This is a strange time to write a blog. To be a parent of giggly children. To be an American walking home from work, eating dinner, brushing teeth, climbing into bed. I’m sure you feel the same. What is happening in Minneapolis and around the country is so far from normal, so far from reasonable and ethical and humane, that it feels very surreal to go to the grocery store or read a bedtime story at the same time.
“So much grief/anger/dissonance right now,” a friend in Minneapolis texted me last night. He was heading out to help build a huge “ICE OUT” sign on local Lake Nokomis — with 100-foot letters for flights to see from the air. By day, snow letters; by night, candles in white paper bags.
Today, he wrote again. “On the first night, I figured there would be like 10 of us. But at least 100 people showed up, and I’m sure it will keep growing. I had the thought on my drive over that ICE agents might be writing down license plate information, but any fear of this sort isn’t going to stop us from lighting fricking candles.”
“Kids and parents worked side by side, prepping white paper bags with snow on the bottom for weighted ballast,” he wrote. “I lit candles for an hour and felt the opposite of fear.”
This week, songwriter Billy Bragg wrote an incredible song, above, about the heroes of Minneapolis — the lyrics are amazing — and here’s also a video of Minnesota drummers against ICE. Everyone is showing up the way they can.
As we root for those in Minnesota this week, with so much admiration and gratitude, here are ways to help the city (and a food pantry that makes deliveries), as well as how to help those fighting ICE in Maine.
Please also stay tuned for info about a Cup of Jo/Big Salad volunteer project in NYC next weekend (February 6-8). We’re putting it together right now and will be in touch soon with details.
And as we sit at our desks today, or parent our children, or brush our teeth, we’ll be holding each other close in our minds. We always try on Cup of Jo to both talk about the hard, heavy parts of life and provide a soft landing for readers when they need one. We’ll continue to do so, as much as we can, during these difficult times.
Thank you so much for reading, as always. Sending so much love. xoxoxoxo
P.S. How are our readers in Minneapolis doing, and what are some small good things in your life right now?
(Photos via Reddit. Daytime photo via Jonathan Slaght.)
