Source: Fortune.com
Summary
As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents threaten communities, groups of people are organizing to protect their neighbors. In Portland, Oregon, community volunteers are delivering food boxes to migrant families, while in Portland, Maine, nearly a thousand people attended a virtual “Know Your Rights” training event. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, volunteers have formed networks to give warning with whistles and phone apps when ICE is present. The author, who has studied nonviolent movements in war zones, notes that these efforts show parallels with international movements and highlights key lessons for community protection, including organizing, adopting nonviolent strategies, setting up safe zones, finding the facts, and standing up for others.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story. As ICE agents intensify their presence, communities are fighting back with nonviolent strategies. In Minneapolis, volunteers are using whistles and phone apps to alert others of ICE presence. In Maine, a thousand people attended a “Know Your Rights” training event. The author notes that these efforts are not just about protecting neighbors, but also about denying the powerful pretexts for further escalation and harm. The announcement sounds familiar, but the strategy enters a familiar phase. Communities are setting up safe zones, finding facts, and standing up for others. The original observation: “A single swallow doesn’t make a summer” – meaning there’s safety in numbers.
Author: Evan Null
