@oconnell@federate.social
@oconnell@federate.social avatar

oconnell

@oconnell@federate.social

Former Digital Editor at the Texas Observer, looking for work. GLAAD Media Award and National Magazine Award-nominated editor and journalist. Friend to cats.

This is my serious work account. Follow my personal account https://kolektiva.social/@kitoconnell

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

oconnell, to nonbinary
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Hi everyone. I'm going to share a new .

I'm a (they/them) movement journalist in my 40s, currently based in Central . From 2022 until today's layoffs, I was Digital Editor at the @TexasObserver. I've been a writer, journalist and editor since at least 2011, when I got my start on the primordial political blog Firedoglake. My involvement with the Occupy Wall Street movement helped make me a journo and I've always worn my bias on my sleeve.

+

oconnell,
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In 2023, I spent about six months getting to know the queens and kings of , to tell their story as they defied a ban on their artistry that was threatened by the legislature, before ultimately being overturned in the courts. This was a feature in @TexasObserver magazine. https://www.texasobserver.org/austin-drag-queens-defy-ban/

+ (7/?)

oconnell,
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In July 2022, after joining the @TexasObserver, I published my expose on how the spreads dangerous lies about healthcare, hurting kids in Texas and nationwide. This reporting was nominated in 2023 for a GLAAD Media Award. https://www.texasobserver.org/emily-bazelon-transgender-healthcare-debate-new-york-times/ (3/?)

oconnell, to Health
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Millions of Texans are suffering from long and you might be surprised to learn that many of them are young and formerly healthy. Studies show that the more often you get infected, the more likely you are to have lingering, potentially life-changing effects.

Look for it in print in @TexasObserver magazine now, and online later this month.

oconnell, to Texas
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I'd like to get in touch with a current employee of the Department of , particularly if you are or otherwise +. It's for a story, but you can be anonymous.

Secure email: Make an account at proton.me and email me at kitoswn@proton.me from a personal device/private network, or reach our for my Signal/etc.

Please boost for visibility.

oconnell, to news
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“This is really its own illness, lots of times affecting young, healthy people.”

Millions of Texans have already come down with long symptoms, and many more could be at risk in the future if we don't make changes. For this @TexasObserver magazine feature, I interviewed both sufferers and medical experts about solutions we can take: https://www.texasobserver.org/long-covid-texas-clearing-the-air/

oconnell, to Texas
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Major Update: The Court of Appeals today upheld a lower court ruling blocking Department of Family and Protective Services (aka CPS) from invasively investigating families with children https://www.aclutx.org/en/press-releases/texas-appeals-court-upholds-rulings-blocking-state-investigating-trans-youth-and

oconnell, to Atlanta
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Protesters just disrupted a panel with Andre Dickens, mayor of , on behalf of the movement. Dickens fled the panel, hounded by protesters, and it continued without him.

I was briefly detained by police and sxsw staff upon exiting the event.

oconnell, to austin
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Inbox: Over 60 artists have pulled out of their official performances in protest of event sponsorship by and war profiteers.

@palestine

oconnell, to journalism
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It's the end of the month and I'm still recovering from the layoff, so please pardon me while I promote myself again.

If you enjoyed my writing or posts this month, please consider joining or donating:

ᗌ Patreon (preferred) https://patreon.com/kitoconnell
ᗌ Paypal https://Paypal.me/kitoconnell
ᗌ Ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/kitoconnell

Thanks to everyone who's already supported me, and remember you can help just by sharing my work with your friends, family and comrades.

#journalism #fundraiser

oconnell, to Texas
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The @TexasObserver staff just issued a more detailed story about yesterday's firing and (the latter of which included me).

I can completely cosign this quote by Gayle Reaves, who was also laid off: ”I’ve never had colleagues who were more dedicated to covering the people and the issues who usually don’t get enough attention from the news media.”

https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-observer-staff-changes/

oconnell, to austin
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Activists are performing flyer drops from parking garages and other structures near the road closures at this week to protest the sponsorship of war profiteers.

Photos shared by a friend.

A photo of flyers cascading down from building lit with a rainbow light projection.
Another shot of the rainbow lit building with flyers raining down. One flyer is almost legible as it is caught mid-flight.

oconnell, to austin
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Protesters unfurled a banner and briefly chanted at the US Army booth inside of the CREATIVE Expo at the Convention Center, demanding justice for .

@palestine

oconnell, to queer
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Just out: A right-wing think-tank is threatening unless they halt donations to + causes, and there's signs that Best Buy is going along with it, according to SEC filings. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/best-buy-offers-screen-lgbtq-nonprofit-donations-conservative-pressure-rcna145603
(CW: Article quotes explicit in the communications between this group and Best Buy)

oconnell, to austin
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Activists are scattering flyers for around downtown where is held. Several musicians in particular have dropped out of official events over sponsorship by the US .

A protest is expected shortly in the area for a free . Stay tuned.

A stack of flyers reading "Raytheon (ATX) Collins Airspace & BAE Systems enable genocide in Gaza" placed where they will be scattered by the wind.

oconnell, to journalism
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Here's the official statement from @TexasObserver about today's layoffs which include me and Gayle Reaves. They also terminated their relationship with the now former Editor in Chief Gabe Arana. https://texasobserver.social/@TexasObserver/112000394327841417

Hoping someone out there will want to me soon.

oconnell, to Texas
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Inmates in some #Texas prisons get less than 4 hours of sleep per night, and even that gets interrupted. Absolutely horrifying to contemplate.
https://www.texasobserver.org/criminal-justice-prison-sleep-tdcj-sleep-deprivation-lawsuit/ via @TexasObserver

#prison #HumanRights #news #politics #USpol #CriminalJustice

oconnell, to brainfood
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“Whenever legislators are writing laws about how they think drag queens should not be around children, it completely ignores the very real fact that some queens have children.”

I visited with drag queen Hermajestie the Hung and filmmaker Emil Lozada for a brief article in @TexasObserver about a new short that screened at : https://www.texasobserver.org/queen-vs-texas-drag-swxw/

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oconnell, to journalism
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That Large Language Model isn't "hallucinating." It's a computer program with bugs. The breathless is really getting embarrassing.

oconnell, to Palestine
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“What I saw was students linking arms, hugging each other while being brutalized by the police. I think the only violence we saw that day was from the police.”

I spoke with two anti-Zionist Jewish supporters of the pro-Palestine protests at #UTAustin, including one who got arrested on April 29. Read it from Deceleration here:
https://deceleration.news/2024/05/15/texas-troopers-were-real-agitators-university-of-texas-austin/

#Palestine #Austin #Texas #activism #protest #FreeSpeech @palestine

oconnell, to Texas
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"Residents of and Pennsylvania, the top two gas-producing states, saw their natural gas bills increase by 50 and 51 percent between 2016 and 2023, respectively."

Natural Gas Is a Climate Scam — and Consumers Are Paying for It | Truthout
https://truthout.org/articles/natural-gas-is-a-climate-scam-and-consumers-are-paying-for-it/

oconnell, to austin
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“We can't just give people e-bikes. It has to be supported with a broader set of infrastructure and associated policies to make cycling safe.”

'Pretty remarkable': UBC study finds e-bike rebates led to decreased car use
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/pretty-remarkable-ubc-study-finds-e-bike-rebates-led-to-decreased-car-use-1.6876226

FYI, has a $600 rebate for buyers.

oconnell, to Palestine
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On the #UTAustin campus, activists hold up names of students and educators killed in Gaza, along with facts about the damage war has done to education.

#Palestine #Austin #activism

oconnell,
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Word is there were at least 65 arrests today at the campus. Jail support called for tonight at the Travis County Jail.

oconnell, to Texas
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About 50 DPS State Troopers were sent out in response to a peaceful attempt to march and occupy a Plaza at UT today. Reportedly three arrests according to those on scene.

DPS troopers detain protest organizer at UT Austin pro-Palestine demonstration
https://cbsaustin.com/amp/news/local/dps-troopers-detain-protest-organizer-at-ut-austin-pro-palestine-demonstration

oconnell,
@oconnell@federate.social avatar

UT faculty are reportedly planning to walk out tomorrow in response to the brutal violence on campus today against activists who support .

This is an expansion of an already planned rally in solidarity with faculty who lost their jobs in an anti- backlash.

oconnell, to austin
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People have packed City Council chambers today for the council meeting, speaking in favor of the Ceasefire Resolution and on a variety of community development and rezoning topics.

oconnell,
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The second speaker is a queer Jewish nonbinary person who was arrested at #UTAustin, who says their faith requires them to stand for freedom and liberation wherever it is needed.
"I refuse to stand by as a genocide is committed in my name."
#Palestine #Austin #Texas

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