Solidarity With Those Fighting for Liberation In Minneapolis: A Resource List To Get Started

Note: this blog post was updated with new content on June 1st, 2020: specifically, a LaunchGood campaign for Al-Maa’uun; a list of worthwhile local groups to donate to from Reclaim The Block and Black Visions Collective; a collection of action items from MuslimARC and Islah Los Angeles; the campaign to demand a new trial for Imam Jamil; and an invitation to join the Movement For Black Lives.

Here at MPower Change, we are in full solidarity with those fighting for liberation in Minneapolis. As such, we have a responsibility to direct attention to the local organizers doing real work on the ground in this moment. 

For those outside Minneapolis and looking to most effectively support the vital organizing happening right now, we’ve compiled below a list of some of the most important resources and places to put your time, attention, and financial support if you’re able.

We honor the life of George Floyd. We continue to be outraged by police & state violence, and the white supremacy and anti-Black racism that haunts not just Minneapolis, but every corner of the United States.

We cannot and will not stop fighting for justice.

Contributing To The Stand With Minneapolis Al-Maa'uun Launch Good Campaign

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: The Al-Maa'uun organization serves thousands of households each year, with a focus on north Minneapolis. Donations will help provide food, basic household supplies (including hand sanitizers and masks, and urgently needed medications to affected neighborhoods right now. You can contribute to their LaunchGood campaign here.

Paying Cash Bail For Arrested Protesters/Jail Support

Minnesota Freedom Fund pays cash bail to provide people in Minnesota pretrial freedom, as an act of immediate harm reduction. You can donate to Minnesota Freedom Fund here.

If you, or someone you know, needs jail support or bail paid, call the Legal Rights Center at 612-337-0030 — or, outside of business hours, the National Lawyers Guild at 612-444-2654.

Supporting the Northstar Health Collective — providing medical care on the ground

The Northstar Health Collective is a street medic collective on the ground in Minneapolis, which does crucial work to keep protesters safe, providing urgent medical care as necessary. You can donate money, medical supplies, or volunteer time to the Northstar Health Collective here.

Supporting the family of George Floyd

George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, has established an Official George Floyd Memorial Fund on GoFundMe, to “to cover funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist our family in the days to come as we continue to seek justice for George.” 

You can donate to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund here.

Stay Updated On the Most Urgent Financial Needs Here

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: Black Visions Collective, a Minnesota-based group working to hold Minneapolis’ elected officials accountable, and Reclaim The Block, a local coalition demanding that the city divest from policing and invest in long-term alternatives, have been flooded with financial support recently. In response, they have created a google doc with some other incredible local groups deserving of your donations. Access the Reclaim The Block and Black Visions Collective list of worthwhile local groups to donate to here.

This list of the most urgent financial needs for those on the ground in Minneapolis has been shared by many in the area on social media — it’s a great place to go to see what’s most urgently needed in the moment you read this. You can access the list of most urgent needs here.

 

Actions We Can Take Right Now From Anywhere

Take suggested MuslimARC actions in solidarity against the murder of Black men and women.

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: This collection of action items from MuslimARC and Islah Los Angeles, specifically written for the U.S. Muslim community, is also a good place to start.

Demand A New Trial for Imam Jamil Al-Amin, FKA H. Rap Brown.

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: Imam Jamil Al-Amin, a Black Muslim leader widely recognized as a legendary civil rights activist, has been incarcerated for almost 20 years while maintaining his innocence. We might be able to win in this moment a new trial for Imam Jamil — sign the petition here.

Call Minneapolis/Minnesota Decision Makers: The action toolkit in the below tweet has been developed by a coalition of organizers in Minnesota — if you can spare 15 minutes, this is an action that really matters.

 

Demand the Minneapolis and City Council Defund the Minneapolis Police Department: This petition by Black Visions Collective and Reclaim The Block is a crucial step forward to holding local elected officials accountable and divesting from policing—so we can invest in the well-being of our communities instead: Sign the #DefundMPD petition here.

 

Send a Message to the Minnesota National Guard: Stand Down for Black Lives. This open letter from About Face: Veterans Against The War lets reactively activated Minnesota National Guard troops that veterans will stand with them in refusing an unjust order against Black Lives. Sign the open letter in support here.

 

Join The Movement For Black Lives.

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: This open petition from Movement For Black Lives calls on Congressional leadership to push back against the use of militarization in response to this crisis. Sign the letter here.

Outside of Minneapolis particularly, and focused more broadly on the movement toward Justice for Black Lives, this regularly updated google doc is filled with actions that can be taken wherever you are.

NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST: Also outside of Minneapolis, In Defense Of Black Lives, a Dallas-based coalition, is organizing a campaign to defund the police in their city. You can learn more here.

Follow the Groups on Social Media That Are Doing Indispensable Work Right Now

If you’re not already plugged into the organizations and organizers doing the frontline work most relevant to this very moment, this could be a good opportunity to do so. Follow and support financially if you are able so they can continue their crucial work.

Reclaim The Block is a Minneapolis-based coalition demanding that Minneapolis divest from policing and invest in long-term alternatives. Follow Reclaim The Block here. You can donate to Reclaim The Block here.

Black Visions Collective is a Minnesota-based group working to hold Minneapolis’ elected officials accountable. Follow Black Visions Collective here. You can donate to Black Visions Collective here.

Unicorn Riot’s live-streaming video of what’s happening on the ground in Minneapolis has been so important, Follow Unicorn Riot here. You can donate to Unicorn Riot here.

Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC) provide faith-based anti-racism & racial justice education and training. Follow MuslimARC here. You can donate to MuslimARC here.

Black Muslim Coalition was specifically founded to “address the need for effective planning, preparedness & organizing in Black Muslim communities during the #COVID19 pandemic.” Follow Black Muslim Coalition here. You can donate to BMC here.

Educating Ourselves on Police, Abolition, and Racial Justice

Because We’ve Read, “a  radical, international book club challenging understanding of the status quo & mobilizing communities globally,” has a mini-syllabus on police/prison abolition— a good place to start reading about the roots of the problem. You can access the #BecauseWeveRead “Prisons, Police, & Abolition” syllabus here.

Resources For U.S. Muslims to Fight Anti-Blackness In Our Communities

MuslimARC’s toolkits for non-Black Muslims about #BlackLivesMatter, systeming anti-Black racism, and practical examples of addressing racism in the Muslim community are a great resource — you can access them here.

MuslimARC is also holding a webinar called Doing Business in Black Neighborhoods: Anti-Black Racism, Anti-Racism and Muslim Communities, this Wednesday, June 3rd, at 7pm eastern.

Read this piece about addressing anti-Black racism in Muslim communities by Haleema Bharoocha and Pa Ousman Jobe on our DigitalRamadan blog. “Reflecting on Anti-Blackness in our Community this Ramadan” provides questions to reflect on and tips for talking to your loved ones about anti-Black racism. 

The Drinking Gourd, a literary publication by and for Black Muslims, is accepting submissions related to the curent uprisings across the country.

Education Resources for White Allies on Racial Justice

This collection of Anti-racism resources, specifically intended as a resource for white people, and parents in particular, is a good place to learn and take action.

This regularly updated list of 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice is well worth your time.

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