They are like so many Americans disgusted by what is happening, friends and neighbors are taken from their jobs or even from the end of the year parties of elementary schools. It is terrible. Like every citizen, I'm trying to understand what to do. I said to myself: I have some followers, I can start a fundraiser. Over 48 hours we have collected more than $ 20,000 for Chirla, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. They do an extraordinary job, among other things legal advice to those who have been targeted and detained unjustly. I know so many people ask themselves: what can I do to help? You can even spread the voice among friends: look, here there is an organization that you can give 5 or 10 dollars. If we did it in 100 thousand, a lot of people could be helped.
State united
I have an 11 -year -old son who is worried about his classmates and their families. I wanted to protest, but I didn't like the idea of bringing it to Downtown Los Angeles because of the deployment of the police forces. I looked for the words “Pasadena” on the internet, where I live, and “Ice” (the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement). I appeared a post in which it was said that the agents of the ICE were staying in a hotel not far from here. We went there. At the beginning we were in 15 people, then more and more people arrived. I published a photo specifying that it was a protest suitable for families and disabled people, I am in fact convinced that it is important that even those with chronic diseases or small children can manifest. It is one of the messages I am trying to spread: everyone can participate in the fight against fascism. This is an emergency, we need everyone to do something, at every level
Use creativity
When you protest on the street, people pass by car and play the horn. It is a longtime tradition and it is nice to see entire families that greet you and encourage you from the windows of the machines. There were people who went around the slander and won Mexican flags. Even just seeing that my son understood what the spirit of community is, like “we are all fighting together, we must not be pissed off”, he made me feel better. And there is another thing. The event and the clacson to motorists disturbed the guests of the hotel that the management had to send away the agents of the Ice who stayed there. Nobody wants to be in a hotel room and hear shouts and horn for ten hours.
Rediscover the analogue
The Internet is a formidable tool, but it is subject to censorship. In the next few days, weeks and months communication in real life will become increasingly important. Are you a graphic designer? Can you make flyers? Can you post them around? It reminds me of the 90s, the era first of the computers, when to communicate we used the fanzine. I taught my mother, who is 75 years old, how to use Substack and I signed up to “Chop Wood, Carry Water”, which is the newsletter of the activist Jess Craven with the things you can do. My mother is old, but can make phone calls to the offices of political representatives. It makes sense to do something, whatever, instead of being at home angry.
Don't be policemen
There is a security issue. One thing to which people don't think is that those who expose themselves, especially if they are women and color people, receive threats, are stalked, must invest a lot of money, time and effort to feel safe. It is an extra job that many straight white men don't have to do. These are things you know very well if you are trans or gay and you are in the spotlight, so not knowing the personal story does not criticize anyone because it does not take a position. But I applaud who can and want to do it. I mean, we are trying to stop this form of racism disguised as a police operation, so I don't see why we should never be policemen on each other.
Mix activism and passion
I want to continue raising funds, I am good at doing it. And of course I will continue to express myself publicly and support underground artists who organize shows that create joy and community and give the energy necessary to continue fighting. I am maintaining my mental balance by writing songs that speak of resistance to fascism. Because a way not to run out is to mix activism with something you love to do.
Act and be welcoming
The protest is of everyone, this is the message. Are you extreme left? Be welcoming with people instead of making them ashamed saying that they are not protesting in the right way. We are all learning to do it. And anyway doing something is better than doing nothing. If we are closed at home for fear of making mistakes and not participating in the right way, if we do not go to the street or outside the hotels or to hang posters, there will be no one around. You don't have to wait to have the perfect thing to say in your video on social media or in your song or elsewhere. Just do it. Tomorrow you will wake up, the sun will continue to rise and patience if someone won't like what you did.
From Rolling Stone Us.
