We are heartbroken but also very angry
Dear community,
I had/have a whole other letter written to you, but I will share that later.
For now, there are just 3 things I want to say -
Minneapolis is under attack and Minnesotans are a BEAUTIFULLY ORGANIZED RESISTANCE! Support them, amplify their truths and resilience, and take notes!
I understand the sentiment of F*** ICE. And, they have already dehumanized themselves. I pray for another way. I wonder, what is the way to awaken the humanity within? In my faith practice we are forbidden only one thing - ninda / to speak badly of someone is to abuse the divine (within them). What would a call to action look like that invokes this principle? I would say to the perpetrators of violence — do to others what you want done to your children & your grandmothers & yourself. What we do to others we do our collective body, to ourselves. We truly get what we give.
Speaking of giving, give boldly now. Tithe for social justice. Invest in a different world, literally. Please donate, resist, support, heal, sing, cry, gather, grieve, rage together <3 do what you can to stay present, and take conscious action.
Guidance for Action
Stand with Minnesota is the organization to follow, with a donation list. You can look through for various types of fundraisers and, here are their top 3 recommendations if it makes it easier for you to act:
Donate to UNIDOSMN (an immigrant-run organization getting things done on the ground)
Immigrant Law Center of MN, who is providing assistance to hundreds of people with families detained by ICE
Immigrant Rapid Response Fund, a fund assembled by a coalition of Twin Cities Foundations committed to getting assistance out the door as quickly as possible.
Stay informed about what’s happening in MN from legit news sources & the words of people on the ground there.
Gems of Hope and Loving Resistance!
Singing Resistance is a new group that is organizing communities to protest, abolish ICE, and gather in grief, love, and resistance. Minnesotans, you are not alone either.
They also raised $35,000 through their singing resistance for rent assistance given how many people cannot leave the house to go to work safely, or get groceries for their families.
A little CNN clip on their purpose, and the power of protest songs.
Letter from Michael and Susan Pretti, parents of Alex Pretti - “We are heartbroken but also very angry.. Please get the truth out… Thank you.”
Stay Strong in the words of Alexis Pauline Gumbs. “Stay strong and remember that we hold within us the love of multigenerational movements. Stay strong by acknowledging the grief you are experiencing and the grief of everyone around you. Stay strong by reaching for coalition and organizing, you cannot face this time alone and you were not meant to. You do not have all the answers and you do not need to.”
We have each other.
More soon <3
In solidarity, & in honor of Keith Porter Jr., Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Jeffrey Pretti & countless others,
Nitika