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R. Vega Lara

@ritala

Writer | Creative | Organizer

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17.11.2024
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Latest posts by R. Vega Lara @ritala

This was never about national security.

It was always about silencing dissent, restricting due process and sowing fear on campuses & in immigrant communities.

While we wait to learn how many visas will be restored, one thing's clear: Rümeysa Öztürk must be immediately released.

25.04.2025 20:44 👍 237 🔁 63 💬 9 📌 3

This explains so much.

13.04.2025 12:14 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

We have the most anti-free speech government in modern American history.

(And yet, in true Orwellian fashion, they claim to be champions of free speech.)

12.04.2025 16:39 👍 20144 🔁 4179 💬 525 📌 134
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How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid If you’re planning to hit the streets, here’s what you need to know.

If you’re planning to hit the streets, here’s what you need to know.

09.04.2025 11:05 👍 825 🔁 349 💬 13 📌 17

☝️

09.04.2025 11:14 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A group photo in El Jardín Restaurant and Bakery, East Boston.  From left to right, Ricardo Patrón, Rita Lara, Alex DeFronzo, and Mayor Michelle Wu holding baby Mira Wu Pewarski.

A group photo in El Jardín Restaurant and Bakery, East Boston. From left to right, Ricardo Patrón, Rita Lara, Alex DeFronzo, and Mayor Michelle Wu holding baby Mira Wu Pewarski.

Ready to rally for @wutrain.bsky.social

Our Mayor gives hope in a time that it’s needed. This is our city, a home for everyone. Even for the adult son of a problematic billionaire.

East Boston stands with team Wu 💜

31.03.2025 14:56 👍 8 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

This is ridiculous coming from Ackman. He wanted to dismantle DEI and peddle right-wing ideology, then there's nobody to blame but himself, his billionaire friends, and the candidate they carried to victory. And yes, it should disqualify him from managing money.

07.04.2025 22:14 👍 56 🔁 2 💬 2 📌 0
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The @financialtimes.com is not mincing words

"America’s astonishing act of self-harm"
on.ft.com/3YjtOLV

04.04.2025 08:29 👍 17522 🔁 5855 💬 676 📌 282
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Mass. leaders join rally in support of detained Tufts student - The Boston Globe Rümeysa Öztürk was apprehended by masked immigration agents on a Somerville street last week.

Due process matters. Freedom matters.

02.04.2025 12:58 👍 161 🔁 44 💬 0 📌 0

We needed a bigger space than him.

See you Saturday, April 5th @ 2PM after the Hands Off rally! Family-friendly with activities for kids too. RSVP:

30.03.2025 17:17 👍 278 🔁 58 💬 9 📌 7

Bingo

30.03.2025 00:27 👍 24283 🔁 4525 💬 619 📌 147

Wired is the absolute best coverage at the intersection of politics, tech, and culture. I subscribed after your recommend. It's the best way to stay up to date on this federal assault.

20.03.2025 03:14 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu smiles at the podium during her State of the City Address. She is wearing green standing in front of a blue backdrop and there is a city of Boston seal on the wooden podium.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu smiles at the podium during her State of the City Address. She is wearing green standing in front of a blue backdrop and there is a city of Boston seal on the wooden podium.

@mayorwu.boston.gov laid out a powerful vision for Boston—one that meets this moment with urgency & empathy.

From addressing our housing crisis to strengthening our schools, she’s building a vibrant, inclusive city for everyone.

Grateful for her partnership. This moment requires it.

20.03.2025 01:36 👍 642 🔁 61 💬 8 📌 2
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@mayorwu.boston.gov: “No one tells Boston how to take care of our own. Not kings and not presidents who think they are kings.”

19.03.2025 23:34 👍 1285 🔁 179 💬 13 📌 15

Subscribe to @wired.com for its badass work

07.03.2025 23:31 👍 881 🔁 197 💬 44 📌 11

Thank you all for your kind words these last few days. It is so powerful to see our community come together in defense of our values and the people of Boston.

We're making our city a home for everyone and we will never back down.

07.03.2025 22:14 👍 934 🔁 74 💬 45 📌 5

Outstanding. Thank you for holding down #BostonStrong values to keep #Boston safe.

06.03.2025 14:18 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Here's a Map of the For-Sale Government Properties the GSA Pulled From Its Website The General Services Administration plans to sell hundreds of government buildings, including FBI headquarters. Use our interactive tools to see where they are—and the Congressional districts they're ...

NEW: The GSA sparked chaos by publishing, then deleting, a list of hundreds of federal buildings to sell, including the FBI headquarters. Use our interactive tools to see where they are—and which Congressional districts they're in.

from me, @dmehro.bsky.social, and @timmarchman.bsky.social:

05.03.2025 22:21 👍 246 🔁 79 💬 8 📌 5
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Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries Engineers and executives at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency are drawing healthy taxpayer-funded salaries—sometimes from the very agencies they are cutting.

when Elon Musk started recruiting for DOGE last November, he said the work would be “tedious” and “compensation is zero"

now it turns out some DOGE operatives are earning six-figure salaries, one as high as $195,200, as much as a civil servant can legally make

www.wired.com/story/doge-g...

04.03.2025 20:42 👍 6297 🔁 2375 💬 207 📌 158
Preview
DOGE Staffers at HUD Are From an AI Real Estate Firm and a Mobile Home Operator Elon Musk's men at HUD come from the real estate sector. They have access to vast stores of personal and financial data—and control over who can access which HUD systems.

Must read for anyone in housing or doing business with HUD
www.wired.com/story/doge-h...

#housing #HUD

03.03.2025 13:07 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
A woman holding a sign saying "How many Tesla should we throw into Boston Harbor"

A woman holding a sign saying "How many Tesla should we throw into Boston Harbor"

Boston considering its traditional methods of protest against tyranny at @teslatakedown.com this morning

#TeslaTakedown

01.03.2025 15:22 👍 3935 🔁 780 💬 84 📌 70

This is really disappointing. I just renewed my subscription. Think I am going to cancel it.

01.03.2025 01:57 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Woot to the engagement folks at @propublica.org. Creative outreach! @kassien.bsky.social

alt: Video by @alvarezreports.bsky.social. Near USAID HQ. Illuminated sign on truck:

Are (were) you a government worker?
ProPublica journalists want to hear from you.

Signal: 917-512-0201
propublica.org/tips

27.02.2025 15:18 👍 296 🔁 62 💬 1 📌 2

Word of the Day is ‘ingordigiousness’ (18th century): extreme greed at the expense of principles.

26.02.2025 07:59 👍 16905 🔁 5358 💬 464 📌 407
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This is what House Republicans voted for tonight.

Another reminder that we have socialism for the rich, harsh capitalism for the rest.

26.02.2025 03:20 👍 6267 🔁 2855 💬 239 📌 180

This is our city. We’re going to continue following & enforcing the laws to keep all Bostonians safe. And it goes without saying that our police commissioner has my complete confidence & support.

22.02.2025 22:45 👍 1887 🔁 385 💬 91 📌 55

Redirecting money from public services to self agrandizement.

22.02.2025 15:46 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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My favorite from today’s 50501 March in Boston.

17.02.2025 18:15 👍 9670 🔁 2267 💬 121 📌 100
COALITION OF MAYORS ACROSS U.S. FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DRASTIC CUTS TO FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING
Led by the City of Boston, MA, City of Cleveland, OH, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN, the Mayor of Gainesville, FL, and the Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT, over 40 mayors, cities, and counties argue that NIH cuts will cause job losses, economic disruption, and undermine U.S. competitiveness

BOSTON - Thursday, February 20, 2025 - Late yesterday, Mayor Michelle Wu co-led a coalition of Mayors from across the United States in writing and filing an amicus brief in federal district court in Boston to stop the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding and immediate job losses in cities nationwide. Over 40 mayors, cities, and counties from across the country joined the brief. These cities are home to universities and hospitals that employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in cutting edge medical and scientific research, and the federally-funded research in these communities has made the United States the global leader in scientific discovery. The brief seeks a temporary restraining order against the Trump Administration, alongside the research universities, medical schools, hospitals, and 22 states that are plaintiffs in the three cases filed last week in federal district court.

“For decades, Congress has made a clear choice to use federally-funded research to invest in cities, build a broadly-distributed infrastructure for scientific discovery, create jobs, and drive economic growth in communities across the United States,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We join with cities across the country – in red states, purple states, and blue states – to stop this illegal action that will cause layoffs, lab closures, and undermine scientific progress in American cities. I thank Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell for her leadership on behalf of the research institutions of Boston.”

COALITION OF MAYORS ACROSS U.S. FILE AMICUS BRIEF IN OPPOSITION TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DRASTIC CUTS TO FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDING Led by the City of Boston, MA, City of Cleveland, OH, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN, the Mayor of Gainesville, FL, and the Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT, over 40 mayors, cities, and counties argue that NIH cuts will cause job losses, economic disruption, and undermine U.S. competitiveness BOSTON - Thursday, February 20, 2025 - Late yesterday, Mayor Michelle Wu co-led a coalition of Mayors from across the United States in writing and filing an amicus brief in federal district court in Boston to stop the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding and immediate job losses in cities nationwide. Over 40 mayors, cities, and counties from across the country joined the brief. These cities are home to universities and hospitals that employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in cutting edge medical and scientific research, and the federally-funded research in these communities has made the United States the global leader in scientific discovery. The brief seeks a temporary restraining order against the Trump Administration, alongside the research universities, medical schools, hospitals, and 22 states that are plaintiffs in the three cases filed last week in federal district court. “For decades, Congress has made a clear choice to use federally-funded research to invest in cities, build a broadly-distributed infrastructure for scientific discovery, create jobs, and drive economic growth in communities across the United States,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We join with cities across the country – in red states, purple states, and blue states – to stop this illegal action that will cause layoffs, lab closures, and undermine scientific progress in American cities. I thank Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell for her leadership on behalf of the research institutions of Boston.”

This amicus brief is in response to the abrupt February 7, 2025 announcement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of an immediate reduction in funding for scientific and medical research institutions across the country. Under the NIH’s new policy, which temporarily went into effect on Monday, February 10, payments for indirect costs reimbursed to research universities would be capped at 15%, down from 30-70%. The brief makes clear that NIH funding cuts would devastate research institutions in cities across the county, cause job losses, create severe economic disruption, and undermine a critical pillar of strength and civic pride in cities across the United States. The cuts would also undermine critical medical and scientific research that residents are counting on, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and jeopardize the cities’ and country’s position of global leadership on scientific advancement.
“The Gainesville community depends on this highly efficient, dependable investment of our tax dollars back into our city’s innovation economy,” said Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida. “I’m glad to join other mayors in highlighting the vital role NIH funding plays in the lives of everyday hardworking American families.” 
“The breadth and diversity of this coalition highlights the devastating and widespread impact of these NIH funding changes, from Alzheimer’s research to cancer clinical trials,” said Jill Habig, Founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “We’re proud to partner with mayors, cities, and counties in opposing this threat to critical federal funding and the health and vitality of our communities.”
On Monday, February 10th, twenty two states and associations of medical schools, hospitals, and universities, filed three related cases, and secured a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump Administration from slashing the reimbursement rates. That initial order will be revisited this week in a hearing scheduled for Feb. 21.

This amicus brief is in response to the abrupt February 7, 2025 announcement by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of an immediate reduction in funding for scientific and medical research institutions across the country. Under the NIH’s new policy, which temporarily went into effect on Monday, February 10, payments for indirect costs reimbursed to research universities would be capped at 15%, down from 30-70%. The brief makes clear that NIH funding cuts would devastate research institutions in cities across the county, cause job losses, create severe economic disruption, and undermine a critical pillar of strength and civic pride in cities across the United States. The cuts would also undermine critical medical and scientific research that residents are counting on, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and jeopardize the cities’ and country’s position of global leadership on scientific advancement. “The Gainesville community depends on this highly efficient, dependable investment of our tax dollars back into our city’s innovation economy,” said Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida. “I’m glad to join other mayors in highlighting the vital role NIH funding plays in the lives of everyday hardworking American families.” “The breadth and diversity of this coalition highlights the devastating and widespread impact of these NIH funding changes, from Alzheimer’s research to cancer clinical trials,” said Jill Habig, Founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “We’re proud to partner with mayors, cities, and counties in opposing this threat to critical federal funding and the health and vitality of our communities.” On Monday, February 10th, twenty two states and associations of medical schools, hospitals, and universities, filed three related cases, and secured a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump Administration from slashing the reimbursement rates. That initial order will be revisited this week in a hearing scheduled for Feb. 21.

The Public Rights Project served as amici counsel. The full list of mayors, cities and counties who joined the brief is below. 



Local Governments and Mayors



City of Boston, Massachusetts
City of Cleveland, Ohio
Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, City of Salt Lake City, Utah
City of Alameda, California
City of Albuquerque, New Mexico 
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
City of Baltimore, Maryland 
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Mayor, City of Burlington, Vermont
Township of Canton, Michigan
Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
City of Chicago, Illinois 
Sandra Welch, Mayor, City of Coconut Creek, Florida
City of Columbus, Ohio
City of Easthampton, Massachusetts
Daniel Biss, Mayor, City of Evanston, Illinois
City of Fairfax, Virginia
Harris County, Texas
Ravinder S. Bhalla, Mayor, City of Hoboken, New Jersey
Quinton Lucas, Mayor, Kansas City, Missouri
Indya Kincannon, Mayor, City of Knoxville, Tennessee
City of Madison, Wisconsin
Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor, City of Millcreek, Utah
Anissa Welch, Mayor, City of Milton, Wisconsin
Montgomery County, Maryland
City of New Haven, Connecticut
Dontae Payne, Mayor, City of Olympia, Washington 
Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor, City of Plainfield, New Jersey
Sue Noack, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill, California
City of Pittsburgh and Ed Gainey, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
City of Providence, Rhode Island 
John Clark, Mayor, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
City of Rochester, New York
City of Sacramento, California 
City and County of San Francisco, California
City of Santa Monica, California
Constantine H. Kutteh, Mayor, City of Statesville, North Carolina
Lisa Brown, Mayor, City of Spokane, Washington
Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor, City of St. Louis, Missouri 
City of St. Paul, Minnesota
Dennis R. McBride, Mayor, City of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

The Public Rights Project served as amici counsel. The full list of mayors, cities and counties who joined the brief is below. Local Governments and Mayors City of Boston, Massachusetts City of Cleveland, Ohio Harvey L. Ward, Mayor, City of Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, City of Salt Lake City, Utah City of Alameda, California City of Albuquerque, New Mexico Allegheny County, Pennsylvania City of Baltimore, Maryland Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Mayor, City of Burlington, Vermont Township of Canton, Michigan Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina City of Chicago, Illinois Sandra Welch, Mayor, City of Coconut Creek, Florida City of Columbus, Ohio City of Easthampton, Massachusetts Daniel Biss, Mayor, City of Evanston, Illinois City of Fairfax, Virginia Harris County, Texas Ravinder S. Bhalla, Mayor, City of Hoboken, New Jersey Quinton Lucas, Mayor, Kansas City, Missouri Indya Kincannon, Mayor, City of Knoxville, Tennessee City of Madison, Wisconsin Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor, City of Millcreek, Utah Anissa Welch, Mayor, City of Milton, Wisconsin Montgomery County, Maryland City of New Haven, Connecticut Dontae Payne, Mayor, City of Olympia, Washington Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor, City of Plainfield, New Jersey Sue Noack, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill, California City of Pittsburgh and Ed Gainey, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania City of Providence, Rhode Island John Clark, Mayor, Town of Ridgway, Colorado City of Rochester, New York City of Sacramento, California City and County of San Francisco, California City of Santa Monica, California Constantine H. Kutteh, Mayor, City of Statesville, North Carolina Lisa Brown, Mayor, City of Spokane, Washington Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor, City of St. Louis, Missouri City of St. Paul, Minnesota Dennis R. McBride, Mayor, City of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

The City of Boston is leading 40+ mayors, cities, and counties in an amicus brief against the Trump Administration's drastic and illegal cuts to federal research funding—cuts that will lead to immediate job losses nationwide.

20.02.2025 22:16 👍 1481 🔁 428 💬 34 📌 80
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AOC speaking to a thousand NYC federal workers and allies about the urgency of resisting Musk 🔥🔥🔥

19.02.2025 23:16 👍 10712 🔁 1730 💬 113 📌 143