Dear John,

Okay, let’s talk about this month week, sorry, it’s just been five days since Jacob Blake was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, WI.

Before we do any politics, let’s pause for a minute on Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old father of four. He and his family seem remarkable. His mom, Julia Jackson, recounted her bedside conversation with her son on CNN. He said, "I don't want to be a burden on anybody. I want my babies. Call my boss."

Sit with that for a moment. He’s afraid if he’s paralyzed, he’ll be a burden on his family. He wants to make sure he let his employer knows he won’t be at work.

Don’t get us wrong, everyone is entitled to full civil and human rights. No one, none of us, should be subjected to police violence. 

But it’s worth taking a minute to dwell on Jacob Blake, the three-dimension human being and this family. Did you know his grandfather organized marches that led the Evanston, IL city council to ban racial discrimination in housing? Our hearts go out to Jacob Blake, his family, and everyone who’s hurting in Kenosha.

Since Sunday, a right-wing vigilante murdered two protestors in Kenosha. A suicide in downtown Minneapolis led to civil unrest in Minneapolis. Hurricane Laura hit land, killing at least six people in Louisiana. On top of all that the Republican National Convention ran for four nights, like the background noise in some dystopian sci-fi movie.

It’s been a sad, painful, kinda scary week.

By the way, if you or anyone you know wants help, you can reach out. You’re not alone. In fact, we’re all going to need to do some intentional emotional management as we enter this election season.

Over the next ten weeks, Kenza and I will be writing about the tactics we expect the right-wing to use to suppress the vote in Minnesota. Think of it like an inoculation. If we talk about how some politicians use dishonesty, dog whistles, and violence to win elections, we’ll be a little less afraid of their tactics. We’ll be more adaptable. We’ll be ready to go talk with voters, to focus on the future, to fight for a Minnesota where we all belong. 

Here’s what we're reading, watching, and listening to:

1. Black Visions

The idea for Black Visions emerged naturally: “What if we built an unapologetically Black organization with a Black queer feminist lens?” Read the in-depth profile of Black Visions in the New York Times. 

2. #StrikeForBlackLives

It has been exactly four years since Colin Kaepernick. Today, we stand in solidarity with all the workers and players in the WNBA, NBA, MLB and more who are on #StrikeforBlackLives. Read this piece and watch the Mets and Marlins walk off the field together last night.

3. Safety and Justice

Imagine creating a truly anti-racist society and democracy with justice and safety for all. Learn more in this piece in Vanity Fair.

4. Pandemic Poem

We need artists to dream, to challenge our imagination. In this piece, an author on book tour during the pandemic reflects. Read Mississippi: A Poem, in Days.

5. Forest Bathing

Stress is high, collective trauma is triggered, and we’re in a pandemic. This article is a few years old and totally relevant. Learn about the health benefits of forest bathing.

6. Brown Berets

A must-read history and legacy of the women of the Brown Beret movement established by working class Mexican Americans in the 1960s. Dive back in time in this LA Times piece.

7. Art and Dental Care

We need artists. Artists need us to make sure they can practice. It’s practical stuff, like dental care. Without it, the only art we get is by and for the wealthy. Read this piece from an artist in the Washington Post and a local call to action for the Minnesota arts community.

8. Nelsie Yang

A TakeAction member sent us this Facebook post to lift up and recognize the leadership of Saint Paul City Councilor Nelsie Yang who took a clear, open stand against more privatization of St. Paul Public Schools. Read her post before the vote.

9. Hurricane Laura

Our climate crisis is real. We don’t need to tell you that. But this CNN article lets you see it with before and after satellite images that show the impacts of Hurricane Laura. Check this out.

10. Bad Ideas

There are many, many good ways to prepare the impacts of climate change. Strapping your house to a tree is not one of them (with video). See it here.

That’s a wrap. Take good care of yourselves this weekend.

Kenza Hadj-Moussa & Chris Conry