Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSW
Social worker. Educator. Activist. Researcher on substance use recovery. Views are my own. They/them ♿ 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
- I just did some creative acquisitioning of departmental resources, and am now in proud possession of a keyboard shelf (there was one in the unused random desk area that nobody had claimed in 3 years, so I claimed it lol)
- I am extremely tired of my city deciding that the best place to pile all of the plowed snow is in the ADA curb cuts and handicapped parking spaces. Because fuck disabled people, apparently. Clearly none of us work or go anywhere, I guess?
- At this point, I'm seriously tempted to start sending in grant proposals for UBI stuff because that seem like the only way that we will get people UBI. Despite tons of evidence, they'll only fund it if it's a pilot study, so the ethical thing to do is keep doing pilot studies on UBI 🙃
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWTHEY CAME FROM OTHER STARS! A new all-ages comic by @makinaro.com and me about 3I/ATLAS, `Oumuamua, and Borisov: why they're exciting, and why they're both familiar and alien at the same time. www.snexplores.org/article/inte...
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWIve watched this about 100 times. This is why the internet was invented. Right here. Peak content.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWHighlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”
- Tag yourself! I'm "Cognitive Load Implications of Acronyms Referring to Other Acronyms"
- Some terrifically titled papers from a discovered collection of NASA research documents found in a skip (with thanks to @juliarez.placid.horse)
- I'm the one on the right. Just imagine me slowly sinking down in hopes that all of the tasks I shifted to this week because I was sick won't notice that I blundered into Monday yet
- Timeline cleanse
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWWhenever you see a story about how liberals aren't making their conservative peers feel welcome enough, this is who they're talking about.
- University of Illinois college republicans advocate for executing protesters as “traitors” with art that takes a disturbing killing and makes it even more extreme. dailyillini.com/news-stories...
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWIt's pretty amazing to me the amount of shit that apparently you can Just Do as an NYC mayor. It makes basically every other American politician look like an incompetent loser. What do you mean there was just a button that reversed wage theft? Why wasn't and isn't everyone hitting it all the time??
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWBREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWFriends, we're thrilled to announce #Comics4Liam to encourage artists to draw pictures for Liam Conejo Ramos and share links to help Liam's family and other immigrants persecuted by ICE! Check out comics4liam.com and please do feel free to pitch in! Images by the great @trungles.com!
- One of the things I admired about the action network in St. Louis was how they would educate protesters at the start of every action about the expected risk levels and exit points to lower-risk activities when higher-risk ones were planned. It let everyone decide for themselves what risk to take.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWRichards, who was in and out of Rikers as a youth before going on to lead a nonprofit dedicated to prisoner reentry, takes over the Correction Department as it faces multiple crises. www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/01/s...
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWFor Liam.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWTake me down to the Parallax city where the far moves slow and the near moves quickly
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWIt’s frankly insulting that the worlds worst people weren’t meeting in a command center in a volcano wearing ceremonial robes but were all emailing on Hotmail accounts like “want 2 atrosity? With wemen?”
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI really urge you to not just shake your head at the headline of this but to read each word, to imagine each step these kids took, to sit with the terrible dilemma of the mother, to imagine the principal driving toward Whipple.
- I joined a protest at the police union in Cleveland some years ago (about rehiring officers who used excessive force) and a cop car followed me for blocks when I left. I spent the time wondering what I'd do if they stopped me, and if they'd kill me. This is a common intimidation tactic.
- “This Is a Warning”: ICE Agents Follow Protesters Home newrepublic.com/post/205759/... via @newrepublic.com
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWThey stole his Spidey backpack.
- “[Liam] keeps asking about that hat and that backpack that are in the picture,” the congressman said. “I think they took that from him.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/u...
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSW#TombTuesday 12 seconds of bright winter sun & a cold east wind across the ancient burial mound of Bryn Cader Faner in the Eryri/Snowdonia uplands Quite a place to have been buried or scattered 4500 years ago 😮 🎥 My own, Sunday
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSW"Removing bovino doesn't solve the problem" I dunno, dude, it seems to entirely solve the problem of having bovino around. Bitch is a first town boss in a jrpg. He's not the end, but beating him allows you to progress and feel good about it.
- I'm now on day 11 of The Flu From Hell, and I've discovered that I can produce day-glo turmeric-orange snot(!) so it's off to get antibiotics for me!
- Disapproving Rabbits is back as part of the anti-ICE resistance!
- So I’ve taken Disapproving Rabbits out of retirement as part of the resistance. Proceeds will go to The Bond Between who are taking in pets after people are disappeared by ICE. www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/Di...
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWDid you miss out on your last opportunity to bankroll the fully stocked pop-up leftist supply depot?? Do you want to send free hand warmers, winter gear, first aid supplies, YOU NAME IT, to the Twin Cities? This is your moment. Let's ride. www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/... (non 'zon in follow up!)
- Pulitzer-level reporting here
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWimgaine getting sent packing with your ass in your own two hands by some of the nicest people in the world and then showing up in a city that is famous for booing santa claus
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWAmazing statement from the chaplain of the MN Timberwolves, I’m guessing in response to the craven press release co-signed by so many local CEOs today (inc the Timberwolves!) calling for the “deescalation of tensions” here but refusing to assign any specific blame or even *mention* ICE / CBP
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWPro tip: If you are attending a rally or action, wear a N95 mask & bring extras to give to others. High quality masks can serve triple-duty: they prevent you and others from getting sick from airborne viruses, they keep your face warm in the freezing cold, & they can protect against surveillance.
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSW“This is un-American“ is anti-Indigenous, anti-Black gaslighting and if you find that inconvenient imagine how our colonized and enslaved ancestors felt and grow the fuck up
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWJonathan Ross—the ICE fascist who killed Renee Good—is an 18-year ICE veteran, firearms instructor, & active shooter trainer. The people claiming "ICE needs more training" are missing the point. Ross's 2 DECADES of training IS what led him to execute Good. ICE Training IS the problem. Abolish ICE.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI just thought everyone should see this
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWEmergency kitten- explorer edition
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWIt costs 0$ to share a Black disabled queer small business! It could lead to my next sale. I sell pins, stickers, compression gloves, artist gloves, hip braces, wrist braces, compression socks, cute bags, walking sticks (selling fast!!) & more! Store: Bibipins.com
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI fear my tipping point into madness is "Thus is un-American" posts in response to ICE terrorizing immigrants. I beg you to open Wikipedia (I would say a book but let's start small) and read up on The Trail of Tears, Fugitive Slave Catchers, Japanese internment, Indian Boarding schools & Jim Crow
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI came to Minneapolis to report on what's going on, and one of the main questions I showed up with is "just what is the scale of the resistance?" After all, we're all used to the news calling Portland a "war zone" or whatever when it's just some protests in one part of town.
- Ha! I hadn't thought about nicotine, but there is a TON of evidence about people self-medicating with caffeine, cocaine, and other stimulants
- Child1's GP said there's a perfect correlation between the decline in smoking and the rise in ADHD meds - many people were unknowingly self-medicating with nicotine. I don't think he was suggesting child1 start smoking, at least I hope not. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
- People rock
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWPhoto shows 5 Greenlandic women in their national dress with beaded yokes. In the late 1920s Norway sought to possess East Greenland. Norwegian knitting designer Annichen Sibbern Bøhn designed a sweater which mimicked the Greenlandic beaded yoke. And that's how yoked sweaters became a thing. 🧵
- I was obsessed with A-ha's "Take On Me" video and would literally watch hours of MTV in the hopes that they would play it. Robert Palmer--who I loathe--and his listless supermodel dancers also live rent-free in my head, probably because of all those hours waiting for a-ha 😂
- Such a fun walk down memory lane with @idislikestephen.bsky.social & @annkpowers.bsky.social ❤️ www.npr.org/2026/01/20/n...
- I have been completely knocked down by a nasty case of the flu* since Friday. On the one hand, this is awful, but on the other, I have been so blissfully ignorant of current events and I wish this peace on everyone * Yes, I got my flu shot and I mask up, but I hung out with my 7 yo niece, so
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWLet this radicalize you.
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWthat’s right
- It's the first day of spring semester classes, and if my dreams are any indicator, my classroom will be switched at the last minute to some obscure location on the med school campus and all the buses will have stopped running for the day. I just love that my school anxiety dreams persist forever 🙃
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWwe’re in the vet’s office waiting room and they just called for Agamemnon. we all looked at the Great Dane but it turns out Agamemnon is an orange kitten in a backpack that makes him look like an astronaut cheese puff
- Alt text version is downthread
- Go to the “Report a Fundraiser” page and fill out the form. This was how I filled out the form since there wasn’t an option for violating the Terms of Service. Report Fundraiser: www.gofundme.com/contact/sugg... Ross Fundraiser (you need this for the report): www.gofundme.com/f/ice-offuve...
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- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWEvery year @erininthemorning.com puts together a list of trans Girl Scouts that sell cookies. If you’d like to purchase some, please consider these girls. Trans youth have been under a vicious attack so it would be nice to show some support. Thanks 🩵🤍🩷 www.erininthemorning.com/p/2026-trans...
- It'sss our birthhdaysss, Preciousssss!
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- The Burpee catalog mailer hasn't found me at our new place yet, so I can't do my usual ritual of dog-earing and plastering sticky notes throughout with reckless hope that I can somehow grow an acre's worth of veg in my 4'x15' container garden. Hope is what revolutions are built on, after all!
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSW“Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It's really working to create something beautiful." — Assata Shakur (July 16, 1947- September 26, 2025)
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWI just learned about this one yesterday but I can tell it’s staying forever
- This is it exactly. I think the gulf war was the first time I truly experienced and internalized how problematic American warfare can be. Like, I knew about Vietnam, etc., but that was history-book knowledge instead of experienced knowledge. Seeing it play out then was bad, and this is horrifying.
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- ...this is more or less what has happened with the Christmas cookies and candy in our house
- Kind of want to know more about this "Buzz" music now
- Reposted by Larkin (formerly Mer) Francis, PhD, MSWA List of Predictions Made in 1926 About 2026 🧵
