BRATTLEBORO-Minneapolis has become ground zero for fighting for democracy.
Refusing to be cowered by ICE agents in tactical gear, residents continue to protest. Monitors with whistles warn people of the presence of ICE in neighborhoods. Residents form safety patrols and conduct food drives and deliver box meals and other necessities to people afraid to leave their homes. Restaurants deliver free food to people affected by ICE. Immigrants are provided with legal representation.
How can we in Vermont support the courage and compassion of those who live in Minneapolis? This valuable resource, standwithminnesota.com, consolidates into one website many help organizations so that you can think about how you want to help and then find a well-vetted organization to which to donate.
You can choose to help organizers on the ground (anything from basic resources to legal aid), immigrant populations with legal representation, communities providing food to people afraid to go out, schools with support for teachers and students. These are a few of the many options.
Other well-vetted resources are the following: ACLU Minnesota; Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee; Immigrant Defense Network.
In the words of the person who passed this information on to me as well as to others, “Remember that our small acts converge and multiply — we are not powerless.”
Charlene Ellis
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.
This piece, published in print in the Voices section or as a column in the news sections, represents the opinion of the writer. In the newspaper and on this website, we strive to ensure that opinions are based on fair expression of established fact. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, The Commons is reviewing and developing more precise policies about editing of opinions and our role and our responsibility and standards in fact-checking our own work and the contributions to the newspaper. In the meantime, we heartily encourage civil and productive responses at voices@commonsnews.org.