Immigrants Raised Me

From Brazil to Nicaragua, Mexico to Ecuador - Dominican Republic, China, Poland, Ireland, Italy, Russia - on and on - immigrants raised me.

Cracked my toes, taught me words, kissed my forehead, fed me, clothed me, tickled me, laughed with me.

Modeled for me new languages of love, belonging, safety, and care - loved me with a vibrance I’d never have experienced in my own home.

Multiple times, in hope and prayer, I’ve typed in my search-bar:

 “Did Germans protest Nazis?”

The short answer is yes - but not at the scale of what we’re seeing today.

I really do believe, that this time can be different.

I really do believe, it will require all of us, in whatever way - and every way - that means.

Just like everything on earth - soil, landscapes, oceans, animals (including people, too) - diversity makes us stronger, healthier, more resilient, nourished, and vibrant.

Diversity has always made me feel more safe, more home, and more myself.

They are disappearing our brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews and uncles and aunties and nana and poppys.  ICE’s website proudly touts over 500,000 arrests. As a Jewish person, my immediate mental math is - okay, that’s 1/12th of 6 million.  

This is real, happening, scary, unimaginable, and - a piece of the fabric of the call of our time.

Your soul chose this life for a reason.

You are here for a reason.

You matter, you’re important, you’re needed,

And every small action you take makes a difference.

For others, and for how you experience yourself.

We have to balance information-gathering, and our own (wholly-human) aliveness, fear, and integration - with direct-to-cause action-taking.

Here’s some places to start:

*If you know me, you know I love sticker-trackers.  I use them to direct my energy towards the goals I have in my life - from business to health to dating and more - because it keeps me from mental fatigue, and supports me in experiencing momentum, which keeps me motivated to continue action, even when I don’t yet have the results I want.

My 3 daily actions that have been added to my tracker:

• Call Representative (my goal is 1 / day at a minimum, and I use the 5calls app.)
• Mutual Aid Connect**
• Light a candle and use all of my creative lifeforce to feel into the best and most beautiful world and planet imaginable.  What you think about (and feel about what you think about) - you create and grow.  It's science - and your thoughts really do matter.

**Type “Mutual Aid [Your City]” and let Google do its thing.  It can definitely be overwhelming, and the more you explore the more aligned supports you’ll find.  That’s why, for now, for me, this is an every-day activity, for a minimum of 10 minutes / day, until I figure out a call-to-action that makes me feel most anchored to the movement and moment. (https://mutualaid.nyc/ is where I’m starting)

One-Time / Larger / Ongoing Actions:

• Set up monthly recurring donations to legal defense and bond funds through reputable orgs (linking my top 3, there’s more)
• RAICES (paying bonds to get folks out of detention)
• Immigrant Defense Project (legal advice and resources)
• National Immigration Project (lawyers for the movement)
• Legal Aid Justice Center
• Amica
• ACLU
• *note - I live in NYC, feeling deep concern for my most-immediate neighbors.  And - Minnesota is the grand-stage front-line right now, and the tone-set for what's to come.  While I'm an advocate for local first, if you're able to support their state, here’s a website with additional resources: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
• Amplify things that move people to hope and action.  Feeling despair?  Journal or phone a friend.  Feeling ready to take action?  Post that shit.
• Fucking vote. I honestly still don’t know near-enough about local politics and smaller offices - but I’m starting to figure out what structures will support me in deepening my understanding.  Like an accountability buddy for research, or a small group of friends to gather and force-set time to really unpack who is doing what and where they stand on important issues.  Like, no, it shouldn’t be that hard - - but also YES, this is what it means to *participate* in a democracy.  And just because you know *who* you’ll vote for doesn’t mean you won’t still need to give them a call to amplify some shit.  I know I need to do better here.  Let’s help each other to do better here - with deep integrity and intention - and all the love, joy, and creative freedom we can carry.
• Protest, take care of your body, take care of your neighbors, call your loved ones, appreciate everything, cry, rage, scream, ritual, dance, make art, build your dreams, remember your humanity, remember you’re human, and love beyond imagination.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for doing you and being who you are.

As always, I welcome any feedback, reflections, suggestions, ideas, etc.   I aim to do the best I can, which also means I aim to grow.  Please leave a comment or email [email protected].

I love you,

I love us,

Miriam ❤️