#Volunteer Driven Program

[xtrablak674]

CDP: The Claire Driven Project

[Originally published in Fashion Fag Magazine, November-December, Volume 1, Number 4, 1994]

The slow but systematic take over of VDP (The Volunteer Driven Program) or The Berlin Wall gets constructed in GMHC.

Wednesday, October 12, 5:00p.m., 1 am tryin to leave my house and get my butt down to the theatre when the phone rings.

"Hi it's Claire Shanley."

What does she want - is she going to reprimand me about cursin' to much or being too ethnic.

"Hi Claire, how are you doing?"

She tells me that she would like to have a meeting with me on Monday. I question her as to what the meeting is about. She says its about the Program. And as always she erected a barrier and any more information was withheld. We scheduled an appointment for 2:30 on Monday and I hung up.

Well of course I was feeling a scheme of some sort rising, as I never really got along with Claire from the get go. And her recent reprimand of my language at the Open House. I instantly thought she was going to try and pull a Chris M on me. But unlike Chris I have a loaded gun and won't, be shooting blanks.

I have been with this program since its birth. I've been there to see its formation, its changes in structure and membership, and I have been very active in the forming of the structure that now governs it. My time and energy along with others have given this program its success.

I'm not stupid I'm not going to go in to battle with the enemy unarmed. So I immediately called Matt Carlin and shared with him my secret meeting with Claire & Joe. I got his machine. I then called Adamo, to let my sister know that there was a conspiracy to oust me. I wanted them to stand with me and if I was made to leave I would want them to leave with me. I got Adamo's machine also. I had to go to work so I'd call them back after work.

At work all I could think about was what they wanted to talk with me about. Naturally on the defensive I began to form counter-arguments. My mind was raked, I couldn't believe they would try to make me leave, especially after all I've done for that program.

I was there for the controversy around the COPE conference, The Young Hot & Safe campaign where I actually spoke at the press conference, the meeting with the education committee, and the much talked about meeting with Jeff Richardson. How dare they ask me to leave, I am the soul of the program since Daniel left.

Claire's icy coldness and poor facilitation skill, do not make these meetings a treat to come to. People like Adamo, Matt C, Amanda, Cecilia, Prudence, Leilani, Persio and John make these meetings. Not Claire or Joe.

This is the VOLUNTEER DRIVEN PROGRAM. They gave us the name, and supposedly the power why are they trying to take that away from us. I long for the days of Daniel, he would not do something as covert and sneaky as Ms. Shanley.

I got home about 11:00pm and was eager to check the machine. The light blinked three messages. Thats it. I pressed the button.

"You're not the only one."

Matt's voice blared from my machine.

"I got a message right before yours on my machine from Mr. Lunievicz, saying that he wanted me to come in for a special meeting at 5:00..."

I was cut off by the phone ringing. It was one of my actresses from the theatre. I quickly got off the phone, and returned to my messages.

"Hi this is Adamo I got a message from Joe..."

STOP!

You know I started this story months ago when it was happening but then I stopped because I wanted to put the whole situation behind me. Right now I'm very bitter towards Joe and Claire and GMHC for letting it happen and not trying to protect us. I tried to just get some advice from Robert Penn to no avail, he wouldn't even speak to me. I felt so betrayed after all I'd done. This is how they treat a young person who volunteers his time to fight HIV/AIDS. No, I don't think so. Because of the whole event I have taken a rest from HIV/AIDS education.

I stopped goin to my CCP meetings even though I was getting paid to go, and it would have been great to take GMHC's money and laugh in Joe and Claire's face because they couldn't stop me from goin. But I lost my inspiration to pursue any kind of AIDS-related volunteer work. I even stopped going to my COPE meetings. I'm feeling very down over our treatment. I sort of expected it but when it came to reality it was very harsh. I lost more than the opportunity to further my facilitation skills but I lost the wonderful group of people that attended those meetings. And that hurts the most.

I know I see these people around from time to time, but its not the same. I used to look forward to going to these meetings, they were so fun and sociable, but all that has changed under the reign of Claire that fun which made the work fun was squashed. Thus the end of an era. May the VDP rest in peace.

[Afterwords: I will be frank I can't remember specifically what happened, but whatever it was it was traumatic. I never even walked on the block that GMHC was on for decades afterward, forgetting the reasons why I didn't want to even see that building anymore. But like I said in the piece I was very discouraged from all of my volunteer and activism work. It would be years before I did some final work with NYPAEC and have never done any since.

All of the adults involved including Krishna Stone should be ashamed at what they did to these eager and enthusiastic young people were not only passionate about the work they were doing, but also trying to work within the system to do more advocacy.

GMHC wasn't happy that we were holding them to account for the fact that young people made most of their monies, through the AIDS Walk and the Dance for AIDS and those same monies were not allocated to prevention efforts with the same young people. We called them out on that hypocrisy even calling for a meeting with the CEO. We were persona non-grata not for being difficult but for challenging the hegemony.

The call was coming from within the house is a huge reason that I stepped away from the LGBT communities all together. Here were a pretty cohesive group of brilliant young diverse queers working together to save and protect other young queers and a queer organization was seeking to discourage and dismantle them.

Miss me with all that.

It was such an important part of my life finding a social issue and a friend group to assist me in doing the work. Our energy should have been harnessed for the greater good, but as always the organization was self-serving and not really interested in a fair distribution of funds, we were fucking with peoples paychecks ergo we all had to go.

The other significant things to mention as I re-read this piece was the fact that I was still working in theatre, and was residing at my first apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Adamo still had the vowel on the end of his name, I don't think Matt was a lawyer quite yet and I still thought of Amanda and Cecilia as a package deal. I was just thinking about if I had any images of all of us together and I don't. I don't think we recorded ourselves, we were just so focused on the work, we never thought about how monumental what it was that we were doing.

I do have contact sheets - names, phone numbers and addresses for our members, but they aren't easy to get to, otherwise I would include a shot of them here-within. Also the answering machine, these kids today just don't know how messy answering machines were, but were such a common-place thing. I think I lost that one in my fire in ninety-eight, and am pretty sure I never replaced it.

Last word on Joe, I had always found Joe HAWT, because he wore jeans that fit way too tightly for being an alleged straight-man working at a very queer service agency. I did find a photo of him that is close to how he would have looked in the nineties, and he looks as good as I remember him. He was also slightly bow-legged which was also quite sexy, but in hindsight I am glad that he was a straight white male, because it made it so much more appropriate when he did what he did to a group of queers of color for allegedly the greater good but really just was protecting his very firm ass.

[Photo by Brown Estate]

[girlactionfigure]

Final Solution, rebranded

After Syria’s 61-year Ba’ath regime was ousted from power last week, harrowing, deeply disturbing images, videos, and testimonies have come out of Sednaya Prison, also known as the “human slaughterhouse.” Many have compared these images to the human rights atrocities that took place during the Holocaust.

This is one time that Nazi references are actually relevant. See, the Ba’athist regime hired former Nazi war criminals to advise them on how to set up an “effective system of repression, inspired by the practices of the Third Reich.”

In particular, Bashar al-Assad’s own father, Hafez al-Assad, developed a close relationship with Alois Brunner, Adolf Eichmann’s right-hand man. Adolf Eichmann is known as the architect of the Final Solution.

This got me thinking about the thousands of Nazi war criminals who escaped to the Arab world, all of whom evaded justice because their host countries refused to extradite them.While many of these Nazis chose to live private lives in their new countries, some were hired by Arab governments, many with one objective in particular...to destroy the State of Israel.

IN 1937, THE NAZIS WROTE THE FOLLOWING TELEGRAM

"The formation of a Jewish state or Jewish-led political structure under British mandate is not in Germany’s interest, since a Palestinian state would not absorb world Jewry but would create an additional position of power under international law..."

The Nazis, of course, wanted Jews powerless, and they rightly assessed that Jewish national autonomy would do the opposite.

THE NAZIS WERE HOSTILE TO THE IDEA OF A JEWISH STATE

As early as 1925, Adolf Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, “For while the Zionists try to make the rest of the world believe that the national consciousness of the Jew finds its satisfaction in the creation of a Palestinian state, the Jews again slyly dupe the dumb Goyim. It doesn’t even enter their heads to build up a Jewish state in Palestine for the purpose of living there; all they want is a central organization for their international world swindle…”

The Nazis supported Palestinian Arab nationalists, most notably the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, in material ways. In November of 1933, the Nazis themselves revealed that they had established a direct contact with the Arab leadership in Palestine, with the hopes of “adapting the Nazi program” to the Holy Land.

Shortly after the Nazis came to power, they began breaking up Zionist meetings in Berlin; for example, a 1934 Jewish Daily Bulletin headline reads, “Nazi Officials Raid Zionist B’nai B’rith Meeting in Berlin.” By 1941, the Nazis officially banned all Zionist activities in Germany.

In November of 1941, al-Husseini met with German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and with Hitler himself. Hitler promised al-Husseini that once the German troops reached the Arab world, “Germany’s objective would then be solely the destruction of the Jewish element residing in the Arab sphere…”

THE FINAL SOLUTION WAS NOT FINAL. BUT FORMER NAZIS -- AND NAZI SYMPATHIZERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- HAD OTHER IDEAS

Ultimately, the Final Solution failed. The Nazis managed to slaughter nearly 70% of European Jewry during the Holocaust, but they did not succeed in exterminating Jewry in its entirety. Instead of admitting defeat, however, many former Nazis shifted their objective: instead of exterminating Jews, they’d exterminate the Jewish state -- or the prospect of the Jewish state.

Following the vote on the 1947 Partition Plan, the Arab Higher Committee warned the British not to intervene in their violence against the Jews. The Arab Higher Committee published a leaflet stating: “The Arabs have taken the Final Solution to the Jewish problem. The problem will be solved only in blood and fire. The Jews will soon be driven out.” 

Between 1948-1949, 1000 former Bosnian Muslim SS members joined the Palestinians in their fight against the Jews. Hundreds of members from the 13th and 23rd SS Divisions volunteered as well.

In early 1948, 30,000 army veterans from various fascist forces created an army known as Black International. Some of the members included Nazi soldiers, a pro-Nazi renegade Soviet battalion, and pro-Nazi Poles and Yugoslavs, as well as the Muslim members of a brigade that al-Husseini had organized to fight alongside the Nazis. Black International attacked Jewish towns and kibbutzim.

A source close to the group commented: “These Poles, Russians, Germans and Yugoslavs…are the Arabs fighting for national liberation…Actually their cynical joy is unbounded at the double gift which has been handed them — the opportunity to butcher Jews, and get paid for it.”

Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, and in 1949, it signed armistice agreements with its Arab neighbors.

But the Arab-Nazi alliance to annihilate the Jewish state did not end there.

NAZI WAR CRIMINALS IN THE ARAB WORLD

Over 4000 Nazi war criminals found refuge in the Arab world after the fall of Nazi Germany (in contrast, it’s estimated “only” 180 to 800 Nazi war criminals fled to South America). Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal estimated in 1967 that between 6000-7000 former Nazis had found refuge in the Arab world. Not a single Arab country ever expelled these war criminals or prosecuted them. Among them were:

FROM EXTERMINATING JEWS TO EXTERMINATING THE JEWISH NATION

During World War II — and shortly afterward — the Palestinian Arab leadership considered the idea of annihilating Jews and annihilating the prospect of a sovereign Jewish state virtually synonymous.

In 1957, a top secret document came to light, which revealed that Germany and Italy recognized the right of the Arabs to “solve the Jewish question” in Palestine and other Arab nations. During the meeting, Hitler told the Mufti: “Germany is resolved, step by step, to ask one European nation after the other to solve its Jewish problem, and at the proper time to direct a similar appeal to non-European nations as well.”

For Nazi war criminals, who’d served under Hitler to exterminate world Jewry, the idea of joining the Arab countries in their quest to exterminate the world’s only Jewish state was deeply appealing. Likewise, many Arab governments accepted such “help” from Nazi war criminals because they, too, held deep disdain not just for Israel and Zionism, but for their own local Jewish communities, which they’d all but decimated in the wake of the 1948 war.

In this way, the Final Solution to the Jewish Question did not end but was simply rebranded. Instead of exterminating Jews, they’d be working to exterminate the Jewish state...where, today, half of the world’s Jews live.

For a full bibliography of my sources, please head over to my Instagram and  Patreon. 

rootsmetals

“death to Israel” is just the Final Solution rebranded 🤷🏻‍♀️ honestly kinda wild only South America has a reputation for being a Nazi haven when at least 5x as many Nazi war criminals were given a safe haven in the Arab world…

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - October 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles on Patreon!

1. All 160 dogs at Florida shelter found homes ahead of Hurricane Milton

“[The shelter] offered crates, food and anything else the dogs would need in exchange for the animals to spend just five days with the foster parents if the human didn't want to keep them for longer. […A]fter about a day of receiving around 100 messages every 30 minutes, Bada said, all 160 were gone from the shelter and in safe and warm homes.”

2. Restoring Ecosystems and Rejuvenating Native Hawaiian Traditions in Maui

“[Volunteers] are restoring water flow to the refuge, removing invasive species, and restoring a loko iʻa kalo using ʻike kūpuna, ancestral knowledge. […] This human-made ecosystem will provide food for community members and habitat for wildlife while protecting coral reefs offshore.”

3. Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries

“In contrast to other solar-driven desalination designs, the MIT system requires no extra batteries for energy storage, nor a supplemental power supply, such as from the grid. […] The system harnessed on average over 94 percent of the electrical energy generated from the system’s solar panels to produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day[….]”

4. Threatened pink sea fan coral breeds in UK aquarium for first time

“The spawning is part of University of Exeter Ph.D. student Kaila Wheatley Kornblum's research into the reproduction, larval dispersal and population connectivity of Eunicella verrucosa. […] Pink sea fans are believed to have been successfully bred by only one other institution, Lisbon Oceanarium, in 2023.”

5. Tiny 'backpacks' are being strapped to baby turtles[….]

““We analysed the data and found that hatchlings show amazingly consistent head-up orientation – despite being in the complete dark, surrounded by sand [… and] they move as if they were swimming rather than digging[…. This new observation method is] answering questions about best conservation practices,” says Dor.”

6. New California Law Protects Wildlife Connectivity

“A new state law in California will instruct counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new development. […] This could entail everything from creating wildlife crossings at roads or highways, employing wildlife-safe fencing, or not developing on certain land.”

7. ‘I think, boy, I’m a part of all this’: how local heroes reforested Rio’s green heart

“By 2019, [the program] had transformed the city’s landscape, having trained 15,000 local workers like Leleco, who have planted 10m seedlings across […] roughly 10 times the area of New York’s Central Park. Reforested sites include mangroves and vegetation-covered sandbars called restinga, as well as wooded mountainsides around favelas.”

8. Alabama Town Plans to Drop Criminal Charges Over Unpaid Garbage Bills

““Suspending garbage pickup, imposing harsh late penalties and prosecuting people who through no fault of their own are unable to pay their garbage and sewage bills does not make payment suddenly forthcoming,” West said. [… The city] has agreed to drop pending criminal charges against its residents over unpaid garbage bills.”

9. New Hampshire’s low-income community solar program finally moves forward

“The state energy department is reviewing seven proposals for community solar arrays that will allocate a portion of their bill credits to low-income households. […] New Hampshire’s strategy of working with utilities to automatically enroll households that have already been identified streamlines the process.”

10. The Future Looks Bright for Electric School Buses

“EPA has awarded about $3 billion in grants from the infrastructure law, which paid to replace about 8,700 buses. Of those, about 95 percent are electric. [… Electric buses are] cheaper to operate and require less maintenance than diesel buses and will soon be at cost parity when looking at the lifetime cost of ownership[….]”

October 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[corzydoie]

Plain Sight: Pt.1 - Veiled Whispers

Author's Note: After lying about my posting schedule for forever, I finally finished this piece. I kept getting caught up with school and having new ideas to add, but hopefully, this was worth the wait. I've already written the rest of the series and plan to post the next part later this week.

Summary: An unexpected connection between Fernando Alonso and an unconnected, unknown environmental activist blooms into a secretive romance. They bond in the shadows, navigating the pressures of fame and the struggle for privacy in a world where their connection must remain hidden. But apparently, Fernando isn't as good at keeping secrets as he thought...

Word Count: 4.4k

Content Warning(s): Use of the Word Slut, Age Gap (20s/40s), Dodgy Author Knowledge About Mentioned Topics, Briefly Proofread So Please Offer Some Grace!!

Don't Forget to Interact and Follow! Hope You Enjoy!

The hall buzzed with energy and light conversation as advocates, donors, sponsors, and simple celebrities mingled beneath the organization’s eco-friendly banners and flower canopies that gave the room a light floral aroma. Y/n scanned the room, her fingers tapping absentmindedly on the program between her manicured hands which contained a lineup of guest speakers, most unfamiliar to her. She’d agreed to volunteer today only after relentless encouragement from her friend, who had promised it would be “an eye-opening experience.”

Y/n’s passion for the environment had always driven her to unexpected places, but motorsports? She didn’t follow any series or know the names splashed across headlines. Her interest was in the development of green initiatives, the kind that could change communities and landscapes. This event, however, felt out of her element. It was difficult for her not to feel skittish and fidget with the recycled program in her hands as she prayed some motorsport mogul wouldn’t approach her.

A sudden ripple of murmurs swept through the crowd, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to see what had captured everyone’s attention and found herself locking eyes with a man whose presence demanded notice. He was impeccably dressed with a charisma that hinted at fame she couldn’t quite place. He raised an eyebrow, the faintest hint of amusement crossing his features as he nodded a polite greeting.

Unfazed, Y/n offered a curt smile before turning back to her duties. Whoever he was, he knew how to work a room. But for her, today was about one thing only: championing environmental causes, not mingling with affluent guests.

“Excuse me,” a deep voice interrupted Y/n’s concentration as she arranged promotional materials on the table. She looked up and found herself face-to-face with the man from earlier. Up close, his presence was even more striking, eyes sharp with a glimmer of curiosity.

“Are you one of the event coordinators?” he asked, tilting his head slightly as if genuinely interested.

“No, just a volunteer,” she replied, adjusting her skirt to calm her nerves. “But I care a lot about the cause, so I decided to help out.”

He smiled, a small dimple appearing that softened his otherwise commanding demeanor. “Good cause indeed. The intersection of environmentalism and motorsports is... not what most people would expect.”

“I know, right?” Y/n’s eyes lit up, her earlier reservations momentarily forgotten. “I think it’s fascinating how innovation in motorsports can actually influence sustainable technology beyond racing. It’s just that... well, people don’t seem to take it seriously. They assume it’s all about speed and luxury.”

He chuckled, nodding in agreement. “That’s true. Many don’t see past the noise and glamour. But there’s potential for change.”

Her gaze sharpened with enthusiasm. “Exactly. If these advancements could trickle down into everyday life, think of how much more efficient our energy use could be! Racing could be a testbed for new eco-friendly practices. It’s why I’m here—I want to support things that actually make a difference.”

Fernando’s expression shifted, subtly impressed. He’d expected polite chatter, not a deep dive into the intersection of green tech and motorsport philosophy. “You must know quite a bit about the field,” he said, keeping his tone conversational.

“Oh, not really,” Y/n admitted with a laugh. “I’m more of an environmentalist than anything. The motorsport side of this is a bit lost on me, honestly.” She raised an eyebrow. “What about you? Are you here as a guest speaker or just someone who supports the cause?”

For a second, Fernando hesitated, realizing you had no idea who he was. The familiar instinct to hold back, to maintain the thin veil of anonymity, kicked in. “More of a supporter. I’m mostly here to learn more about the cause,” he said, offering a noncommittal shrug. “I think there’s value in understanding how things connect, don’t you?”

She nodded, her expression brightening again, thankful she didn’t have to converse about motorsports, a topic she was clueless about, with a petrolhead that would quiz her on the significance of hybrid racing cars on track performance. “Absolutely. Connections are everything.”

Before he could respond, someone called his name from across the room—“Fernando!”—in a way that made it clear they knew him well. Y/n glanced at the source of the call, then back at him, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

But Fernando only offered her a subtle, almost secretive smile. “It was nice meeting you. I hope you find what you’re looking for here.”

And before she could ask more, he turned and blended seamlessly into the crowd, leaving her with a thousand questions, a sudden flutter in her chest, and a slowly creeping blush across her cheeks.

She didn’t see him for the rest of the night. Still, she thought of him during event cleanup, on her drive home, in the shower, and as she lay in bed unable to sleep, ultimately deciding to focus on what the next day might bring, as everything she came up with was boring enough to lull her into a dreamscape.

Y/n wanted to meet up with her friend the next day but decided against it. She knew the taunting that would come with retelling her meeting someone who ended up flooding her mind would be endless. Thankfully, Y/n already planned a vacation for a much-needed refresh away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan living.

Fernando found himself on a white-sanded beach staring toward the endlessly blue horizon, secluded from the outside world that always seemed to have a camera pointed his way. After rough races these past weekends, he was thankful for some time off. He enjoyed the calming sounds of the waves and the lack of human presence until a faint mumbling could be heard not far from where he sat.

At first, he thought he might just be hearing things since he remembered being the only person on the beach when he arrived, but the sound drew closer and closer with each growing moment. He opened his eyes and saw what seemed to be a familiar figure, which looked in his direction. Fernando figured this person knew who he was as they sent him a shallow wave before walking in his direction.

He could recognize this person was a woman from where they originally stood, but as they drew closer, a faint memory from a charity event a couple of weeks ago flashed in his mind.

“Coincidence seeing you here,” the lady said as she shifted her sunglasses from her eyes to the top of her head. “Fernando, right? Mind if I sit here?” He instantly recognized her as the volunteer he shared a brief conversation with that day and gestured to the sand beside him, letting her know she was more than welcome.

“You were at the environmental motorsports event a couple of weeks ago, no?” Fernando asked as he watched her set down a floral beach towel. “Yep, that’s me.” The two sat in silence before the unnamed lady realized she had yet to introduce herself to Fernando properly.

“I’m Y/n by the way, apologies for not sharing that earlier,” she said as she reached a hand out for a handshake, which Fernando took in both of his, causing her heart to flutter slightly. “Pleasure to meet you again Y/n. So tell me, what brings you to this beach?” Although he initially meant for small talk to pass a couple of minutes, the two ended up talking on the beach for hours, eventually watching the sunset together.

Their conversations explored almost every topic under the sun, from Fernando’s ranking of the world’s best beaches and Y/n’s of nations with the largest carbon footprint to Fernando confiding in Y/n about the issues he faces in his life and career. Y/n could sense Fernando’s genuity from the way his posture relaxed and his words were purposeful to avoid any confusion about what he was feeling.

If he was being honest with himself, Fernando was a bit taken aback by the maturity she expressed in their conversations, and he’d be lying if he didn’t admit the attraction he felt that initially drew him to her all those weeks ago.

“I didn’t expect to find someone who could understand me at this stage in life, especially someone so young.” Fernando stared stoically into the sunset, trying to avoid eye contact with the beautiful young woman beside him, afraid his heart might flutter. He’d feel like a dirty old man being attracted to someone who appeared to be half his age, or even younger, who was sitting next to him in a bikini on what he considered the most beautiful beach on Earth.

“I never thought I’d connect with someone much older than me either, but life is crazy isn’t it,” Y/n said with a light giggle that caused Fernando to turn his head and smile at her. “Y’know, I’ve enjoyed all the conversations we’ve had so far, maybe we can connect again sometime?” she asked with a smile that signaled she was genuine about wanting to see Fernando again.

“Yeah, I’d like that!” Y/n immediately turned to grab her phone out of her bag to exchange contact information with Fernando while sharing parting pleasantries. Perhaps a small part of her felt like a whore, asking for an older man’s phone number, wanting to see him again, the uncontrollable butterflies she felt when their hands slightly brushed each other before parting ways. She knew this interaction and any future ones with Fernando would be kept close to her heart and locked in her mind, she was afraid of what her friends and family would think of her talking to someone like him. But a bigger part of her didn’t care, because she saw how he looked at her, and knew he felt the same.

~

After their chance meeting on the beach, Fernando and Y/n began exchanging messages sporadically. At first, their conversations were light and centered around the environment–Y/n sharing articles about conservation efforts and Fernando asking thoughtful questions that hinted at his growing interest in the topic.

What started as occasional texts quickly became more frequent. They discussed everything from their favorite books and movies to deep, wandering philosophical debates. Fernando found himself drawn to her passion and perspective, while Y/n appreciated his thoughtful nature and how he always seemed genuinely interested in their conversations.

When Fernando traveled for races, their messages became a welcome reprieve from his high-pressure world, while Y/n found their exchanges refreshing amid her demanding work. Over time, phone calls replaced texts, and their conversations stretched late into the night.

It wasn’t long before their connection grew undeniable. Fernando invited Y/n to meet him again, on a quiet beach near his home in Spain. He framed it casually–another chance to explore their shared interest in the environment–but his nervous excitement made it clear this meeting felt different. Y/n was equally curious and undeniably drawn to the man who had quickly become a comforting constant.

The sun dipped low over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink as the waves lapped gently at the shore. Fernando and Y/n strolled along the secluded stretch of beach, their footprints the only evidence of life on the soft sand.

Y/n slipped her sandals off, letting the cool grains sink between her toes. She glanced at Fernando, who seemed lost in thought, his hands shoved into the pockets of his linen trousers.

“You’re quiet tonight,” she said softly.

He gave her a small smile. “Just thinking.”

“Dangerous pastime,” she teased, nudging him with her shoulder.

He chuckled but didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the waves. “Y/n,” he began after a pause, his voice low and steady, “have you ever thought about how different our lives are?”

She stopped, tilting her head to study him. “What do you mean?”

He hesitated, pulling a hand from his pocket to gesture vaguely. “You’re young, passionate, with so much ahead of you. And I…” He trailed off, looking down at the sand. “I’ve lived a lot of my life already. I don’t want to take anything away from you.”

Y/n frowned, stepping closer to him. “Fernando, where is this coming from?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not just the age gap. It’s everything. The world sees me differently than you do. I’ve built a life that people…notice. That comes with expectations and assumptions. And I worry what people will think when they see us together. What they’ll think about you.”

Her brows knit together. “Fernando, are you saying people will think less of me because of you? Or that I’ll think less of you?”

“No,” he said quickly, meeting her eyes. “Not you. Never you. But people might say things–things that aren’t true. They’ll question your motives, and assume you’re with me for the wrong reasons. And they’ll question me, too.”

Y/n stared at him for a long moment, the sound of the waves filling the silence between them. “I don’t care what people think, Fernando. I know why I’m here. I’m here because of who you are, not what you have.”

He studied her, his expression softening. “You’re sure? Even if it gets…complicated?”

She smiled, reaching to take his hand, “Life’s already complicated. You just have to decide who’s worth the complications.”

Fernando exhaled, a quiet laugh escaping him. “You make it sound so simple.”

“It is,” she said, squeezing his hand. “We can worry about the rest when it happens. But for now, I’m choosing you. That’s all that matters.”

He stepped closer, cupping her cheek gently. “You’re remarkable.”

“You’ve mentioned that before,” she teased, her smile widening.

As the waves rolled in, cool water brushing their ankles, Fernando leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Over the next few months, their connection grew through long calls and fleeting visits, each moment together strengthening the bond they had quietly formed. Though their lives often pulled them in opposite directions, Fernando and Y/n made time for each other, carefully navigating the delicate beginnings of their relationship.

On a crisp morning in the city, a few months into their romance, they found themselves at a quaint cafe, eager to share news that had been building in both their lives. They sat in a far corner, their usual spot regardless of the establishment, as they indulged in their choice of coffee and pastries. They’d been talking for hours, their laughter littering the atmosphere as they shared stories of their day-to-day lives. But as the conversation shifted toward something more serious, Y/n felt the need to tell him about her work.

“I’ve been working on some new projects,” she began. “The organization has been focusing on bridging the gap between sustainability and industries that often overlook it,” she explained as she took the finishing sip of her cappuccino.

Fernando looked at her with genuine interest painting his features, a slight smile drawn across his lips. “I think what you’re doing is amazing. It’s not easy, I bet.”

Y/n nodded, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. “It’s been a real struggle, but it’s worth it, you know? I’ve been mainly working on reducing the carbon footprint of the fashion and technology industries, but I’ve been diving deeper into how motorsports can play a role too.” She paused, then let out a slight chuckle, “I know it’s ironic, considering my complete lack of knowledge about cars and racing.”

Fernando reciprocated the chuckle, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. “I think you’d be surprised, you might have a lot more in common with motorsports than you think.”

Y/n slightly cocked her head in confusion, but before she could respond, she became aware of the slight murmurs coming from the rest of the patrons. Her eyes flickered around the cafe, noticing the subtle whispers and glances thrown their way. A few turned their heads, avoiding eye contact with her, while others held it as if trying to memorize Y/n’s face.

Y/n shifted uncomfortably in her seat, looking down at her empty cup, unsure how to react. Fernando noticed almost immediately, his brows furrowing in concern. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Y/n glanced around again before focusing on the man across from her. “Do you have any idea why people keep looking at us? Are we doing something weird?” she asked, slightly ducking her head, she now felt oddly insecure and self-aware.

Fernando’s expression softened as he took her hand, giving her a knowing look. “It’s not you,” he said simply, his voice quieter now. “It’s me.” Y/n tilted her head again in confusion, clearly not understanding what he meant.

“I’m a bit more…well-known than I think you realize,” Fernando continued, a sheepish smile playing at the corners of his lips. “People recognize me, whether I want them to or not. And when I’m out with someone…” he trailed off, a quiet understanding passing between them.

Y/n’s eyes widened in realization. “You’re…famous?”

Fernando nodded. “Something like that.” He laughed softly, though it was tinged with a hint of sadness. “I don’t usually talk about it much, especially with people who don’t know the motorsport world. It’s a bit much to take in sometimes, but it’s part of the package.”

Y/n sat in silence for a moment, processing the information. Her initial unease began to fade as she looked at him, but a new wave of curiosity washed over her. She never considered fame in the equation of their interactions, but now it felt like a weight had settled in the air between them.

“So, what’s it like?” she asked, almost shyly.

Fernando’s lips quirked into a small smile. “It’s a lot of eyes on you. A lot of expectations. A lot of whispers.” He paused, his gaze dropping to the table, a slight sadness creeping into his features. “It’s hard to keep things private when people know you.”

Y/n nodded thoughtfully, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. “I understand. You know, sometimes I struggle with the environmental work I do ‘cause it feels like everyone only has their eyes on the big guys. It’s hard to make your work known in such an overesaturated field.”

Fernando leaned forward, his tone shifting to something a little more serious. “I can help you with that, you know. With the work you’re doing, I mean. There’s an event coming up. It’s a big one, focusing on the steps motorsports are taking toward sustainability, and you’d be a great fit there. You could meet people in the industry, build some connections.” His eyes softened with sincerity. “It’s an opportunity for you to get your foot in the door.”

Y/n’s eyes brightened. “Really? That sounds amazing.”

He smiled. “Yeah. I’ll have you as my guest. I think it could be a good place for you.”

She smiled back, though her thoughts still lingered on the attention they were receiving. “Thank you, Fernando. I’d love to go.”

As their conversation continued, the stares from the other patrons in the cafe didn’t stop. Y/n couldn’t help but feel like the walls were closing in as more and more people gathered their courage to steal a glance at the couple. When they finally finished their coffees and stood up to leave, Fernando’s hand brushed against hers, and Y/n couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.

-

A few days later, Fernando and Carlos found themselves on a sun-drenched golf course, the mid-afternoon light casting short shadows over the pristine grass. They had been friends for years, but there was something about how Fernando’s behavior had shifted recently that made Carlos more attentive than usual.

Fernando had been quieter and more withdrawn, and today was no exception. As they padded down the fairway, Carlos couldn’t ignore the subtle signs: the distracted glances, how his usually carefree demeanor seemed tethered to something more serious.

“You’re not yourself today,” Carlos remarked, glancing at Fernando, who was lining up his shot. “What’s going on?”

Fernando took a deep breath, setting the club down for a moment. “It’s…it’s nothing, really.” He turned to face Carlos, a rare vulnerability in his eyes. “It’s just… you know, there’s someone I’ve been seeing.”

Carlos raised an eyebrow, already sensing there was more to this than Fernando was letting on. “Someone special?”

Fernando hesitated. “Yeah, I guess so.” He glanced off in the distance, his eyes far away for a moment. “But it’s complicated.”

Carlos, ever the curious one, was quick to press. “Complicated how?”

Fernando’s gaze flickered to the ground, as though he was weighing the decision to share more. “It’s… the age gap. Between us. I’ve only told you because, well, I trust you. We’re keeping things low-key for now. People have a lot of opinions, especially about stuff like that.”

Carlos’ expression softened. He’d been Fernando’s friend through thick and thin, and while the news surprised him, he understood the need for secrecy. “You’re not the only one, mate,” he said, lightly patting him on the back. “Everyone’s got an opinion about relationships, especially in our world.”

Fernando nodded, grateful for Carlos’ understanding. “Yeah. So for now, it’s just between us.”

Later that evening, the glow of the event’s lights welcomed Fernando and Y/n as they drove up to the venue. Before they could leave Fernando’s Valkyrie, Y/n asked a question that was itching at the back of her mind.

“So what is it exactly that you do for a living?” Y/n refrained from searching for him online, afraid she would uncover something she would rather not know.

Fernando hesitated a bit, despite knowing it was better to come clean now. “Well, I’m a Formula 1 driver. This is an F1 event actually, all my colleagues will be inside.” When he turned to see Y/n’s wide-eyed expression, Fernando assured her she didn’t need to impress since nobody knew of their connection.

They stepped into the venue, which hummed with the energy of motorsport industry professionals, media personalities, and environmental activists alike. The venue was a sprawling, modern building, and the perfect backdrop for Y/n’s growing career in environmentalism. Fernando could see the spark in her eyes as she took in the scene, all hesitation from before evaporating.

But as they entered, Y/n immediately felt the need to distance herself, her instinct to blend in taking over. While Fernando introduced her to a few people, she spent most of the evening networking, making connections that would benefit her future work. She didn’t want to draw attention as someone’s girlfriend, especially Fernando’s. She kept her interactions professional, answering questions about her work the entire night, and steering the conversation away from anything too personal.

Fernando, however, wasn’t as good at keeping his emotions under wraps. His subtle mood changes didn’t go unnoticed by the drivers and other guests at the event. They could see how he smiled a little softer, how his eyes lingered when he looked at her. It wasn’t a mood they were used to seeing from Fernando–he usually kept everything too guarded to let his true feelings show. But tonight, there was a difference.

“Dude,” his teammate, Lance Stroll, asked him quietly, as they stood near the bar, “Is everything okay with you? You’ve been…different.”

Fernando blinked, his attention snapping back to the present. He offered a tight smile, trying to mask his swirling emotions. “Yeah, just…tired,” he replied, not wanting to reveal anything more. “Long day.”

But Carlos, who had been watching from a distance, could see through the façade. He pulled Fernando aside for a more private conversation.

“What’s going on, Fernando? You seem distant tonight,” Carlos asked gently, his voice carrying a tone of concern.

Fernando sighed, knowing it was time to acknowledge what kept causing his attention to drift. “The person I’m seeing, she’s here tonight. But I don’t want to draw too much attention to her.”

Carlos nodded in understanding. “You’re keeping it under wraps because of the age thing, right?”

Fernando gave a short, almost bitter laugh. “Yeah. That’s part of it. But it’s more than just that. We’re keeping things low-key because we don’t want the media or anyone making assumptions before we’re ready to deal with all that. It’s just…a lot, and she’s not used to it yet.”

Carlos glanced over to where Y/n was, still conversing with a group of guests, the contrast of her professionalism and the personal connection between her and Fernando hanging like a secret.

“I get it,” Carlos said softly. “But you can’t hide forever, Fernando. People are going to start asking questions, especially if your behavior keeps giving it away.”

Fernando sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But this isn't just about me. It's her life, her work, her reputation. I want to protect her from the chaos in all of this."

Carlos' expression softened. "I understand. But if she's the one, and it sounds like she might be, you'll have to face it together at some point. People will talk, but if you're both sure about each other, it won't matter."

Fernando looked over at Y/n again, watching her with admiration and longing as her animated gestures lit up the conversation she was having across the room. She seemed so comfortable, so confident, even among strangers. That strength was one of the many things that drew him to her. He had always been the one to play things close to the chest, but this relationship–this person–felt different.

Carlos gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "For what it's worth, you look happier than I've seen you in years. Don't let anything get in the way of that."

“I know,” Fernando replied quietly. “But for now I want to protect her. And myself,”

As the evening continued, Fernando remained reserved, offering little more than polite responses to his fellow drivers. His connection with Y/n was too new and fragile, and he wasn’t ready for the world to know yet. Not until they were able to face it together. Their path forward wouldn't be easy, but Fernando knew as he watched Y/n laugh and light up the room, that she was worth every complication.

Written By: CorzyDoie <3

Don't Forget to Interact and Follow! Hope You Enjoyed!

[carharttlesbian]

What is RISE?

Reigniting Intergenerational Sisterhood Everywhere

Are you interested in building intergenerational lesbian community? Are you a feminist seeking to make change? Do you want to spend a week in the woods with sisters from all walks of life? Join us at RISE.

What does sisterhood mean to you? The gathering is designed around community dialogue and learning from each other: we differ in age, race, class, ability, life experience, and opinions. Workshops will include topics in intergenerational lesbian community-building, organizing for change, intersectional feminism, and preserving lesbian cultural heritage. We aim to build trust through open sharing and respectful listening in this focused, intimate setting. Aside from the core programming, RISE offers the chance to bond in person with other women during concerts, dances, movies, coffeehouse open mics, skill-shares and swaps. We each bring our energy and gifts to the Land and leave with new friends, skills and ideas. We are participant-driven. If you want to see something happen here, create it!

WPI-RISE

RISE is sharing our week on the Land with WPI music camp for women and girls. All performances and RISE workshops will be open to everyone attending either festival; if you want to attend WPI music classes, you'll need a WPI ticket.

Tickets

Getting your ticket is a 2-step process. First, registerat tinyurl.com/RISE24reg— once you're registered, you'll receive an email from RISEontheLand2020s@gmail.com with the link to purchase your ticket at Goldenrod. The standard rate is $325: sliding scale options & payment plans available (just ask).

Volunteer Opportunities

We have several opportunities for organized women to help with various aspects of RISE. In particular, we're currently looking for sisters to MC a coffeehouse open mic, to help make & serve beverages in our festival coffee shop, and for one more on-call conflict mediator. Email RISEontheLand2020s@gmail.com with your interest & experience. We are also still soliciting workshop & discussion leaders. What topic would you like to bring to RISE? Sign up to lead a workshop or discussion here: tinyurl.com/RISE24workshop

[fandomtrumpshate]

FTH 2024: Supported Nonprofit Organizations

Here are the nonprofit organizations that will be supported by this year's FTH auction. Many of these orgs will be familiar from last year's list, but we've cycled in some new groups as well. In particular, because it's a major election year in the US, we've brought in (or brought back) organations focusing on voter enfranchisement.

If you are a FTH creator and you want to ask your bidders to support an organization that’s not on the list, please read our policy on outside organizations here.

Bellingcat *

Bellingcat is an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists brought together by a passion for open source research in the public interest.

Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center *

The Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) is a nonprofit legal organization that fights for liberation and equity through the lens of intersectional disability justice.

In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda *

A national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, NBWRJA delivers proactive advocacy and policy solutions to address issues at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Life After Hate

LAH provides support to people leaving hate groups, and providing pluralism education and training to vulnerable young people.

Middle East Children's Alliance *

MECA is a nonprofit organization working for the rights and the well-being of children in the Middle East. They collect funds in order to provide direct aid, financial support for community projects, water purification systems, and university scholarships, and also create educational and cultural programs in the US and internationally to increase cultural understanding.

National Network to End Domestic Violence *

NNEDV offers a range of programs and initiatives to address the complex causes and far-reaching consequences of domestic violence.

Never Again Action *

A Jewish-led mobilization against the persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States, NAA takes on campaigns against detention centers and ICE training programs, and organizes mutual aid and deportation defense.

Razom *

Razom initiates short and long-term projects, or collaborates on existing projects with partner organizations, which help Ukraine stay on the path of fostering democracy and prosperity

Sherlock’s Homes Foundation *

SHF provides housing, employment opportunities, and a loving support system for homeless LGBTQ+ young adults so that they can live fearlessly as their authentic selves. Within these homes, young adults learn about responsibility, accountability, financial independence, life skills, and how to love themselves

Spread the Vote

STV helps eligible voters make their voices heard through voter education, supporting voters through the process of getting necessary ID, and advocating against voter suppression laws.

Violence Policy Center *

VPC works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration; exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, and offers unique technical expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates.

VoteRiders

VR works to help all citizens exercise their right to vote. It informs and helps citizens to secure their voter ID as well as inspires and supports organizations, local volunteers, and communities to sustain voter ID education and assistance efforts.

Umbrella: Environmental orgs

For the past four years, FTH has supported one “umbrella” cause: we invite participants to donate to their own local grassroots organization, while also suggesting a handful of exemplary organizations working in communities where the need is especially acute. This year our umbrella category is environmental organizations.

Pollinator Partnership *

Deploy/Us *

Together Bay Area

Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

Coral Restoration Foundation *

++

Organizations marked with an asterisk (*) allow for international donations directly through their websites. The orgs without asterisks may take international donations through a paypal or venmo account. If you are a non-US-based bidder/donor and you are having trouble finding an organization to which you can donate, please email us directly at fandomtrumpshate @ gmail . com.

[archelangeli]

accrued interest. | hinata s.

ACCOUNT HOLDER: an introduction to CPA (can't pass accounting)

(y/n) (l/n)

first-year accountancy student. chose her program only because someone said she should since she was good in math and that's exactly what she did. she quickly got the hang of accountancy, thanks to akaashi giving her heads-up and advice before the semester started. as for her social life, she limits herself to a small circle of friends, all accountancy students, where their definition of group bonding is simply group study sessions.

alisa haiba

fourth-year accountancy student who went to the same high school as kuroo. she rarely drops by the group chat due to being busy with internship and research but would randomly appear as a proof of life. as a senior, she often offers advice on academics and navigating university life, especially as things get more challenging in the later years. a graduating student on the verge of losing her sanity.

kuroo tetsuro

third-year accountancy student. kuroo is known as one of the students who excels in the program, and he frequently volunteers as a tutor along with sugawara to help struggling accountancy students. it was through a peer tutoring session that he met both (y/n) and tsukishima, the unfortunate first-years he kidnapped. he also spills all the gossip he could get from around the bs accountancy department in the group chat.

oikawa toru

third-year accountancy student. the reason oikawa chose this program was to add some challenge to his life, though he often contemplates whether it’s too late to regret his choices. despite his doubts, he’s made it this far, thanks to kuroo and sugawara. he’ll never pass up an opportunity to be dramatic and complain about every upcoming test for an hour, only to end up acing it in the end. he is also roommates with sugawara.

sugawara koshi

third-year accountancy student, blockmate with kuroo and oikawa. he is known as the kind and approachable senior, often volunteering as a tutor alongside kuroo. he takes on the role of peacemaker in the group, but there are times when he can be a menace, and no one would bat an eye since it's not oikawa or kuroo. but aside from that, he’s incredibly driven and takes his studies seriously.

akaashi keiji

second-year accountancy student and (y/n)’s roommate. (y/n) moved into the apartment just before the semester started. he was the one who gave her a heads-up on what to expect in the program from his experience. he is also the reason why (y/n) isn't living off of instant ramen yet since he cooks for both of them. don't be fooled because as calm as he seems, he is actually going through it and copes with coffee.

tsukishima kei

first-year accountancy student and (y/n)’s blockmate. they first met during orientation and share the same schedule, meaning they see each other in every class they have. over time, they’ve just learned to tolerate each other’s presence and became inseparable. also, he doesn’t really have much peace in his life, considering he’s in two different friend groups, and the arrangement has been without his consent.

masterlist. | next transaction.

[skylarmoon71]

Miguel O Hara (Across the Spider-Verse) - Extra 1: Genius.

From that point on, you both had an understanding. 

You carried out your assignments diligently and Miguel was never shy with the praise. You would unintentionally crack some new code or discover an upgrade for his systems that really helped in the long run.

You were consistent, driven and you always volunteered for the more tedious missions even when others were a bit skeptical. He found himself relaxing a bit more.

As hard as it was, in the event that anything ever happened to him, he felt secure knowing that you could step up to fill his shoes. It was probably the most calm he felt in years.

“The anomaly on earth 57 has been subdued. I’ve added in my report. Do you need anything else?”

You were just looking at him expectantly, and Miguel stopped for a moment. He’s been trying to work himself to getting closer to you. Learning more about you.

What were cases like that you handled?

How did they develop the program that you’ve so skillfully added into his set up?

Did you have someone waiting for you back home?

Maybe that was the most glaring one.

“I’m okay. I think we covered all the alerts for now. If there are any more readings you’ll be the first to know.”

A coward’s way out.

“I understand. I’m glad I could help.”

You didn’t say anymore, just turned, marching out of there ready for another task or mystery to solve. Miguel ran a hand through his hair.

“You have to actually talk to her if you want to make progress, boss.” Lyla’s teasing tone did not escape him.

“Don’t make me reprogram you.”

“You wouldn’t do that. You love me.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

She made a zipping motion across her lips.

~The Dining Hall~

“I’m telling you, he didn’t yell at me once yesterday.” Peter spoke.

You were in the cafeteria with Peter, Hobby Pavitr and Gwen.

“Maybe he’s on his period.” Hobbie commented.

Gwen and Pavitr bursted out in a fit of laughter and Peter tried to hold his in. You munched on your burger quietly as they went back and forth with possibilities at Miguel’s recent change in mood.

“What do you think (Y/N)?” Gwen asked.

Swallowing, you take a sip of your drink.

“What do I think about Miguel?”

“Yeah, don’t you think he’s a bit of a hardass.” Peter inquires

“I wouldn’t use those exact words. I believe he has a lot on his shoulders. He’s responsible for so many lives. In a sense, he holds himself accountable if anything were to occur. From my perspective he’s an amazing leader. He’s very focused on all his duties. He’s very understanding of my strengths and he doesn’t undermine my intelligence.”

The space went quiet as you continued.

“Although he has a short fuse, I believe it stems from his need to control every situation. He’s worried that if he lowers his guard, then he’ll risk the lives of others. He truly cares about the people under him, even if he doesn’t truly express it often. I hope one day I could be just as amazing as he is. Both physically and intellectually.”

They all just blink, and then a smirk stretches on Hobbie’s lips.

“Navy’s got a crush on the boss.”

“A crush?”

You ask with a tilt of your head.

“You like him. Like how a boy likes a girl.” Patvir says it wistfully, palm on his cheek and Gwen smacks his shoulder with a laugh.

You’re trying to figure out if they’re correct about the assumption. It’s true you do hold a great deal of respect for him.

How could you not?

“Don’t think about it too hard kid.” Peter states.

“You do realize that I’m only a few years younger than you Benjamin.”

“Oooooo! She called you Benjamin, you’re in trouble.” Gwen teases.

Peter persists to apologize and state that the mask is a bit deceiving. You merely smile as they go back and forth commenting how he’s the only one that looks like an old guy in his suit.

The rest of your break is just playful banter.

You spend the better part of the day running through all you can on crushes and how to determine if you have someone that falls into that bracket.

It’s often difficult for you to forget about them even when they aren’t in the room.

You appreciate some aspect of what they do and long to be close, or mirror their values.

It could stem from a deep respect or even admiration.

There’s so much information and you’re a little alarmed at how much it aligns with your views of Miguel.

That afternoon as you’re heading back to work with Miguel, you can’t seem to get it out of your head. The second you step inside, Miguel almost anticipates your arrival.

“I need your help to go through a few of these reports from the last assignment.

“Of course, but first, can I ask you something?”

“Si.”

His eyes are still on the computers, so you aren’t sure if he’s paying attention or not, but you still ask the question.

“Have you ever had a crush on someone?”

He stumbles at the statement, now looking at you.

“Qué..”

“I’ve never truly felt connected to anyone. Not until I joined this society. It’s understandable that I would feel comfortable here. We all share a unique set of skills that are similar in many ways. We’ve all been through different traumas. Yet, out of all the people that I’ve met, both in my universe and yours, the only person I’ve ever really felt connected to is you.”

Miguel is wondering if he’s suffered from a serious blow.

“Is it possible that I might have romantic feelings for you? If so, what am I supposed to do about them? Social norms dictate that we spend time together, find common interests, and plan activities. But all of these are things that I’ve already accomplished with you. How do I get closer? I want to get closer, I want to understand.”

Miguel is quite honestly out of his element. Your straightforward personality is maybe a little too much for him.

“I’m..”

He’s not sure what to say to that.

“Come on big guy, you can do better than that. You’ve been dying for this kind of progress for months.”

Lyla’s sudden appearance and statement are a bit of a shock to you.

“LYLA!”

She’s gone with a laugh just as quickly and his frown deepens.

“For months…You’ve held similar feelings as me for months..”

He hadn’t exactly intended to be outed. Miguel intends to explain, but now you won’t look at him, and you take a step back.

“Did you keep it to yourself because you knew how difficult it would be to have a relationship with someone like me?”

It’s apparent that you’ve completely misunderstood.

“You're wrong.”

You look up.

“I’m not any better than you in this field. What I do, leading this organization, makes sense to me. Relationships don’t.”

His eyes shift and suddenly you feel foolish for just jumping to conclusions.

“It’s easier to stay focused on work, that way no one gets hurt.”

“That’s very lonely. “

He knows. But he’s used to it.

“Would you at least consider giving it a try?”

You look so hopeful and he feels it tug at his heart.

“I-I’ll try to be more normal. I’ve gotten better at physical contact. If we take small steps in no time I’ll be-”

“No. Don’t change anything about yourself.”

Your gaze softens at his words. He takes a step forward. Not close enough to touch, just enough that you can see him, feel him.

“I do want to try, but you shouldn’t have to compromise for anyone. Whatever you’re comfortable with, that’s what we’ll do. I’m not in a rush. “

You can’t believe it. It’s almost like he was put on this earth just for you.

“Are you sure..”

“I’m positive.”

You’re almost tearing up, and he just reaches out a hand, brushing his finger against your cheek. You don’t pull away or flinch.

The contact brings warmth.

The kind you never knew you needed until now.

[girlfromthecrypt]

𝕊𝕦𝕔𝕙 ℍ𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤

[Interactive fiction, Demo TBA]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪

You play as a counselor for the understaffed and underfunded Cloverleaf program. Your job is to organize and oversee a cabin camping holiday for children from troubled homes. Working hard alongside you are your four allies (and potential friends/lovers) Basil Laurier, Anita Merrick and the siblings Flo and Reem Malak.

Unfortunately, the campsite you're tasked with preparing is nothing short of decrepit. Still, you'll make the best of it, right? As you and your colleagues undertake repairs and cleaning efforts (and possibly get to know each other a little better), you keep finding yourself in increasingly unsettling situations.

But surely there's no reason to worry, right?

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

Welcome to Camp Solace!

This picturesque cabin campsite is situated in the middle of nowhere, directly next to the beautiful Lake Solace and flanked by acres of woodland, far removed from the bustle of civilization. In fact, it'd take you quite a while to reach the nearest town in case of an emergency. You'd best make sure nothing goes wrong.

Camp Solace was established in the 1980s. In 2022, the site was bought out by the wealthy Laurier family who plan to overturn it to appeal to “a higher class of customers”. But not before offering it to the Cloverleaf program for the season, free of charge. The things people do for their public image…

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤

For the duration of the holiday as well as its lengthy preparations and follow-up work, you will be relying on the support of your four closest colleagues.

Basil Laurier (M, trans, late twenties): The eldest son of the Laurier family. He's volunteering at Cloverleaf. Wealthy, though he tries not to seem it. Van-lifer, nature lover and dedicated spiritualist. Skilled craftsman. Enjoys building things and blowing them up after. Harmonious, cheerful and snarky.

Anita Merrick (F, mid twenties): Student of psychology doing her internship with the Cloverleaf program. Has a bachelor's degree in information technology. Smart, kind and chronically sleep-deprived. Enjoys a good book and fancy coffee. Certified softie. Easily scared (she's in for a bad time, the poor thing).

Reem Malak (F, early thirties): Music teacher, band guitarist and vocalist. Volunteering at Cloverleaf. Flo’s older half-sister. Also plays drums and percussion, sax, piano, bass… and bagpipes. Impulsive, passionate and energetic. Enjoys doing yoga and lifting weights. The cool girl. Very tall.

Flo Malak (M, late twenties): Martial arts teacher who gives classes for both adults and children. Also volunteering at Cloverleaf. Taekwondo, Krav Maga. Silent, kind and not without his quirks. Reem calls him “socially challenged”. Enjoys obscure media and monster movies. Even taller than his sister.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣

Your player character's age will be kept ambiguous, though it’s implied that you’re in same age range as the romance options (meaning your twenties to thirties). 

Play as M, F or NB; gay, straight, bi, ace or keep your orientation undefined (Note: Such Happy Campers is very character-driven with a focus on romantic love and interpersonal connections).

Customize your looks and vibe; choose your strengths, personality and outfit!

[mariacallous]

Extremists including white supremacists and border livestreamers have descended on Los Angeles in the midst of the wildfires there to gain followers, juice social media engagement, solicit donations and, experts claim, recruit new members, while in some cases LARPing as emergency workers.

This past weekend Ryan Sánchez and three other members of his Nationalist Network group set up shop at the entrance to Santa Monica Pier. Sánchez, who was caught on video giving a Nazi salute during last year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, and his crew had driven overnight from Arizona, where they live.

Sánchez, who was a member of the now-defunct white supremacist fight club known as the Rise Above Movement, is an ally of white supremacist Nick Fuentes and is sometimes known by his online moniker “Culture War Criminal.”

Sánchez, who did not respond to WIRED’s requests for comment, claims on his social media accounts that his group “got much more support than anticipated” and said that all of the donations were given to the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, a building said to be sheltering veterans as well as charities involved with military and veterans affairs. (It did not respond to a request to confirm that Sánchez’s group made donations.)

While Sánchez and his colleagues claim they are in LA to do good, experts who track the activities of far-right groups tell WIRED that what they are really engaging in is “disaster tourism” to further their own agenda by appearing to do good for society.

“Based on a lot of their past activities, this is probably being used as a recruitment effort, which is something that's been happening a lot more over the last year where far-right groups engage in disaster tourism,” says Freddy Cruz, the program manager for monitoring and training at Western States Center. “We saw it with Hurricane Helene, and now we're seeing it again. These groups are essentially just traveling to disaster zones to create propaganda, solicit donations, and in some cases actually stealing donations from people on the ground.”

On Monday, Sánchez said that while his group was no longer collecting goods for the relief effort, it was still interested in meeting potential new recruits.

“We will not be accepting any more donations tomorrow, but if you are still interested in volunteering, contact us,” Sánchez wrote on Telegram and X on Sunday morning.

A donation link Sánchez posted to his Telegram channel links directly to his personal Cash App account, and it’s unclear where any money being donated was going, though Sánchez suggested it was being used to fund his group’s travel and accommodation.

“The crisis in Los Angeles continues, with high winds expected in the coming days. Thanks to your support, the Nationalist Network will be here for our fellow Americans,” Sánchez wrote on his Telegram and X accounts on Monday, before asking for further donations “if you would like to help keep our activists fed and in the fight.”

As well as Sánchez and the Nationalist Network, multiple MAGA livestreamers traveled to LA in recent days to begin posting content from the aftermath of the fires while at the same time soliciting money from their followers.

One pair of livestreamers, who in the past have been featured on Alex Jones’ Infowars platforms, produced a 17-minute “documentary” on the wildfires filled with disinformation about the source of the fires and the actions of the LA fire department.

In some cases, livestreamers moved from documenting the aftermath of the fires to LARPing as firefighters.

A livestreamer who is known online as Anthony Aguero, who typically livestreams from the US-Mexico border while pushing anti-immigrant disinformation, posted a video of himself tackling a fire he says he came across while driving in LA on Monday.

“I jumped on to action and became a firefighter for a few minutes,” Aguero wrote on X. “I don’t understand how not 1 person tried to stop this fire, it took a guy from Texas to stop it.”

The video shows Aguero carrying a bucket filled with water toward the flames; as he leaves, there are clearly still flames visible behind him. Aguero, who calls himself an “independent reporter bringing you raw truth,” also posted a video in which he was talking to Los Angeles Police Department officers on Sunday, claiming in accompanying text that 20 to 30 officers were involved in questioning him and a number of other people who were with him at the time after they were “SWATTED BY LEFTISTS.”

In another video posted on YouTube, Aguero is seen chasing police cars through the streets of LA trying to see what incident they were responding to.

Aguero didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Aguero is one of numerous so-called citizen journalists who have filmed themselves in dangerous situations in recent days. Some appear in the midst of firefighters trying to tackle a blaze, at times traveling toward approaching fires rather than away from them. Other videos show them engaging in vigilantism, chasing people they allege to be looters while continuing to livestream to their followers.

These videos are typically posted on X and YouTube, where livestreamers solicit donations or post links to their merchandise sites. Almost all of the streamers have blue checkmarks on X, which means their accounts are able to monetize the content they post.

[crowtrobotx]

I already bragged about this to some of you but I got my final papers etc. turned in for my year-long certification program I've been doing on top of working full time and volunteering and I just got confirmation that I passed the course with a 99%. (I could rant all day about the test I missed 2 points on.) Ya girl is a certified grant and technical writer. Not even gonna pretend to act humble about this because it was A LOT of work even for someone who wasn't also working and doing other things (plus I am chronically ill) and frankly I did extremely well because I am dedicated and driven. Kiss my ass!!!!

[camillenrose]

INTRO

🌻 — About me

My name is Cam or Cami, I'm in my mid-twenties, speak English and German and am rather fond of cat memes and the sunflower emoji. I'm currently (desperately) trying to finish my degree (a combination out of programming, design and animation) and try to focus more on writing and drawing. I made this account mainly to connect with other writers and artists and to find some reading and nano buddies. <3

I will mostly post original wip and oc content, drawings, writing tips from others, and maybe meta posts about fandoms and characters I'm super excited about. If you want to follow me on instagram and/or Goodreads, the handle is @camillenrose c:

🌻 — My Interests

I go through phases like the moon, so what interests me today, might not interest me tomorrow. Sometimes (often times) things come back, like the Yuri on Ice infatuation that hit me like a ton of bricks two weeks ago (I thought I was over it. Apparently I'm not). I prefer media that deals with darker subjects, often times leaning more into the slow paced character driven direction. Which doesn't mean that I don't enjoy something fluffy from time to time. <3

I'm currently in love with The Locked Tomb Series, as well as Arcane and AOT. I'm a gigantic animation nerd, and you might see me gush over some movies (especially DreamWorks earlier works and movies out of Disney's experimental era, namely Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and so on). Other than that, I love hiking, volunteer in a local animal shelter and describe my true texting persona as using capslock and asdfghjkl.

🌻 — My WIPs

[STORMBRINGER] - Dark Urban Fantasy | #wip: stormbringer

[ACOLYTE] - High Fantasy | #wip: acolyte

[TobW] - Dark Fantasy, Sci-Fi | #wip: tobw

Thank you for your time. c:

Feel free to reach out if you want to scream about your wips and ocs, books or any shared interests! <3

[darkmaga-returns]

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are rolling out paid positions at a new government efficiency initiative they are leading.

Key Facts:

• Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy co-chair the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). • DOGE is seeking full-time salaried roles in software engineering, information security, and other fields. • Applicants are being asked to send short resumes and reasons for joining the effort. • DOGE aims to reduce federal waste by $2 trillion through spending cuts and workforce reductions.

The Rest of The Story:

The newly formed Department of Government Efficiency is set to begin operating as the new presidential term starts.

Rather than serving as a formal government entity, DOGE will act as a high-level committee, or “blue-ribbon” group, that will research ways to cut wasteful spending and streamline operations.

Elon Musk, known for leading Tesla and SpaceX, joins forces with Vivek Ramaswamy, a prominent entrepreneur in the technology and biotech fields.

While initially some DOGE roles appeared to be volunteer-based, it now looks like certain positions will be fully salaried.

According to DOGE’s posts on the social media platform X, the group needs specialized professionals, including software, human resources, IT, and finance experts.

Prospective employees are asked to communicate their top accomplishments and share why they want to be part of DOGE.

For Musk and Ramaswamy, the priority is identifying redundancies in federal programs and recommending technology-driven solutions.

Advocates for DOGE say that significant savings can be achieved by cutting overlapping budgets, improving data management, and pushing government services to adopt modern systems.

Both leaders claim that their involvement is purely for the chance to advance these goals, not for personal profit.

[maswartz]

My idea for how the MCU should have done the Fantastic Four

Reed Richards- A young entrepreneur who made a fortune on multiple patents allowing him to indulge in many scientific curiosities. He holds degrees in multiple fields of science. The press has dubbed him Mr. Fantastic. After the accident he gains the ability to stretch his body to incredible lengths Susan Richards- An expert computer programmer and hacker she’s able to sneak into any network. Her programming software is used in all of the FF’s hardware. The accident gave her the power to create invisible force fields as well as cloak herself and others from sight. She calls herself the Invisible Woman as a result. Johnny Storm- A stuntman and experienced pyrotechnics expert he lives to chase the thrill. When his sister invited him on the trip he leaped at the chance. The accident gave him the ability to create intense heat and cover himself in flames. He declared that he was the Human Torch from now on. Ben Grimm- A test pilot who went to college with Reed and has kept in touch ever since. He volunteered to pilot the test flight but suggested that Reed either address the shielding or postpone until the storm passed. The accident mutated him into a rock covered Thing giving him increased stamina and strength. Before battle he recites the motto of the Yancy Street Gang “It’s Clobbering Time!”

Marvel’s Fantastic Four

Reed Richards creates a spaceship in the hopes of making spaceflight available to the public however during the test flight a cosmic storm strikes the earth. The cosmic radiation mutates Reed, his wife Susan, her brother Johnny, and the pilot Ben giving them strange powers. However they were not the only ones effected. Bolts of cosmic power strike all across the world (setting up future heroes and villains). One such bolt strikes a mountain sending cosmic radiation throughout it. A man named Harvey Elder was mining in the mountain when the bolt hit causing a cave in. However the energy mutated him and the life within the soil around him. He became the Mole Man and commanded an army of mutated worms, insects, and moles to do his evil bidding. Fighting him was the first test of the Fantastic Four!

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: The U-Foes

About a year after the cosmic storm hit Earth, Simon Ultrecht head of U-Forces a rival of Reed’s is contacted by a mysterious benefactor who managed to obtain a sample of the cosmic energy. Driven by greed Simon exposed himself and three others creating the U-Foes. The Fantastic Four must prevent these superpowered threats from wrecking havoc.

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: Doom

Little did the Fantastic Four know that the mysterious benefactor was watching them, studying them, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses until he had the knowledge he needed to strike. Victor Von Doom has returned to get his long awaited revenge against Reed Richards!

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: Galactus

Months after the battle against Doom a strange object enters Earth’s atmosphere, a silver man on a silver board. The Silver Surfer declares that Galactus is coming and that none can stop him from consuming the world. It’s up to the Fantastic Four to find a way to stop the Devourer of Worlds from destroying the Earth.

[odinsblog]

BREAKING NEWS: Poverty among children more than doubled in the United States last year, as living costs rose and many federal pandemic aid programs ended.

Volunteers at Common Pantry, a nonprofit food pantry in Chicago. Poverty soared last year as living costs rose and federal programs that provided aid to families during the pandemic were allowed to expire

The overall poverty rate rose to 12.4 percent in 2022 from 7.8 percent in 2021, the largest one-year jump on record. The increase in poverty reversed two years of large declines. Median income, adjusted for inflation, fell 2.3 percent to $74,580.

Poverty increased sharply last year in the United States, particularly among children, as living costs rose and federal programs that provided aid to families during the pandemic were allowed to expire.

The poverty rate rose to 12.4 percent in 2022 from 7.8 percent in 2021, the largest one-year jump on record, the Census Bureau said Tuesday. Poverty among children more than doubled, to 12.4 percent, from a record low of 5.2 percent the year before. Those figures are according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which factors in the impact of government assistance and geographical differences in the cost of living.

The increases followed two years of historically large declines in poverty, driven primarily by safety net programs that were created or expanded during the pandemic. Those included a series of direct payments to households in 2020 and 2021, enhanced unemployment and nutrition benefits, increased rental assistance and an expanded child tax credit, which briefly provided a guaranteed income to families with children.

Nearly all of those programs had expired by last year, however, leaving many families struggling to stay ahead of rising prices despite a strong job market and improving economy.

The increasing cost of living added to the challenge last year. The poverty threshold, which is based on the cost of essential items like food and housing, rose sharply: A family of four living in a rental home was considered poor under the supplemental measure if the family’s income was less than $34,518 in 2022, up from $31,453 in 2021.

(continue reading)

[dailyanarchistposts]

Innovation and Cooptation

With Musk’s purchase of Twitter, we see the conclusion of a cycle of innovation and cooptation in the field of communications. In the late 20th century, the dominant political and technological models were monolithic and unidirectional: network television, mass-based political parties. In response, anarchists and other rebels experimented with independent media and underground networks, producing innovative horizontal and decentralized models like indymedia.org. Tech corporations eventually monetized these models as the participatory media of Web 2.0, such as Facebook. Yet from the turn of the century through the uprising of 2020, the lingering horizontal and participatory aspects of the internet in general and social media in particular continued to empower those who sought to achieve more self-determination—witness the “Thank you Facebook” graffiti in Tunisia after the so-called “Arab Spring” uprisings of 2010-2011.

Over the past decade, however, corporations and governments have introduced more and more online surveillance and control. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter is the latest stage in a reactionary clampdown with grim implications.

Musk and his colleagues see capitalism as a meritocracy in which the shrewdest and most hardworking competitors inexorably rise to the top. Hence, presumably, their own success.

Of course, if Musk wishes to prove that his success is not just the consequence of privilege and luck—of fortune and good fortune—he could demonstrate this easily enough by giving away his wealth, cutting his social ties, changing his name, and repeating his supposed rags-to-riches feats a second time. If he were able to climb the pyramid a second time without the benefit of growing up white in apartheid-era South Africa (setting aside the question of his father’s emerald investments for now), we might have to grant a hearing to his claims that the market has elevated him on account of his personal qualities—though that still would not show that capitalism rewards the efforts that are most beneficial for humanity.

According to the Silicon Valley narrative, platforms like Twitter are the inventions of individual entrepreneurs, propelled into being by the finance capital of canny investors.

But Twitter did not simply spring, fully formed like Athena, from the head of company co-founder Jack Dorsey. In fact, it was a modest refinement of a model already demonstrated by TXTmob, the SMS text messaging program developed by the Institute for Applied Autonomy for protests at the 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.[1] Blaine Cook and Evan Henshaw-Plath, anarchist developers who worked alongside Dorsey at his previous company Odeo, helped refine TXTmob and later took the model with them into the conversations with Dorsey that gave rise to Twitter.[2]

If the unrelenting urgency of social media in general and Twitter in particular can be exhausting, that’s to be expected—the infrastructure of Twitter was originally designed for street communications during high-stakes mass mobilizations in which information must go out immediately, boiled down to its bare essentials. It’s not a coincidence that, despite its shortcomings, the platform has continued to be useful to street activists and conflict journalists.

The point here is that innovative models do not necessarily emerge from the commercial entrepreneurism of the Great Men of history and economics. More often, they emerge in the course of collective efforts to solve one of the problems created by the capitalist order. Resistance is the motor of history. Afterwards, opportunists like Musk use the outsize economic leverage that a profit-driven market grants them to buy up new technologies and turn them definitively against the movements and milieux that originally produced them.

We can identify two stages in the capitalist appropriation of the TXTmob model. In the first phase, a framework that was originally designed by volunteers for the use of ordinary protesters was transformed into a publicly traded corporation, around the same time that the open spaces of the early internet were being colonized by the for-profit surveillance systems of Web 2.0. In the second phase, this publicly traded corporation has been transformed into the private plaything of a single entitled tycoon—with consequences that remain to be seen.

Musk claims that his goal is to open up the platform for a wider range of speech. In practice, there is no such thing as “free speech” in its pure form—every decision that can shape the conditions of dialogue inevitably has implications regarding who can participate, who can be heard, and what can be said. For all we might say against them, the previous content moderators of Twitter did not prevent the platform from serving grassroots movements. We have yet to see whether Musk will intentionally target activists and organizers or simply permit reactionaries to do so on a crowdsourced basis, but it would be extremely naïve to take him at his word that his goal is to make Twitter more open.