CYB #66: Reading and Resistance

What’s needed is coming into focus

Three weeks into the Trump regime, things are shifting for me. Rather than feeling stunned or in denial, I see things clearly and focus on coping and resistance. The daily news is cruel, and the lack of care is excruciating.

We are in a battle we didn’t choose where the master’s goals are to convince people resistance is futile and resigned acceptance is the way to be, perhaps with some gratitude that we’re still protected and safe, so long as we are not a person of color, transgendered, queer, Jewish or Muslim, an immigrant, an unhoused person, someone with low income, or female. The work of blaming and separating is very much in play, with accusations about trans pilots, DEI conspiracies, etc, circulating, and unqualified people overstepping boundaries and seizing power.

Other writers and activists inspire me as I plan my next steps. Here are some brilliant writers who help me understand the issues of the moment; if you have writers and/or reporters making a difference for you, please share.

IMPORTANT READS WORTH THE TIME

The Handbasket, reporting by Marisa Kabas: Marisa Kabas is a Brooklyn, NY-based journalist who has been so on top of covering Trump’s activities. I especially appreciate her focus on digesting and highlighting the implications of some bureaucratic tactics, such as granting Elon Musk and team access to sensitive financial data representing trillions of dollars and breaking the OMB Federal Aid Freeze story.

I just subscribed to The Handbasket to support her work. (I have five free 1-month subscriptions to give away as a promotional thank you from Melissa, so if you are a CYB subscriber, LMK if you’d like one!)

Eryk Salvaggio,Fork in the Road, February 2025: As the intersections between Trump's policies and AI development become more concerning, voices helping us understand these connections are crucial. Eryk Salvaggio was a Flickr Foundation Fellow during my stint supporting the Foundation in 2024, so I was able to read and enjoy his work early on. As Trumpfasicism and AI Oligarchy have become increasingly intertwined, I’ve valued his voice more. This new essay, A Fork in the Road, identifies much that is wrong with the Trump administration’s anti-DEI attitudes and its emerging embrace of AI as a way to depersonalize cruel and inhumane decisions.

Lucy Bernholz, Federate–or Miss Out, February 2025

Noted fundraising consultant Lucy Bernholz has always been a voice to listen to as she advised corporate philanthropy on the very highest level with her annual Philanthropy and Digital Civil Society: Blueprint series . Her recent essay about moving off Oligarch media platforms and onto Federated (distributed) systems spoke to one of my love languages–supporting digital decentralization. One quote: “Given all this, how do you justify staying on the platforms of those who support deportation, privatizing education, cutting programs for the hungry and poor, or hiring (gross) TV personalities to run the biggest military in the world? While DEI policies and inclusive mission statements were apparently so disturbing that a slew of white men/women voted for a felonious rapist hell-bent on enabling oligarchy, the real danger has always been to black and brown people, women, disabled people, and queers. “

Molly Crabapple, The War on Memory: Learning from the Jewish Labor Bund, December 2024

As I’ve adjusted to the current reality, I’ve sought lessons from the past. Crabapple’s essay on the Jewish German Bund and their support of labor and opposition to European antisemitism, Zionism, and capitalism from 1897 through the 1960s resonated. I was also intrigued to learn, as Crabapple notes, that interest in the Bund has been revived, as “In Berlin, in New York, and even in their home country, Poland, young people have raised the Bund’s banner in support of Hereness, democratic socialism, and Palestinian rights.”

LIGHTER NOTES

Weightlifting: Training continues - I've been at the gym four to five times weekly for the past three weeks, including weekly sessions with my trainer. The work is paying off. This week, I lifted heavier weights than I ever have, with a personal best deadlift of 205 pounds, a 105-lb bench press, and a 3X 165-lb squat. Damn, it feels good.

Relaxing: Northern California’s cold, rainy weather has helped set the winter mood. We’ve been reading more, going to sleep earlier, reading in bed before going to sleep, hanging out on the couch, listening to music, and reading together. With busy lives, granting permission to slow down on a weekend is self-care.

Cooking: Winter soups and stews are comfort foods during these cold months. They're delicious and a great way to use up our weekly farm box veggies. Plus, with the increased protein intake due to weightlifting, these meals fit my current diet.

Classic roasted chicken with roasted vegetables: This was devoured.

Maple-roasted acorn squash: The blend of maple and red chili is so pleasurable that we keep making this every week,

Turkey Minestrone Soup: Another recipe we’re gobbling up in the cold weather.

Next week, I will discuss other things I am reading and watching, including more AI news (I have been trying to use DeepSeek). Meanwhile, hang in there and let me know how you are and what keeps you in one piece as we head into February.

Best, Susan