John Collins
banner
djleftover.bsky.social
John Collins
@djleftover.bsky.social
Editorial Director at grassroots media outlet weavenews.bsky.social. Author of Global Palestine (2011). Guitarist/vocalist for indie rock band Bee Children. I believe in the tradition of the oppressed.
Pinned
Excited to be writing about music again! In this case, the subject is an almost impossibly powerful record by post-punk legends For Against. Published today by @popmatters.bsky.social.

"Make sure you find a big enough place to hide."
Remembering For Against's Brilliant Post-Punk Classic

'Coalesced' is For Against's masterpiece, creating cinematic sonic spaces to function as containers for insular expressions of self-doubt, regret, and victory.
Remembering For Against's Brilliant Post-Punk Classic » PopMatters
Coalesced is For Against's masterpiece, creating cinematic sonic spaces to function as containers for insular expressions of self-doubt, regret, and victory.
tinyurl.com
Reposted by John Collins
📣NEW TODAY!

Aneesa Zubair writes that in Hong Kong, minority communities "remain sidelined by unhelpful labels and stereotypes that drive systemic exclusion, particularly impacting South and Southeast Asian populations.”

But grassroots activists are working to change that.

Read all about it! 👇
Grassroots Actions Paving the Way to an Inclusive Hong Kong — Weave News
Minority communities in Hong Kong have long faced systemic exclusion, writes Aneesa Zubair - but change is in the air.
www.weavenews.org
June 10, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Proud to be a longtime supporter of We Are Not Numbers!
In addition to our original work, we occasionally republish pieces from other outlets such as the excellent We Are Not Numbers, which features reporting from young writers in Gaza.

Today, we are lifting up this powerful piece from author Ohood Nassar.

#solidarity #gaza #grassroots #journalism
A journalist without a press vest or helmet - We Are Not Numbers
I borrow equipment from my reporting colleagues so that I can get close to sources and protect myself from shrapnel.
wearenotnumbers.org
June 8, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by John Collins
📣Get all the latest updates from your friendly grassroots media team! Latest edition of our newsletter available now!

mailchi.mp/weavenews/ju...
June 3, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Reposted by John Collins
📣Our monthly Global Indigenous Peoples News Bulletin, edited by Teodora Hasegan, is here!

This month’s bulletin spotlights ongoing threats to Indigenous communities across the Amazon Basin as well as ongoing dialogue about the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Read all about it! 👇
Global Indigenous Peoples News Bulletin #16 (May 2026) — Weave News
This month’s bulletin spotlights ongoing threats to Indigenous communities across the Amazon Basin as well as ongoing dialogue about the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
www.weavenews.org
May 29, 2026 at 2:50 PM
I learned a lot from writing this piece for @weavenews.bsky.social. The housing crisis in Spain is real, and it's making life absolutely miserable for many Spaniards. As the Left continues to try to build a more unified front, can it draw energy from the growing housing justice movement?
On May 24, tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in Madrid to demand an end to real estate speculation that has priced so many people out of the country's housing market. As part of his "What's Left in Spain" occasional series, our @djleftover.bsky.social filed this report on what's at stake. 👇
What’s Left in Spain: “Housing, Housing, Housing” — Weave News
As leftist parties in Spain work to build a unified strategy in advance of national elections in 2027, John Collins writes that the country’s most pressing issue - a lack of affordable housing - is po...
www.weavenews.org
May 29, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Reposted by John Collins
In the third and final installment of her mini-series, Defending the Defenders: The Global Rise of Legalized Repression, Gaia Guatri examines how civil society actors around the world are adapting to the changing structures of repression around them.

Essential reading - check it out! 👇
Holding the Line: How Defenders Continue to Act When Space is Closing — Weave News
In the third and final installment of her mini-series, Defending the Defenders: The Global Rise of Legalized Repression , Gaia Guatri examines how civil society actors around the world are adapting t...
www.weavenews.org
May 27, 2026 at 1:25 PM
My latest report for @weavenews.bsky.social.
Civil society activists in Spain continue working to keep the Palestinian struggle visible admist a chaotic political and media environment. To mark Nakba Day, there were large marches throughout the country.

@djleftover.bsky.social reports from Madrid on Sunday's march in the Spanish capital. 👇
Madrid Marks Nakba Day, Mobilizes Again for Palestine — Weave News
On Sunday, May 17, residents of all ages took to the streets of the Spanish capital, Madrid, to march in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle against colonial domination and violen...
www.weavenews.org
May 18, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Reposted by John Collins
NEW TODAY!

“There are teachers who teach content, and there are those who teach us to remember. To remember where life comes from, to whom we owe our breath, and why the earth is not a resource, but a mother who should be listened to, cared for, and defended.”

Weavers of Life. 👇👇👇
Between the Academy and the Root: William and the Defense of Mother Earth from Kamëntsá Bíolugargogía — Weave News
There are teachers who teach content, and there are those who teach us to remember. To remember where life comes from, to whom we owe our breath, and why the earth is not a resource, but a mother who ...
www.weavenews.org
May 15, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by John Collins
Lo último en El Tejido:

Hay docentes que enseñan contenidos, y hay quienes enseñan a recordar. Recordar de dónde viene la vida, a quién le debemos el aliento y por qué la tierra no es un recurso, sino una madre que se escucha, se cuida y se defiende.

👇👇👇
Entre la Academia y la Raíz: William y la Defensa de la Madre Tierra desde la Bíolugargogía Kamëntsá — Weave News
Hay docentes que enseñan contenidos, y hay quienes enseñan a recordar. Recordar de dónde viene la vida, a quién le debemos el aliento y por qué la tierra no es un recurso, sino una madre que se escuch...
www.weavenews.org
May 15, 2026 at 3:27 PM
A piece I originally wrote in 2011, republished today at Weave News (@weavenews.bsky.social).
Weave Flashback

Who says journalists must be neutral in a cynically constructed “debate” that serves the interest of a colonial power? A question from an analysis piece we published on #NakbaDay in 2011 continues to resonate today.

On Nakba Day, We Must Affirm That Rights Are Not Narratives

👇👇👇
Weave Flashback: On Nakba Day, We Must Affirm That Rights Are Not Narratives (2011) — Weave News
Who says journalists must be neutral in a cynically constructed “debate” that serves the interest of a colonial power? A question from 2011 continues to resonate today.
www.weavenews.org
May 15, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by John Collins
📣NEW TODAY!

In the second installment of her mini-series, Defending the Defenders: The Global Rise of Legalized Repression, Gaia Guatri explores how states and other powerful actors are increasingly constraining the work of journalism through law, violence, and intimidation.

Check it out below! 👇
Targeting the Press: How Legal Harassment, Violence and Financial Pressure Silence Journalists — Weave News
In the second installment of her mini-series, Defending the Defenders: The Global Rise of Legalized Repression , Gaia Guatri explores how states and other powerful actors are increasingly constrainin...
www.weavenews.org
May 11, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by John Collins
The April edition of our monthly Global Indigenous Peoples News Bulletin spotlights key developments at the 2026 session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as well as stories on AI and #datacenters, land rights, and #Indigenous knowledge.

Read the full report below! 👇
Global Indigenous Peoples News Bulletin #15 (April 2026) — Weave News
This month’s bulletin spotlights key developments at the 2026 session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as well as stories on AI and data centers, land rights, and Indigenous knowledge.
www.weavenews.org
April 29, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Very excited about this new series!
📣NEW TODAY!

Gaia Guatri's three-part series, Defending the Defenders, examines how repression has been legalized; how journalism is being suffocated without formal bans; and how defenders continue to resist within - and against - the legal systems used to constrain them.

Read part 1 now! 👇
When Repression Wears a Suit: How Law Became the World’s Most Powerful Weapon Against Dissent — Weave News
In the first installment of her mini-series, Defending the Defenders: The Global Rise of Legalized Repression , Gaia Guatri examines how repression is evolving to encompass lawfare, judicial harassme...
www.weavenews.org
April 20, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by John Collins
NEW article from @steveperazaphd.bsky.social in our "Who Cares" series!

The story of one Buffalo family reveals the value of consumer directed personal assistance programs, both for care receivers and for public health more broadly.

Click through to learn more! 👇
Who Cares: The Activities of Daily Living for Consumers and Care Workers — Weave News
The story of one Buffalo family reveals the value of consumer directed personal assistance programs, both for care receivers and for public health more broadly.
www.weavenews.org
April 14, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Reposted by John Collins
New in our Weaving the Streets series:
Lauren Bate reports on what happened when feminist and pro-Palestine murals at a French university were defaced by right-wing activists.

“Watching UBM students reclaim their campus at such speed felt like the defining aspect of their activism.”

Full report👇
The Fight Against the Right on the Université Bordeaux Montaigne Campus — Weave News
The death of a far-right French activist had immediate repercussions at a university where students use public space to support Palestinian liberation, gender equality, and other struggles.
www.weavenews.org
April 7, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by John Collins
NEW TODAY!
“In the world of ‘water bankruptcy,’ international water law must be reworked to be transparent, enforceable and adept in adapting to the new reality. Additionally, the state of bankruptcy must act as a catalyst to radically reimagine our relationship with water beyond commodification.” 👇
International Water Law and Our Post-Crisis Reality — Weave News
In January 2026, a flagship report by UN researchers disclosed that the world has entered a new era of ‘water bankruptcy’. Mariam Waqar Khattak analyzes the implications.
www.weavenews.org
April 7, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by John Collins
This month’s Global Indigenous Peoples News bulletin spotlights ongoing struggles over water and land rights as well as important new initiatives to promote and expand Indigenous reporting projects.

Click through to read about important stories from Brazil, the United States, Aotearoa, & more. 👇
Global Indigenous Peoples News Bulletin #14 (March 2026) — Weave News
This month’s bulletin spotlights ongoing struggles over water and land rights as well as important new initiatives to promote and expand Indigenous reporting projects.
www.weavenews.org
April 1, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Reposted by John Collins
NEW TODAY:

Carmen Critelli reports that the recent spike in deaths of people on the move off the southwestern coast of Italy exposes the intersection of climate instability, migration routes across the Mediterranean, and the policies that govern Europe’s borders.

Read the full article here. 👇
The Silence of Cyclone Harry: Deaths in the Mediterranean Reveal the Toll of Climate Crisis and Institutional Indifference — Weave News
Carmen Critelli reports that the recent spike in deaths of people on the move off the southwestern coast of Italy exposes the intersection of climate instability, migration routes across the Mediterra...
www.weavenews.org
April 1, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by John Collins
Second, Collins analyzes how different voices on the left have responded to Rufian's recent call for unity.

Will the Spanish Left seize the opportunity to write a new story as part of a transnational struggle against the far right? 👇
What’s Left in Spain: Responses to Rufián Reveal Old Divisions and New Opportunities — Weave News
John Collins surveys some of the key perspectives within an ongoing dialogue about the present and future of Spain’s perpetually fragmented Left. Is a change on the horizon?
www.weavenews.org
February 23, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by John Collins
In two new pieces, our editorial director John Collins (@djleftover.bsky.social) continues to follow efforts to get the Left in Spain to put aside their differences and build a united front.

First, a report on last week's Madrid event bringing together Gabriel Rufian and Emilio Delgado. 👇
What’s Left in Spain: Madrid Event Brings Rufián’s Gamble Into Focus — Weave News
“This is hope.” With those words, journalist Sarah Santaolalla opened a highly anticipated public dialogue held in Madrid, Spain, on February 18. The gathering, billed as “Contest the Present to Win t...
www.weavenews.org
February 23, 2026 at 10:00 PM
My latest piece at @weavenews.bsky.social addresses the ongoing debate over the future of the Left in Spain. It's a story that has implications both within and beyond a country with a long history of antifascist mobilization - and a long history of leftist infighting.

Check it out here. 👇
Spain is buzzing with discussion about renewed efforts to mobilize a united Left against the threat of a rising far Right. @djleftover.bsky.social reports on how Gabriel Rufian of the Republican Left of Catalonia is sparking a much-needed conversation about how the Left can avoid past pitfalls. 👇
What’s Left in Spain? — Weave News
Gabriel Rufián’s surprising call for new thinking among Spain’s leftist parties seeks to change the conversation and spark a unified struggle against the far right. Will it work?
www.weavenews.org
February 16, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by John Collins
Spain is buzzing with discussion about renewed efforts to mobilize a united Left against the threat of a rising far Right. @djleftover.bsky.social reports on how Gabriel Rufian of the Republican Left of Catalonia is sparking a much-needed conversation about how the Left can avoid past pitfalls. 👇
What’s Left in Spain? — Weave News
Gabriel Rufián’s surprising call for new thinking among Spain’s leftist parties seeks to change the conversation and spark a unified struggle against the far right. Will it work?
www.weavenews.org
February 16, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by John Collins
This is exactly the future imagined by people working in tech and human rights when adoption began to accelerate. They've been warning us for a decade, and advocating for limits, but local successes in restraining police use of these tools pale beside the wholesale abuses now occurring.
A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.
How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters Are
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by John Collins
Georgia Fort, an independent journalist and vice president of the Minnesota NABJ chapter, was also arrested by federal agents this morning

I was sent this video of agents at her door:
January 30, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by John Collins
Weave News is now officially a NYS-registered 501(c)(3) newsroom, and we’re celebrating a new phase of our grassroots journalism story!

If you believe in journalism rooted in care, solidarity, and building bridges, consider supporting our fundraiser and sharing the love. 🌱

www.weavenews.org/donate
January 27, 2026 at 11:01 PM