Dear John,

Today, we are in solidarity with everyone striking for The Day of Truth and Freedom here in Minnesota and beyond. Hundreds of Minnesota businesses are closed, and countless more individuals are taking the day off from work and school and pledging not to spend a single cent in solidarity with community members targeted by the ongoing ICE occupation.

After I hit send on this email, I will be suiting up in my coziest layers and at least two pairs of my warmest wool socks and joining the march at 2pm in Downtown Minneapolis. With lows nearing -30 degrees Fahrenheit today, there’s no room to mess around — check out this article for a handy refresher on how to layer for extreme cold and how to spot signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Look out for your friends and fellow marchers. Bring extra hand warmers or layers to share, if you have them. We keep us safe.
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Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week.

Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen arrested
Yesterday, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of civil rights lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong and St. Paul School Board member Chauntyll Louisa Allen following a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul Sunday. David Easterwood, a pastor at the church, is an ICE official.
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“His friends haven’t asked about him yet, but I know that they’ll catch on.”
ICE detained a five-year-old child, Liam Conejo Ramos, alongside his father in Columbia Heights Tuesday. Staff at Liam’s school said the agents used him as “bait” to lure members of his family out of the house and refused to leave him in the custody of another adult in the home who begged for his release.
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House passes repeal on BWCA mining ban
Republicans in the US house passed a resolution that would repeal Joe Biden’s 20-year moratorium on metal mining in the Boundary Waters and open the doors for a copper-nickel mine owned by a Chilean company. If it passes the Senate, Trump is expected to sign it into law.
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A list of every place closing for Friday’s strike
Hundreds of local businesses are closed today in solidarity with the general strike. Check out this list to know who to support when it’s over!
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Klobuchar to run for governor
Sen. Amy Klobuchar filed paperwork Thursday to run for Minnesota Governor following Tim Walz’ announcement that he won’t be seeking another term.
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Minnesotans speak to the ICE occupation
Racket’s Keith Harris asked for submissions from everyday Minnesotans living through the current federal occupation. Their stories speak to the fear, grief, and rage many of us feel, as well as the resilience, hope, and love that sustain us.
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“Iranians deserve better than having their grievances weaponized for geopolitical advantage.”
In an essay for Time, anthropologist Narges Bajoghli examines the ongoing mass protests in Iran, situating them in a historical and geopolitical context.
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What does it take to break free from MAGA?
In a fascinating but somewhat controversial interview, journalist Taylor Lorenz speaks with former MAGA influencer and mother of Elon Musk’s youngest child Ashley St. Clair, who has now openly expressed remorse for her right-wing views and participation in the MAGA movement. Lorenz and St. Clair discuss how Musk’s AI chatbot has been used by right-wingers to create non-consensual sexual images of herself, other women, and even minors with no regulation from Musk, which led her to begin questioning the movement as a whole. The interview poses a crucial question (and one that I grapple with often) — how do we help people disentangle from MAGA in a way that leaves space for both accountability and rehabilitation?
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A Somali artist in Minnesota reflects
“We sit in stillness, cocooned in the snow. We take refuge in our ability to be with ourselves and with one another, in relationship to this second home that has chosen us. We remind ourselves that we are worthy of peace, of belonging, of dignity. We remain steadfast,” writes artist Ifrah Mansour.
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An Art Sled photo gallery
Saturday was Powderhorn’s annual Art Sled Rally, which offered a joy and whimsy-filled respite while continuing the protest in the most Minnesota fashion. Check out this highlight reel if you couldn’t make it!
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That’s all for today — send us what you’re reading, watching and listening to.

In love and solidarity,

Charlie Bartlett
TakeAction Member



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