Author | Lightnews

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 14d

ICYMI: not-so-spooky but still forgotten home in NE DC tells so many fascinating stories — read the first installment in my new column for the city paper! great photos by @darrow-m.bsky.social too

Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social · 26d

There’s a 140-year-old farmhouse in Northeast D.C. known as the Sherwood Farmhouse. It’s been home to farmers, nuns, Jesuit radicals, and Howard theologians. Now vacant for a decade, its legacy is one of happy accidents, preservation efforts, and interracial activism. Tanya Paperny tells its story:

On Places: The Inhabitants of Sherwood Farmhouse Represent a Microcosm of D.C. History

Brookland’s Sherwood Farmhouse, built in 1885, has stood vacant since 2015, hidden from public view. It survives thanks to practical necessity, happy accidents, intentional preservation, and…

buff.ly

1 3

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 19d

Message me for the details!

Puffy sticker for kids with cartoonish tiger that has its eyes closed and a slight smile. Background photo is of orangey fall leaves.

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 19d

What’s something irreverent and gay you commit to doing this week? I’ll go first: I’m hosting a multi-family yard sale on Saturday with only queer households. The flyer has a puffy sticker on it.

1

Reposted by Tanya Paperny

Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social · 26d

There’s a 140-year-old farmhouse in Northeast D.C. known as the Sherwood Farmhouse. It’s been home to farmers, nuns, Jesuit radicals, and Howard theologians. Now vacant for a decade, its legacy is one of happy accidents, preservation efforts, and interracial activism. Tanya Paperny tells its story:

On Places: The Inhabitants of Sherwood Farmhouse Represent a Microcosm of D.C. History

Brookland’s Sherwood Farmhouse, built in 1885, has stood vacant since 2015, hidden from public view. It survives thanks to practical necessity, happy accidents, intentional preservation, and…

buff.ly

5 14

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 20d

Thank you for reading! The landmark hearing has been moved to October 30th and will be public online. Howard proposed smaller boundaries, so I suspect they want more freedom to put housing on the outer edges (by South Dakota Ave.) while still protecting the two historic structures. We'll see!

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 26d

Debut column about overlooked historic sites in and around DC. Let me know what you think, and do share ideas for future sites! Thanks to @mitchryals.bsky.social for the sharp edits and the COUNTLESS people across DC who helped me tell this amazing story.

Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social · 26d

There’s a 140-year-old farmhouse in Northeast D.C. known as the Sherwood Farmhouse. It’s been home to farmers, nuns, Jesuit radicals, and Howard theologians. Now vacant for a decade, its legacy is one of happy accidents, preservation efforts, and interracial activism. Tanya Paperny tells its story:

On Places: The Inhabitants of Sherwood Farmhouse Represent a Microcosm of D.C. History

Brookland’s Sherwood Farmhouse, built in 1885, has stood vacant since 2015, hidden from public view. It survives thanks to practical necessity, happy accidents, intentional preservation, and…

buff.ly

1 2 2

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · 27d

File under: things I wish I had access to in high school (...two decades ago). My latest for @the74.bsky.social in partnership with XQ Institute:

The 74 @the74.bsky.social · Sep 26

Analysis: Rethinking high school in Rhode Island, where academics and career training go hand-in-hand. Partner post with XQ America

Rethinking High School in RI, Where Academics & Career Training Go Hand-in-Hand

Paperny: Statewide, students who took at least two CTE courses perform higher on national assessments and have higher four-year graduation rates.

www.the74million.org

Reposted by Tanya Paperny

Corduroy Cheddar @corduroycheddar.bsky.social · Sep 5

When something is beyond moist, you can call it utmoist

3 55 140

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 23

I gave — and I don't even have a real job! If you want local media without billionaire owners, you should too:
givebutter.com/SsQ8CG

Time to Grow The 51st

Help us hire Christina and Martin Full-Time!

givebutter.com

1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 17

language from the email:
"federal court injunction"
"interest-bearing forbearance"
"your balance will grow"

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 17

explaining the latest dep't of education student loan email to someone not in the US:

"so i was supposed to get $20K forgiven but politicians and courts intervened. while they fight, i have to pay interest on a 6-figure balance and select between 5 complicated repayment plans"

1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 17

may her memory be a blessing ✨

1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 16

y'all know i'm ready for eleanor holmes norton to step down, but the first person to announce that she's running against norton is one of those "israel has a right to defend itself" types

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 15

dc's department of parks and recreation: WE'RE THE #1 PARK SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES

also dc's department of parks and recreation: you say there's been a huge hole in the ceiling and several broken showers at the pool for several months? DEAL WITH IT!

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 15

subject line: "Hiring Cycle Complete."

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 15

just got a rejection regarding a job i applied for in...february

1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 1

today's lesson: poison ivy

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jul 1

never not learning the hard way

1 1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 17

as far as i can tell, this job was posted 22 hours ago, received 53 applicants and already closed lol 😶

www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...

Mayors for a Guaranteed Income hiring Digital Strategist in United States | LinkedIn

Posted 5:52:18 PM. ** PLEASE READ FULL JOB DESCRIPTION FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY **Position Context: Economic…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

www.linkedin.com

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 16

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey signs a law banning diversity initiatives last month. Caption contest:

Gov. Patrick Morrisey signs the law banning diversity initiatives at a press event in Hinton last month. Photo courtesy the Governor’s office.

1

Reposted by Tanya Paperny

Sarah Marloff @sarahmarloff.bsky.social · Jun 5

It's a big year for Pride in DC & WorldPride is here but so is the Trump administration. Rather than talking about DC's queer history I wanted to hear from the people MAKING that history right here, right now.

2025 has sucked, but these 6 queers remind us how strong & beautiful our community is 🖤

Stronger Together: On Pride, Resilience, and Working Toward a Better Future

Six members of the queer and trans community remind us of the power of Pride as the federal government continues to attack LGBTQIA rights.

washingtoncitypaper.com

1 4 6

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 5

"We keep getting up every day and lacing up our boots to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to experience the kind of discrimination and hatefulness that we’re seeing now."

I interviewed trans legal advocate Sasha Buchert for the City Paper, which profiled 6 local LGBTQ+ visionaries:

Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social · Jun 5

Meet the queer and trans leaders, artists, and organizers shaping D.C.’s Pride history. Their stories prove: Queer joy is an act of resistance.

Stronger Together: On Pride, Resilience, and Working Toward a Better Future

Six members of the queer and trans community remind us of the power of Pride as the federal government continues to attack LGBTQIA rights.

buff.ly

2

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 3

i'm researching mentions of him because i found out he died in may :(

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 2

Andrei's family had Lotte the cat as a companion when they'd hide in a cellar during bombings. His daughter drew Lotte as a hero:

Please don't forget about Ukraine. Donate to @ukrainetrustchain.bsky.social: www.ukrainetrustchain.org

A fluffy grey cat with hazel eyes lays on a beige hardwood floor. A child has done a digital illustration of a Ukrainian soldier's uniform on top of the cat, customized to fit its shapes.

1

Tanya Paperny @tpaperny.bsky.social · Jun 2

In these essays by award-winning Ukrainian writer Andrei Krasniashikh (which I translated), he describes how the companionship of pets — or even just trading pet photos — kept people alive:

"Geese saved Rome. Cats and dogs saved Kharkiv. Especially its children."

lithub.com/life-in-wart...

Life in Wartime Ukraine: Two Essays by Andrei Krasniashikh

Versions of these essays—translated here by Tanya Paperny, with Katya Kompaneyets—originally appeared in Ukrayinska Pravda. A previous installment in the translation of this series appeared at Circ…

lithub.com

1