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I’m writing to you broken-hearted and outraged—again—after United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents killed another person in Minnesota last weekend.
Let’s be clear: We, as a nation, cannot stand for the murder of innocent people, the disappearing of immigrants, the shooting of nurses and poets, and kidnapping of children. What kind of Americans are we—what kind of people are we—if we allow this to continue?
Wherever we live, we must stand up. We must speak out. Here are some starting points.
Make sure your elected officials know where you stand. CLICK HERE to find contact info for the policymakers who represent you, and make it clear that federal agents cannot continue to threaten people’s lives and livelihoods.
Give to food banks and other mutual aid efforts. If you can donate food, bring groceries or meals to those who don’t feel safe leaving the house. If you can donate money, find local food banks and grassroots nonprofits doing this work. Via Feeding America, HERE is a searchable guide to food banks in your area. The site standwithminnesota.com is an incredibly thorough guide to the kinds of social justice organizations you can search for in your own communities.
Donate to organizations offering legal help. Nationally, organizations like the ACLU and the National Immigrant Justice Center are working to help defend immigrants’ rights, and you can use the National Immigration Legal Services Directory to find local pro-bono resources that could benefit from donations.
Support restaurants who are stepping up. This is a difficult moment for the food system. Immigrant-owned restaurants are struggling, and there are plenty of restaurants that are stepping up. In Minneapolis, one brunch spot turned into a makeshift field hospital; others are offering free soup, coffee, and warmth. To support these restaurants: Besides visiting for dinner, you can also buy gift cards and merch to help them continue to keep the doors open, pay their staff, and share culture on a plate.
Attend a bystander training. Learn how to stand up for human rights every day in safe and effective ways with best practices from organizations like Right To Be at a national level, or from local response organizations in your community, like Monarca in Minnesota.
We all have the responsibility to push back against the destruction and intimidation that anti-immigrant policy brings to communities around the country. From Minneapolis to worldwide, it’s inspiring to see how collective action and community organizing are tangibly building a society rooted in kindness, equity, and health.
When our voices join together, we speak louder. When we stand together, we move more forcefully. When we eat together, we deepen our relationships. When we link arms with our neighbors and protect one another, we build justice.
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Photo courtesy of Myotis, Wikimedia Commons
