Dear Community,
George Floyd should be alive today. He mattered, his life mattered. Period.
We are heartsick, rageful, and overwhelmed. Our communities are in deep pain, and our cities are burning.
So what now? While we don’t have all the answers, we want to share some ideas and resources from our grantee and movement partners, who have long been organizing for a more just city and community.
The moment calls on all of us. To give, act, learn, stay safe, and stay engaged.
Give
Act
- Since Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman’s number, 612-348-5550, rings busy, here are other numbers to call and demand that Freeman or another governing body arrest and charge the officers responsible for George Floyd’s murder
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison: 651-296-3353
- Bureau of Criminal Apprehension: 877-996-6222
- FBI: 763-569-8000
- Minneapolis Police Chief Arradondo: 612-673-2100
Learn
- Educate yourself about the history of the Minneapolis Police through the MPD150 project
- Learn about Reclaim the Block’s call to invest in community health and safety as opposed to increasing the police department’s budget
- Take note of responses that reflect years of Black-led organizing, like this from University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel
Stay safe and engaged
- Take action responsibly, in ways that protect your health and the health of communities already disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
- Stay engaged -- our responses will need to be both immediate and long term. Lean into community and your loved ones when you can.
We are filled with grief and anger. And, we are steadfast in our belief that another world is possible. We’ll do our best to keep you posted and we’ll keep fighting, alongside you, to bring about that more just world.
Take care of yourselves and each other,
From all of us at Headwaters
