Dissertation defended at 34 weeks pregnant. Six years, 2 babies, and the experience of a lifetime. Thank you @utaustin.bsky.social !!! Y’all it was HARD! Grateful for mentorship that taught me the power of slowing down and the ability to navigate systems to build both my family and career.

This year feels so different timeline wise. Just doing campus visits now, some apps are still open and accepting applicants. On the one hand, it’s nice to have it spaced out from conferences unlike years past. But also unnerving. And raises qs about funding, etc. given natl cuts & state policies.

Senator Andy Kim just went to the USAID building, talked to the security guard there to confirm employees are being barred entry, and then did a press gaggle right there in front to call it out.

This is doing something. This is making an effort on messaging. Other Democratic lawmakers: take notes.

Dorothy Porter in 1939, at her desk in the Carnegie Library at Howard University. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Manuscript Division, Howard University

Dorothy B. Porter changed libraries 💜

The Dewey Decimal System used to only have two classifications for Black people: 325 (colonization) & 326 (slavery). Each book by a Black person was put into one of these classifications. A book of poetry? Classified as colonization.

Enter Dorothy B. Porter 🧵

One of my party facts is that according to polls, Americans believe foreign aid is about 25% of the federal budget and on average that it *should* be about 10%.

The actual number is less than 1%.

Foreign aid has long been a boogey man of the right, so it's not surprising they're vilifying it now.