This page is an act of protest.
The internet is rotting. Search engines have become polluted wastelands of SEO spam. Your ability to parse the internet, to find your people, has been co-opted by algorithms that don’t give a fuck about you beyond the surveillance they can sell. The only way to fight back is to cut them out again.
Remember webrings? Directories?
We should bring those back.
Here’s a hand-curated list of internet neighbors whose work I admire, and why each one deserves your attention.
Most of these folks are strangers, but each one creates something meaningful to me, and makes the internet a little brighter. I’m proud to be in community with them, and I hope they’ll bring you joy, too!
Misnina
Mind-Shatteringly Cute Visual Art, she/her
Nina is a talented pixel artist; she made all the original pixel art for my video essays, and for this website, too! I mean just look at this shit, it’s great.
She streams, draws live, and is generous with her knowledge when her peers need feedback. She also takes commissions, and is an absolute pleasure to work with! I can’t recommend her enough.
Erin Reed
Human Rights Journalism, she/her
Erin in the Morning comprehensively documents anti-transgender legislation in the United States. You’ve probably seen her Legislative Risk Assessment Map, which our community has relied on for years to safely travel, work, and plan our lives.
Her newsletter provides breaking coverage of LGBTQ+ rights conflicts; when something has gone down, I usually hear it from Erin first. It’s absolutely brutal work, but she’s unflinching in her coverage, and it’s a beat that few professionals even care enough to cover.
A.R. Moxon
Political Newsletter & Essays, he/him
The Reframe is an antifascist newsletter with a unique voice and delightful sense of humor. Many of Moxon’s essays deconstruct the language and strategies of white supremacists; if you enjoy Ian Danskin’s Innuendo Studios, then you might like The Reframe, too.
Moxon also mixes in some literary & film criticism, if that’s your jam!
Parker Molloy
Media Analysis, she/her
The Present Age is a media watchdog; Molloy calls out gaps and contradictions in reporting, analyzes misinformation campaigns, and points readers toward industry sources put actual time and care into their reporting. I’m always finding interesting new people to follow through her work, and her essays have helped hone my own code of ethics.
Here’s a piece she did on an anti-trans propaganda piece published on the front page of the Washington Post; in which they report the precise opposite of their poll’s own findings in order to manufacture consent for reductions in healthcare. And another on language in coverage of the SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Erin Kissane
Tech Journalism & Research, she/they
Kissane’s writing is consistently thoughtful, and impeccably organized. Their best piece is definitely this four-part timeline of Facebook / Meta’s tools and policies which facilitated the ongoing genocide of the Rohingya people in Myanmar. It’s meticulously documented, persuasive, and overall a captivating read.
She doesn’t post too often, but its always worth the wait.
maia crimew
Investigative Journalism & Hacktivism, she/it
crimew has a pretty badass portfolio; I first encountered her work when she published a 2600 page email leak from conservative, anti-trans lawmakers and legal groups. But it’s worked on lots of other cool stuff, too, like this ongoing series of takedowns of stalkerware developers, or that time they embarrassed TSA by releasing the 2019 No Fly list. (quote: “holy fucking bingle.”)
Also its website is just classic webcore goodness, on a “.gay” TLD, complete with a cat sprite that chases your cursor. Perfection, no notes. :chef’s-kiss-emoji:. I hope I can someday be half as cool.
The Leftist Cooks
Video Essays, she/her & they/them
Sarah and Neil want to save the world. Honestly, I bet they can.
The thing that I love most about their channel is their sincerity. Their videos cover a wide range of topics, from social justice to housing TV shows, but every single one wraps around to an honest plea for community and compassion. Sometimes there’s a persistent subplot between them, and every once in a while you’ll learn an Irish recipe. (The name is a pun so that’s not actually a central focus of the show)
Their brand of intentional, unapologetic cringe is delightful, and has honestly become a model for my own work. If you want to feed your brain and your soul, give them a watch. In my opinion their best work so far is this one on the influence that poverty can have on your health and personality, maybe start there!
The Essay Library
Video Essayist Resources & Mentorship
This is a friendly Discord community for video essayists, and folks who enjoy them. It’s full of knowledgeable and helpful souls; they graciously taught me everything I know about video production, before I’d learned which way to point the camera.
Sometimes they put together fun collaborative events and challenges which toy with format and genre conventions, like their Anthology series of 60 second mini-essays. We did a live watch party of the most recent prompt, These Video Essays Do Not Exist, and I love how many new essayists they’ve put on my radar.
They’re also just a bunch of fun to hang out with. Maybe I’ll see you there!