Dear John,

I’d like to share a call to action from adrienne maree brown:

“keep your hearts soft, your grief honored, your calls consistent, your actions escalating. the tide is turning but we need so many more voices to create so much more pressure to staunch the bleeding. speak from wherever you stand, boycott, stop business as usual - it’s working.”

And her invitation to imagination:

“we recover our lost/broken humanity. we go to the roots of genocide and war with healing hands. we make room for people to return to belonging. our grandchildren don’t fear each other. how do we get there?”

This week, we hold the victories of local elections and the hard work that brought us here, we tend to our ongoing grief, and we continue to take action to strengthen our relationships and communities, and to call for an end to violence in Gaza. Take time to celebrate our wins, and to join us as we work for more. Join TakeAction Minnesota for a phonebank calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.

Stories of power and persistence from this week:

1. Historic all-female City Council elected in St. Paul

We’re celebrating the huge, historic, community-driven wins from last week’s local elections. 🎉 St. Paul’s incoming City Council shared, “These historic results reflect Saint Paul’s voters and their values. Despite over a quarter-million dollars of conservative special interest spending citywide, organized people beat organized money. Saint Paul voters united, and through thousands of volunteer hours and grassroots donations, elected a diverse, progressive new Council for our city.”

2. "We cannot lose our shared humanity." Rashida Tlaib's speech to the U.S. House

After every Republican member of the House of Representatives - and 22 Democrats - voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, she addressed the House saying, “I can’t believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable. We are human beings just like anyone else. My Sity, my grandmother, like all Palestinians, just wants to live her life with freedom and human dignity we all deserve … The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me. What I don’t understand is why the cries of Palestinians sound different to you all.”

3. East Phillips group finalizes historic agreement to buy Roof Depot site

The City of Minneapolis has accepted $3.7 million as proof of payment for the Roof Depot site, which the East Phillips community is transforming into “an indoor farm with hydroponic and aquaponic gardening, room for about 20 local businesses and organizations, and affordable housing, all capped and powered by a massive rooftop solar array.” This is a huge win for environmental justice, and for the power of community organizing. 

4. MN Rep. Betty McCollum calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

This week, Rep. Betty McCollum joined 23 other members of Congress calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Minnesotans have been calling, emailing, and protesting for a ceasefire in Gaza for over a month - and Rep. McCollum’s new position is a reminder that our voices are being heard, and that together, they are powerful. 

5. Protesters hoped to plant trees at Cop City site. They were tear gassed instead.

As dozens of activists are arraigned on trumped up RICO and domestic terrorism charges for their work to stop Cop City, the nonviolent movement to prevent construction continues. This week, hundreds of protestors were met with state violence as they attempted to plant native trees at the building site. “The hope remains that one day, those trees can be planted on Cop City’s grave.”

6. Gaza's queer Palestinians fight to be remembered

“In a moment when journalists have been under attack and a blockade on electricity has severely limited the ability of people in Gaza to get their message out, Queering the Map has become an essential tool for queer Palestinians whose stories could have disappeared beneath the rubble altogether. The entries are equal parts romantic, wistful, and heartbreaking—the testimony of people trying to find love and beauty in a world that wants to erase them from existence.”

7. U.S. and U.K. militaries 'owe' combined $111 billion in climate reparations

A study found that the U.S. and U.K. militaries "have generated at least 430 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent since the 2015 United Nations Paris climate agreement. That’s more than the total greenhouse gas emissions produced in the UK last year.” Of the $111 billion, it’s estimated that the U.S. military is responsible for $106 billion. 

8. When Arab-American Detroit auto workers struck for Palestinian liberation in 1973

In the wake of the recent UAW strikes and war in Gaza, this 2020 article is especially relevant three years later. “As imperialism fuels war and oppression in the Middle East and around the globe, and as systemic racism and xenophobia run rampant here at home, the story of the Arab Workers Caucus serves as a reminder to the US working class that even if the institutions meant to represent us are complicit, we don’t have to be.”

9. Rembering Sharon Kowalski

We’re grieving and celebrating Sharon Kowalski. She and her loved ones set precedents for queer rights and disability justice, “shed(ding) light on the importance of ensuring that everyone has the right to make decisions about their own lives and relationships. Sharon’s memory will forever serve as a reminder of the power of love, resilience and the fight for justice.” Learn more about Sharon’s life.

10. Andre 3000's new album

I’m so excited for New Blue Sun, Andre 3000’s first new album in 17 years, out today. He spoke with NPR about his process, and about flutes. Check out his interview, and give the album a listen. 

How have you been grounding yourself and taking action? How do you imagine getting to and transforming the future? 

In care and solidarity,

Jessie Lee-Bauder (she/her)