How to Show Up for the Minnesota Community—Even If You Can’t Do It in Person

The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has left the Twin Cities devastated and reeling. Peaceful protests have been met with tear gas and rubber bullets, and a long history of racial injustice has boiled over into what some are calling riots and others are calling uprising. While there are many feelings on what has been unfolding in the Twin Cities, our communities have come together in an effort to support justice and reform efforts, help protesters in need, and provide resources for one another.

Lake Street in Minneapolis is just one of the places volunteers have been collecting donations. Photo by Em Walstead

While parts of Minneapolis were already a food desert for many, the closures of certain stores and destruction of others have exacerbated this problem for those in South Minneapolis without transportation. Local residents have banded together to organize food shelves all over the neighborhood. Many have also organized legal funds to assist protesters who have been arrested and have been organizing to provide first aid to those who need assistance during the protests.

As demonstrations continue, many people, myself included, feel powerless to help. Due to chronic illness and PTSD, I cannot physically attend the protests. It is a limitation I have to enforce for myself despite the feelings of guilt that come with it, and it is one that many people with disabilities (including mental illnesses and invisible disabilities) are grappling with right now. Luckily, with technology at our fingertips and the incredible organizing efforts of people across the Twin Cities metro, we can help fight for justice without having to leave our homes. Whether you cannot attend physically due to disability, self-quarantine (because we’re still in the midst of a pandemic), or any other reason, you can still lend a hand by donating your time, money, food, and/or other resources. Below is a list of ways you can help, organized by topic.

More of the donation and cleanup efforts outside Minnehaha Liquors. Photo by Em Walstead

Giving Money

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a global movement as well as a foundation whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and empower local communities to intervene in state violence and vigilante violence against Black communities.

Black Visions Collective is a Minnesota organization that promotes Black liberation and the defunding of police.

Du Nord Craft Spirits, a Black-owned distillery in Minneapolis, has created the Du Nord Riot Recovery Fund to rebuild Minneapolis with the goal of preserving business owned by people of color and cultural beacons.

The Lake Street Council is raising funds in support of affected businesses along Lake Street, starting with small businesses and nonprofits. The organization has already raised over $5 million as of this writing.

The Little Earth Residents Association provides housing, food, and community education to the local Native community of South Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis NAACP, the local brand of the national organization, works to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure social justice for all.

Reclaim the Block seeks to combat police violence by redirecting funding away from police and into community resources that support the health and vitality of neighborhoods. It stands behind policies that reduce reliance on police force and that support community-led safety initiatives.

Unicorn Riot provides commercial-free media coverage independent of corporate or government control. It seeks to expose the root causes of social and environmental issues and has been instrumental in providing live coverage of the uprising in the Twin Cities, with footage of what is happening directly from the front lines of these protests.

Two organizations, West Broadway Business and Area Coalition and Northside Funders Group, are partnering to raise money for Northside businesses affected both by recent events and by the pandemic. A little over $1.5 million has been raised as of this writing.

Note: The Minnesota Freedom Fund, which pays criminal bail and immigration bond for those who can’t afford it, has received so much support that it is asking donors to give to other organizations, including specific recommendations for some of those listed above.

Giving Food and Other Necessities

At this time, there is not one central website where donors can view donation drop-off sites that are still in need. Your best bet currently is to follow the following Facebook pages for updates, check their websites, and/or call the organizations individually for the most recent update on what kinds of donations they need—or whether they already have enough and are encouraging donors to give elsewhere.

Calvary Lutheran Church is collecting food donations and regularly has a food shelf serving the South Minneapolis community.

New Mt.  Calvary Missionary Baptist Church is collecting food donations and serving as a pop-up grocery store.

Twin Cities Boys & Girls Club—Southside Village is collecting food and serving as a food shelf for South Minneapolis.

Pimento Jamaican Kitchen is fundraising and gathering various resources such as food. They are also hosting a racial justice summit on Saturday, June 13, where they will talk about racial equity, and problem solve for radical change.

YMCA Midtown on Lake Street is collecting supplies for the community on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is a particular need for household cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, and diapers and pull-ups.

Daily “pop-up” food donation and pick up sites are also occurring at the intersection of Lexington and Central in St. Paul.

Giving Your Time

Below are some of the ways you can donate your time to work for social justice and racial equity:

• Have conversations with friends and family about the importance of racial equity, what white privilege looks like and how to use it in the fight for justice, and what being an ally means. There are many resources for talking points that you can use when opening up these conversations with loved ones, such as this one by Racial Equity Tools and this list of resources for talking to children about race and racial injustice by the Center for Racial Justice in Education.
• Make signs for people you know who are going to the protest.
• Provide childcare or transportation for people you know who are protesting.
• Combat misinformation by making sure that you get your news from credible sources (Unicorn Riot has been livestreaming the protests, and CNN has had well-rounded coverage as well).

Volunteers doing their part. Photo by Em Walstead

Whether you are local, out of state, or on the other side of the globe, you can take part in the fight for racial equity and justice that is happening here in Minnesota. You don’t need to be rich, you don’t need to be a genius, and you don’t need superpowers or any kind of magic to do your part as an ally to Black communities. Sometimes it is really as simple as speaking up, donating what you are able to spare, or fact checking yourself and your loved ones.

Did we miss something that should be on this list? Email us to let us know!