Brandon Tensley

@brandontensley.bsky.social

Now: National Politics Reporter, Capital B, a Black-focused nonprofit newsroom. Before: National Political Writer, CNN. Writing a book about Whitney Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonight for 33 1/3. Email: [email protected] | Signal: btensley.53

@capitalb.bsky.socialReposted by @brandontensley.bsky.social

Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones views the redistricting of Nashville and Memphis as part of a larger struggle over Black voting power. Capital B spoke with Jones about the state's redistricting battles and efforts to better engage young Black men ahead of November’s midterm elections.

@schwanksta.comReposted by @brandontensley.bsky.social

A year ago, @propublica.org told you immigration agents had detained more than 170 U.S. citizens.

We’ve updated our count, and we’ve got all the receipts.

The tally: At least 506 citizens detained. Sometimes held at gunpoint, handcuffed, or even deported.

projects.propublica.org/american-cit...

projects.propublica.orgMore Than 500 U.S. Citizens Have Been Detained, Including Handcuffed or Held at Gunpoint, in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown — ProPublicaThe government doesn’t track how often immigration officers detain U.S. citizens. So ProPublica did. We’ve found more than 500 Americans who were held against their will during this Trump administrati...
@capitalb.bsky.socialReposted by @brandontensley.bsky.social

Rapper Lil Nas X revealed this summer that he has bipolar disorder, saying that being “Black, gay, and bipolar” feels as if you’re living life on “extreme hard mode.” Advocates say that such openness can chip away at stigma and encourage the most vulnerable to seek potentially life-saving care.

@patrickryne.bsky.socialReposted by @brandontensley.bsky.social

"As young people, we sometimes think that the fight is not our fight. It is our fight. Everything that’s going on — whether it’s with migrants or Black people or Indigenous people — is our fight, and we just got to stick together.”

@brandontensley.bsky.social

I was in Wilmington yesterday for the signing of the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It creates stronger protections for Black voters — and advocates hope that it will offer a blueprint for other states. capitalbnews.org/delaware-vot...

capitalbnews.orgDelaware Gives Black Voters New Protections Against Election DiscriminationAmid recent attacks on voting rights, Delaware’s model could offer a path forward for Black voters elsewhere, advocates say.
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@brandontensley.bsky.social

I spoke with Ida B. Wells' great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster, about how there's no evidence supporting the claim that Nolan Wells was a descendant of the trailblazing activist — and how such misinformation can obscure the search for answers. capitalbnews.org/nolan-wells-...

capitalbnews.orgIda B. Wells’ Family Is Debunking a Viral Claim About Nolan WellsThe misinformation about Nolan Wells’ lineage is distracting from his family’s search for answers.
@brandontensley.bsky.social

If you're like me and frequently ask, "Why was Christian rock all over the charts when I was in high school?" then your torturous search for answers is over! Laura's piece is stellar, covering everything from the Jesus Movement to the Warped Tour. Now to listen to some Switchfoot.

Laura Bradley@lurabardley.bsky.social

Ever wonder why there were so many Christian hardcore bands in the 2000s? I have for years, and it turns out, the answer was more complicated than I thought! (Read: I wound up writing, like, 3,000 words about the culture wars.) www.thefringe.blog/p/the-story-...

thefringe.blogWhy Are There So Many Christian Metalcore Bands?How bands like Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada, Norma Jean, and more conquered a corner of the hardcore scene.
@brandontensley.bsky.social

Dominique Dawes became an Olympic champion in a gymnastics culture that often demanded pain and isolation. Thirty years later, she's trying to build something different: a culture rooted in joy, community, and belonging.

My latest. capitalbnews.org/dominique-da...

capitalbnews.orgThirty Years After Olympic Gold, Dominique Dawes Is Still Changing GymnasticsThrough her academies, she hopes to build a happier, more inclusive vision of gymnastics — one rooted in fun and community as much as competition.
@brandontensley.bsky.social

@adamlmahoney.bsky.social and I reported on the stakes of this major case last year: capitalbnews.org/black-louisi...

Phil Lewis@phillewis.bsky.social

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court voids majority Black congressional district in Louisiana, boosting Republican chances.

A photo of demonstrators holding "Louisiana Deserves Fair Maps" posters
capitalbnews.orgLouisiana's Brand New Majority-Black Congressional District Is in PerilA group of “non-African American” voters could deny Black residents another champion in Congress.