Henson’s family of characters as is found in 1987’s A MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS…

maiazine! is the magazine for funky fashion enthusiasts and whimsical divas everywhere! If you think that's you, or just curious what we'll be getting up to over there, tap in! 💖 open.substack.com/pub/maiazine...

maia.pink is now on Substack as the maiazine! newsletter! Inspired partly by the bold visuals of J-fashion and girls’ magazines from the early 2000s, as well as the blogs that emerged at that time, maiazine! will be a space for thoughtful reflection, self-expression, discovery, and creativity.

I’m officially in my girl-blogging era! After months of development, I've finally started publishing on my fashion and culture Substack, maiazine! I'm nervous but ultimately very excited! So if you're interested in hearing me gab about fashion and more, please tap in! 🔗 below!

Just terrible news for the future of film and television. Not to mention the theatrical experience and physical media.

No one asked, but in case you're wondering what's on my #SpotifyWrapped ... 🫣

It really has been a long few days, and I haven't been looking forward to Thanksgiving that much this year, but my family ate dinner before 8 o'clock, and it was a very nice time. For that, I'm grateful.

Thanks again to everyone who attended The Chicago Journalist Association's 86th annual awards ceremony this past Friday! The CJA board put a lot of work into making the evening special for all of our finalists, winners, and other guests, and we appreciate your attendance! 📸: Vincent D. Johnson

I am so filled with gratitude after tonight. ❤️ I’ll share more pics and reflection after I’m done celebrating this weekend. But for now I just want to say THANK YOU to the Chicago Journalists Association and everyone who’s been part of this journey 😭

On-site at The Newberry Library for The Chicago Journalists Association's 86th Annual Awards Ceremony! Kicking off really soon! Excited to see so many talented journalists together here tonight!

Reminder to purchase your tickets for the Chicago Journalist Association's annual awards ceremony, tomorrow at the The Newberry Library from 6:30-9:30 p.m.! We'd love to see you there!

Illinois passed the Illinois Bivens Act, which allows folks to sue ICE officers who violate their rights. “damages can increase based on various factors … including the use of facial coverings, crowd control measures like tear gas, vehicles with a non-Illinois license plate or no license plate…”

it’s not just money or good social media or even great politics—though great politics certainly help. it is people talking to other people. it is listening. it is pounding the pavement. empowering people to be the campaign. real organizing.

Democrats have flipped 2 seats in the Mississippi senate, and in so doing they've broken the GOP's supermajority in the chamber.

the speech

the sort of headline we're seeing all over: www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...

Breaking: Democrats have surged into a commanding win capturing a super-majority in the New Jersey Assembly!

local elections matter. never ever forget.

Here's another bit of conventional wisdom Zohran completely blew away: His speech was at well above a 10th-grade level. It was complex, erudite, punctuated by deep and fluent references. You don't have to condescend to voters with baby talk! Part of re-establishing norms is speaking like an adult.

I really needed to hear this today tbh 😩

😎😎😎😎 GOOD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN 😎😎😎😎

Major democratic victories tonight ☑️ Spanberger — Gov of Virginia ☑️ Sherrill — Gov of New Jersey ☑️ Hashmi — Lt Gov of Virginia ☑️ Jones — AG of Virginia ☑️ Mamdani — Mayor of NYC ☑️ Pureval — Mayor of Cincinnati ☑️ Johnson — PSC of Georgia ☑️ Hubbard — PSC of Georgia ☑️ Pennsylvania Supreme Court

My god this is for real one of the most incredible speeches I’ve ever seen by an elected US politician: ‘And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is to dismantle the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power. This not only how we stop Trump, it’s how we stop the next one.’

"I have four words for you: Turn the volume up." Zohran Mamdani delivers a message to President Donald Trump during his NYC mayoral victory speech www.msnbc.com/top-stories/...

To put this in further perspective, Democrats haven’t had this many seats in the Virginia House of Delegates since *1987* (i.e., before the great late 20th century southern realignment).

WOW. 81% of women 18-29 voted for Mamdani, 80% for Sherril, and 78% for Spanberger. Gen Z women aren't playing around.

Zohran’s mom directed this. @slate.com talked to her about it back in 2022.

It's so crazy the way life works 😂

Newsom just called on Illinois to redistrict

Watching Mamdani's victory speech, I'm struck by his—and his campaign's—unabashed vision of the US as an immigrant society, a culture built from the ground up from diversity. It is a complete rejection and reversal of the search for a white-washed homogeneity that the political right projects.

Mamdani: "We can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves. After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him."

Abortion rights, voting rights, and free speech were on the ballot and Pennsylvania voters knew it. Retaining a state supreme court that values our constitutional freedoms and rights is a major win for civil liberties in PA.

Truly!

MAMDANI: "I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in private life, but let tonight be the last time I utter his name ...."

I cannot stress that the work that people have been doing for years in the southeast is paying off and needs to be celebrated.

got pretty emotional watching this beautiful family bask in victory (to our music, no less)

BREAKING: Democrats just broke the GOP supermajority in the Mississippi Senate! In a stunning victory, Democrats gained seats in court-ordered special elections and will now head to Jackson to represent and fight on behalf of their constituents.

Holy shit, the Prop 50 turnout was massive! NYT projecting 10.6 million votes, CA GOV 2022 was 10.9M votes.

It is WILD to see Mira Nair and Prof. Mahmood Mamdani up there with their son the MAYOR-ELECT of New York City

Mamdani: "We believe in standing up for those we love. Whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job ... your struggle is ours too."

this is one of the strongest political speeches i've ever seen. jesus christ

Man, what a speech. Zohran Mamdani has truly got it. This Chicagoan is excited to see what he accomplishes over in NYC.

AOC: "We will not be intimidated by an administration that is violating rights and making life hard and unaffordable for every single American in this country. And we will send in a wave of Democrats that not bow to this administration, but stand up to this administration."

Inbox— next cover of the New Yorker: “Mayor Mamdani,” by Edel Rodriguez

Mamdani has won more votes than the entire population of any of the 5 smallest states.

It's so nice when good things actually happen. Things have been so dark lately, and tonight's many Democratic election wins are really brightening things up.