🤝 Standing in Solidarity with Minneapolis
Four quick ways to support our migrant neighbors.
🫂 Happy Friday, Friends,
It's been a tough week. Firstly, I want to say that while you're receiving this newsletter, I'm still standing in solidarity with those who are participating in the strike against Trump's "immigration policies" today.
That being said, that's the focus of this newsletter. ICE continues to terrorize both Chicago and Minneapolis, but there are ways we can work against this and prevent further violations and loss of life.
I'm keeping it simple today. Here are four things you can do TODAY, right now, to stand up for our communities. I've kept this list short so that each of us can manage every single one. These won't take more than thirty minutes of your time total.
- Our primary election in Illinois is coming up on March 17th. If you haven't been following primary campaigns, use Vote411 to select your candidates early. Voting in the primaries is essential - this is the best preventative measure we have. Our other efforts are in response to what we're already facing.
- Use this tool to find your polling place and plan ahead. If you want to skip the line, plan to vote by mail and submit that form by Thursday, March 12th.
- Use this form through the National Immigration Law Center to email your representatives quickly and easily about opposing ICE raids.
- Check out MN NOICE: a searchable database of organizations supporting immigrants and refugees throughout Minnesota. You can donate your time or money, or support their exposure by following and engaging on social media.
If all of us sat down and planned to vote, emailed our representatives, and donated time, money, or attention to one of the orgs on MN NOICE, we'd be starting a wave. Please be a part of that wave. Taking action won't change the horrors that we've already seen, but it can and will snowball.
While working through this, it's also extra important to take care of yourself. Remember the "oxygen mask" - you need to put yours on before helping other people! I'm focused on tending to my needs for love and community while all this is going on, which means supporting local creators and my loved ones.
When all the ICE trouble began, a lovely artist in my neighborhood created and sold hand-printed cards celebrating Uptown. They were available in local stores. The proceeds went to a nonprofit in the neighborhood that feeds and shelters our neighbors in need. This is how something as simple as writing a friend or loved one can support your community from multiple angles.
Where would we be without community? It's a question I know we never really have to answer, because amazing folx all over the country (and the world) keep writing cards to each other. We keep showing up for protests. We keep expressing our joy and our outcry, and we keep sticking up for each other when it gets icy.
With you as we channel our anger,
Dana
PS. Last week, on our snow day, I mentioned that it was colder in Antarctica than Chicago. I meant it was warmer. Does that help or make it worse? 😅