Grateful to Daily Trojan for publishing my open letter to Provost Guzman & Carol Folt: dailytrojan.com/2024/04/25/we-…

Please also read incredible letter by colleagues Viet Thanh Nguyen & Karen Tongson: dailytrojan.com/2024/04/26/usc…

Together they tell an honest story of @usc this week.

From censoring a valedictorian to disinviting speakers to arresting students to shutting down commencement main stage, colleague Viet Nguyen says it best: “It’s a complete disaster. In every option, our administration has chosen the worst option.' latimes.com/california/sto…

At the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley conference and one key message: how do we approach people from curiosity rather than judgement?

USC went from cancelling their valedictorian’s commencement speech on a made up claim of safety, to canceling all commencement speakers, to canceling commencement altogether—all to prevent the student USC educated on genocide studies from applying her USC education at USC.😑

Cancelled a graduation for 65,000 because you were afraid of a hijabi Muslim girl saying “Free Palestine”

Kudos to USC USC Equity Research Institute Dr. Brittany Friedman 🌹 for standing her ground and supporting students’ right to protest!!!

An excellent perspective on what's been going on and what's been going wrong at USC latimes.com/opinion/story/…

Because we love to pile stupid on stupid?

Great reporting by Jessica Kutz on challenges of implementation. Biden administration has committed that climate dollars will help to hire those traditionally excluded. Making it happen involves thinking through real-life barriers (like lack of childcare). 19thnews.org/2024/04/americ…

Dealing with the backlash to aggressive climate action in an age of inflation. One strategy: cap-and-dividend where any funds gather go to those least able to afford any higher costs. Solutions exist -- does the political courage? politico.com/news/2024/04/2…

Congrats. One of my many friends to make it into this year’s stellar class. And I know the feeling: when I got the email news I’d made the cut a few years back, I thought it was phishing! American Academy of Arts & Sciences

The Cheech Dr. Robert K. Ross Karthick Ramakrishnan Sabrina Cervantes Project Kinship Líderes Campesinas (Women Farmworker Leaders) Alianza Coachella Valley Engagement and empowerment as the key to community health was radical at its time, and now it’s taken for granted. #PeoplePower is now the way, and that is part of Dr. Ross’ legacy.

- Karthick Ramakrishnan

#ThxDrRoss

Was just this morning at Philanthropy California summit and heard the governor highlight this plan to give doctors rights to provide reproductive care. As always, California is a #StateofResistance -- and it's needed now more than ever. npr.org/2024/04/22/124…

Hmm . . . Hey, @usc, when in a deep hole, dig deeper is not the public relations advice I’d give. latimes.com/california/sto…

LAX is an f***ing mess

Why, if someone has an allergy, no one can eat a peanut on a plane but folks who obviously just love their little furry non-service dogs (like this mini-terrier probably can’t do anything useful!) can hold them right next to you in a too-close airplane seat? #ThingsIWantToKnow

If Trump wins, California will need to return to being a #StateofResistance The challenge: Trump has a clearer plan to override the state as a sanctuary for reproductive rights, transgender health care, immigrant rights, & more. Shira Stein Erin Allday sfchronicle.com/politics/artic…

Common sense from ⁦L.A. Times Opinion⁩ @usc manages to tarnish an image so many of us have worked hard to repair while the valedictorian in question is hitting the airwaves with clarity, calm, & courage. latimes.com/opinion/story/…

GOP thinks that banning abortion will gain them conservative Latinos--but Latinos value freedom, healthcare, &, well, not returning to laws on the books in 1864 . . Alexandra Marquez nbcnews.com/politics/2024-…

The must-read for today: the letter from Asna Tabassum about USC canceling her commencement speech. The must-do for today: support those trying to get her reinstated as a speaker. The must-happen for commencement: other speakers pick up the slack & talk about the war in Gaza.