Kris Vera-Phillips (she/her)

@queenkv.bsky.social

Faculty associate at Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State. Ph.D. AAJA member 📖 Studying identity, representation, & power in media. 📺 Emmy-award-winning journalist 📝 Alum: Medill, Cal, KPBS, CapRadio

"It's a story that says that there can be no mutual progress, that if people of color or women get ahead, if there are more immigrants,then that must come at the expense of white people, of men, of native-born citizens, right? It's this core zero-sum lie" - Heather McGee www.npr.org/2026/01/19/n...

Martin Luther King Jr. would be inspired by today's activism, author says

Heather McGhee, author of 2021's The Sum of Us, discusses the economic cost of racism, the importance of community organizing and the "zero-sum lie" that progress for some means loss for others.

npr.org

The Trump administration is shaking up the leadership of its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis by pulling Gregory Bovino, its director of on-the-ground enforcement, two U.S. officials said, as federal agents face growing criticism for their heavy-handed tactics in the city. Follow live updates.

Minneapolis Live Updates: Trump Pulls Bovino From ICE Operations in Minnesota

President Trump said his border czar, Tom Homan, will direct ICE operations in Minnesota. Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official, is set to depart amid growing anger over a second fatal shooting by federal agents.

nyti.ms

"It feels as if, as the expression goes, they splashed death everywhere." Weeks into an internet blackout in Iran, NPR speaks to a protester who is still online and a U.S.-based activist who is trying to get more Starlink terminals into the country. 📝 by Arezou Rezvani www.npr.org/2026/01/22/n...

Iran blocked the internet amid deadly protests. Some voices are still getting through

Weeks into an internet blackout in Iran, NPR speaks to a protester who is still online and a U.S.-based activist who is trying to get more Starlink terminals into the country to get more people online...

npr.org

“The First Amendment forbids the government from punishing disfavored expression or retaliating against protected speech. That prohibition applies with particular force to legislators speaking on matters of public policy" - Sen. Mark Kelly. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

US Senator Mark Kelly sues Pentagon chief Hegseth over demotion threats

Hegseth’s censure of Kelly followed a sweeping shakeup at the Pentagon during Trump’s second term.

reuters.com

"We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore" - Donald Trump on Jan. 6. NPR has tracked every Jan. 6 prosecution in a public database, publishing a front-line account of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. apps.npr.org/jan-6-archive/

Jan. 6, 2021: A visual archive of the Capitol attack

NPR’s Jan. 6 archive brings together reporting, video, documents and testimony to show what really happened during the Capitol riot. Explore the timeline, cases and evidence behind the attack.

apps.npr.org

Council Report on firing of Texas A&M English professor Melissa McCoul: “The content of the course was the reason for the dismissal and not the stated reason: failure of academic responsibility." She was discussing gender identity in class. #academicsky www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/t...

Texas A&M panel: Firing violated professor’s academic freedom

University officials dispute the faculty council’s conclusion. Melissa McCoul lost her job after a video of a classroom debate went viral.

texastribune.org

"Rosalind Franklin, a talented scientist, had to work in an atmosphere of constant sexism. In an obit, a reminder of Watson's rise and fall with DNA - including his problematic treatment of women and communities of color. #academicsky www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...

James Watson, who co-discovered the structure of DNA, has died at age 97

James Watson, who co-discovered the structure of DNA has died at age 97. He was a scientific superstar until he made racist remarks that made him an outcast.

npr.org

A UC Davis study found that while most Americans reject political violence, those who hold harmful beliefs — such as racism, hostile sexism — are also more likely than others to believe that political violence is justifiable. 📝 by Juliana Kim www.npr.org/2025/09/17/n...

After a wave of horrific shootings, gun violence trends put recent attacks in context

Mass shootings, political violence and school safety are front of mind for many Americans following a recent spate of high-profile attacks. Experts who study gun violence unpack the data and trends.

npr.org

Go Bills! “It was unbelievable,” Joey Bosa said. “I’m still buzzing. But it’s the first game. We’ve got to get back to work tomorrow, unfortunately. Too bad that wasn’t the Super Bowl, but …it felt like it." www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

Bills somehow find a way to stun Ravens: ‘I’m in a dream state right now’:

“It was special to watch,” a bewildered Joey Bosa said. “Every text I have is, ‘I’ve never seen anything like that.’"

nytimes.com

"Texans can expect a variety of noticeable impacts on their daily lives." Senate Bill 12: Ban on student DEI & LGBTQ+ clubs Senate Bill 412: limits teacher/librarian protections when providing educational content, including LGBTQ+, race & sex health materials. www.keranews.org/texas-news/2...

More than 830 new Texas laws take effect Sept. 1. Here’s what’s changing

These measures touch nearly every aspect of life, from education and healthcare to public safety, property rules and support for first responders. With so many changes coming at once, Texans can expec...

keranews.org