Last Updated on February 4, 2026
At our January meeting, Ann MacKay talked about using Independent News sources for current news and more. Here are links she recommends. The information is from the About page at each site. Following the sites is a specific essay that she recommends.
Under the Desk News by V Sepaher
What started as a series of TikTok videos recorded from—yep, you guessed it—under my desk, has now grown into a trusted daily news source for millions of people like you. My goal with UTDN is simple: to make the news more approachable, less anxiety-inducing, and, most importantly, more human.
History Can’t Hide by Kahlil Green
I’m Kahlil Greene, a historian and educator who believes history should be a tool for understanding the world we live in today. I uncover the history of marginalized peoples: Black, Native, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, and Religious Minorities | Forbes 30U30 Honoree, 2x Emmy Nominee, Peabody-Award Winner, NYT and WSJ Featured.
My work focuses on uncovering shocking stories of oppression and persecution across racial, religious, gender, class, and sexual orientation lines.
Assembly Notes by Stacy Abrams
Former Georgia House Majority Leader. Governor Candidate. My mission: Be curious. Solve problems. Do good.
The Parnas Perspective – Aaron Parnas:
Independent Journalist | Attorney | Strategist. Since November 5th, I’ve gained over two million new followers across my social media platforms, the majority of them on TikTok. I’m not mentioning this to brag but to point out a shift happening in the media landscape post-election. Legacy media isn’t just struggling—it’s dead. It passed away on November 5th.
Heather Cox Richardson
I’m a professor of American history. This is a chronicle of today’s political landscape, but because you can’t get a grip on today’s politics without an outline of America’s Constitution, and laws, and the economy, and social customs, this newsletter explores what it means, and what it has meant, to be an American.
Jess Piper
My name is Jess and I was a high school Literature teacher for 16 years until I decided to run as a Democrat in a rural, red district in Missouri. I bring you news and politics from Missouri and beyond from a rural progressive point of view.
A specific essay that Ann recommends from Kahlil Greene’s site.
Greene writes about the Boston 1850 slave hunters and what’s happening in our cities with ICE.