Thanks for your post. It is so full of heart, I have to respond. I’m so glad to hear about your son’s awakening in community.
In March, I became obsessed with Lady Liberty and began making art with her image. In April, I made a Lady Liberty costume and began wearing it to every protest I attend. Twice a week, The Lady shows up at an ICE Detention Center to Bear Witness to the atrocities committed there against our immigrant neighbors. She is much beloved and an instant connector to people everywhere. This enables me to uplift the despairing, teach and inform about local actions to take, pass out Ezines about how to report ICE and more. People share their stories. For a person who has social anxiety, The Lady opens me up so I spontaneously make eye contact and talk unbidden to folks new to me.
She heals and is a beacon of hope. She builds community. I leave feeling grateful for this opportunity to serve.
To fundraise for immigrant organizations I make prodemocracy handcrafts (many with Her image) with all proceeds going to those organizations. Art and Love are my path in these times.
I have been doing a little bit of a lot of things. Every once in a while I've writing postcards to voters (organized by Tony the Democrat). I have been sometimes confirming call shifts and making volunteer recruitment calls for the Wisconsin Democrats (best organized staff in the country to volunteer for!). I am trying to write some testimony for the Maryland state legislature through Jews United for Justice and I am a core leader with the MD chapter of Bend the Arc, Jewish Action. I also just (last Friday) observed my first immigration court to report to the ABA Commission on Immigration.
I love all of these, Emily, including taking a leading role with an organization that shares your values. (I know Bend the Arc and their important work.) Thanks for all you're doing!
Such great comments - so much heart and courage. I’m writing - bringing my best tools to substack- hopefully inspiring others to look after themselves during these stressful times or find the courage to be an activist. We are in Canada so it is a little different. But my Parents who lived around the world were very FOX News and pro Trump before he said “51st State” so Politics has always been a thing in the family as my brother and i think Trump is an immoral criminal and we would personally like to take down FOX. Currently having daily conversations with my 18 year old son. Keeping our eye always on Human rights and equality for all, and making sure he does not get bogged down in hate or othering. It ain’t easy with social media. Seeing the violence in Minnesota has been heartbreaking….
Love Canada! Please be kind to those of us from across the border who will be seeking asylum. Thank you for your writing and I empathize about your son. My kids are not yet on social media and I think about the not-distant future when they will be with dread.
I also have a 13 year old but she’s resistant to joining me at protests so I admire your son’s willingness to take a courageous stand and fight for “we the people!” I try to attend every protest, I participated in a walk for Democracy to D.C. and I contact my congressman members weekly (if not daily) and I also attend Town halls, try to speak to neighbors and people at work about the gravity of this moment in history and what we are trying to do to save Democracy. It’s so difficult and discouraging with the daily chaos inflicted on us but I’m trying to appear hopeful and strong (a challenge!) for my 13 year old who worries about the stability of our future.
Thank you for all that you shared in this intimate and encouraging post. I’d like to go to a protest with you and E!
I have been going to protests and calling and emailing my representatives.
I have been contributing to fundraising efforts to support people in our community impacted by ICE. I have been educating myself about the deeper connections to the problems that we are facing in order to understand how to create the next and more just and compassionate iteration of the American experiment.
I think it is terrific that you and E went together to the protest and all your conversations before during and after. I remember traveling to DC with my kids when they were E’s age and younger to protest the Iraq War and Afghanistan War. We never had a TV in the house so that enabled reading and family conversations I think I missed growing up in a family with the TV always on.
Sharing the spiritual basis of our choices was important too. I was super lucky Ms Shushan- the full on social media absorption didn’t happen until the kids were late teens and early 20’s. My heart goes out to all parents navigating this brave new world- it’s hard enough for me to consistently make good choices around my internet consumption.
Thanks for your post. It is so full of heart, I have to respond. I’m so glad to hear about your son’s awakening in community.
In March, I became obsessed with Lady Liberty and began making art with her image. In April, I made a Lady Liberty costume and began wearing it to every protest I attend. Twice a week, The Lady shows up at an ICE Detention Center to Bear Witness to the atrocities committed there against our immigrant neighbors. She is much beloved and an instant connector to people everywhere. This enables me to uplift the despairing, teach and inform about local actions to take, pass out Ezines about how to report ICE and more. People share their stories. For a person who has social anxiety, The Lady opens me up so I spontaneously make eye contact and talk unbidden to folks new to me.
She heals and is a beacon of hope. She builds community. I leave feeling grateful for this opportunity to serve.
To fundraise for immigrant organizations I make prodemocracy handcrafts (many with Her image) with all proceeds going to those organizations. Art and Love are my path in these times.
So beautiful, Steffanie. Art is so essential in these times, not to mention love and activism. Thank you for all you are doing!
I have been doing a little bit of a lot of things. Every once in a while I've writing postcards to voters (organized by Tony the Democrat). I have been sometimes confirming call shifts and making volunteer recruitment calls for the Wisconsin Democrats (best organized staff in the country to volunteer for!). I am trying to write some testimony for the Maryland state legislature through Jews United for Justice and I am a core leader with the MD chapter of Bend the Arc, Jewish Action. I also just (last Friday) observed my first immigration court to report to the ABA Commission on Immigration.
I love all of these, Emily, including taking a leading role with an organization that shares your values. (I know Bend the Arc and their important work.) Thanks for all you're doing!
Such great comments - so much heart and courage. I’m writing - bringing my best tools to substack- hopefully inspiring others to look after themselves during these stressful times or find the courage to be an activist. We are in Canada so it is a little different. But my Parents who lived around the world were very FOX News and pro Trump before he said “51st State” so Politics has always been a thing in the family as my brother and i think Trump is an immoral criminal and we would personally like to take down FOX. Currently having daily conversations with my 18 year old son. Keeping our eye always on Human rights and equality for all, and making sure he does not get bogged down in hate or othering. It ain’t easy with social media. Seeing the violence in Minnesota has been heartbreaking….
Love Canada! Please be kind to those of us from across the border who will be seeking asylum. Thank you for your writing and I empathize about your son. My kids are not yet on social media and I think about the not-distant future when they will be with dread.
The fear is real. Sometimes he says things and i’m like “how could you possibly think that? You know better”.
I also have a 13 year old but she’s resistant to joining me at protests so I admire your son’s willingness to take a courageous stand and fight for “we the people!” I try to attend every protest, I participated in a walk for Democracy to D.C. and I contact my congressman members weekly (if not daily) and I also attend Town halls, try to speak to neighbors and people at work about the gravity of this moment in history and what we are trying to do to save Democracy. It’s so difficult and discouraging with the daily chaos inflicted on us but I’m trying to appear hopeful and strong (a challenge!) for my 13 year old who worries about the stability of our future.
Thank you for all that you shared in this intimate and encouraging post. I’d like to go to a protest with you and E!
I have been going to protests and calling and emailing my representatives.
I have been contributing to fundraising efforts to support people in our community impacted by ICE. I have been educating myself about the deeper connections to the problems that we are facing in order to understand how to create the next and more just and compassionate iteration of the American experiment.
I think it is terrific that you and E went together to the protest and all your conversations before during and after. I remember traveling to DC with my kids when they were E’s age and younger to protest the Iraq War and Afghanistan War. We never had a TV in the house so that enabled reading and family conversations I think I missed growing up in a family with the TV always on.
Sharing the spiritual basis of our choices was important too. I was super lucky Ms Shushan- the full on social media absorption didn’t happen until the kids were late teens and early 20’s. My heart goes out to all parents navigating this brave new world- it’s hard enough for me to consistently make good choices around my internet consumption.
Thank you again for this post. 💜