Meaningful work is the only thing getting me through this shit

I saw a post that said, “Do you remember that feeling you had when the second plane hit? You should have that feeling now.”

This hit me in a way that made me physically ill. I remember the exact moment the second plane hit. I was a junior at NYU, living in a dorm just blocks from the towers, and we were evacuated from our building shortly after it happened. It was the moment we knew it was a terrorist attack—the moment we knew America would never be the same.

A quarter of a century later, I have that feeling again. This weekend, our federal government murdered Alex Pretti. He was a 37-year-old ICU nurse who took care of veterans. The U.S. government murdered him while he was protecting a woman they had knocked down, and then arrested the witnesses. Even worse, as Alex’s parents mourn the heartbreaking loss of their son, they have had to push back against lies told by our own government. “Please get the truth out about our son,” they said in a statement. “He was a good man.”

ICE has shot nine people since September and killed three U.S. citizens—Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and Keith Porter. Dozens more people have died in ICE custody since Donald Trump was sworn into his second term.

I was crying in my kitchen this weekend, but trying to pretend I was fine so I could function as a mom and go play in the snow with my kids. As I helped my babies get their jackets and boots on, I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids and parents who’ve become victims of ICE’s unprecedented assault on our communities.

My youngest is five. He rolled over in bed this morning, put his arm around my neck, and said, “Mama, I love you.” He has a Spiderman backpack, just like the one Liam Ramos was wearing when ICE kidnapped him. ICE used Liam as bait to lure family members out of his home, and took him and his father into custody.

Two weeks ago, ICE grabbed a 10-year-old fourth grader on her way to school with her mother, and they are still in ICE detention. I too have a fourth grader. He loves soccer, learning about black holes and square waves, and playing magna-tiles with his little brother. These are children. They’re not criminals.

My friend just texted me that she couldn’t sleep last night thinking about her kids being away from her like that. We are all feeling this—at least those of us with empathy, morals, and a belief in the rule of law.

We all have eyes. We all saw the horrifying video of ICE agent Jonathan Ross executing Renee Good in broad daylight and then calling her a “fucking bitch.” She was a mom of three kids, ages 15, 12, and 6.

Another friend of mine texted me today to tell me she’s applying for a new job, adding that she’s “been feeling the need to do meaningful work.” I responded, “Meaningful work is the only thing getting me through this shit.” I founded Vote Mama to grow the political power of Democratic moms—but not just any moms—strong candidates who will use their power for good, who will use their power to make life better for all families.

Moms like New Jersey Congresswoman LaMonica McIver. She has a nine-year-old daughter and is facing 17 years in prison for doing her job, conducting congressional oversight of ICE, and demanding accountability from Trump. This administration doesn’t want oversight, because oversight works. They want to weaponize the Justice Department to attack anyone who dares stand up to them.

Moms like Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint. She traveled to Minneapolis to speak with people on the ground about what ICE is doing to them. “They are detaining anyone that they can get their hands on, who is speaking in an accent, who has a darker shade of skin, and they’re not even trying to hide it.” Minnesotans asked Becca to warn the rest of us: “This state of terror is coming to you. It’s not just going to be Minnesota. This is the way they are trying to break our spirit.” Becca has since been providing information about how to train peaceful constitutional observers.

Moms like Congressmembers Becca Balint, Maxine Dexter, Laura Friedman, Adelita Grijalva, Julie Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, LaMonica McIver, Brittany Pettersen, Lateefah Simon, Jill Tokuda, and Nikema Williams, who have all signed on as co-sponsors to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Moms like AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes, who warned ICE: “We are watching you. If you violate an Arizona law, I will prosecute you. We will investigate you, and we will make sure that Arizona laws are enforced. That includes assault, murder, unlawful imprisonment, and other state crimes.”

Our president and his entire administration is a danger to our country—and moms are fighting back. Our Democratic mamas are leading the way in demanding accountability, and even my friends who don’t work in politics have been messaging me and asking me what they can do.

Meaningful work is the only thing getting me through this shit. Our team at Vote Mama is thinking about organizing a national call to connect Congressmembers who are doing good work in this moment with everyday Americans who are sickened by what is happening. As scary as this time is, the only way we’re going to get through it is by all of us coming together and using our collective power. The people are the ultimate check on the federal government.

Would you be interested in joining a national call? What questions do you have for our Democratic mamas? Are you ready to take action? Comment below with your thoughts, and let’s do some meaningful work.