Spotlight: 10 local organizations reimagining safety

This week’s newsletter focuses on community safety, and includes resources on mutual aid, transformational justice, abolition, defending our rights, and combating hate. Below, we spotlight 10 local organizations, movements, and collectives reimagining safety here in the Twin Cities.

While this work is deeply rooted in diverse histories of resistance, many of the resources shared here emerged from community responses to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Our current political context calls on us to reflect on the power that’s been built, skills learned, and opportunities to continue expanding what safety can look like for our communities.

We invite you to join us this Friday at Actualizing Equity for Our Safety for community conversation and hands-on exercises.

Indigenous Protector Movement is building a future where safety is defined by community care, accountability, and self-determination, through collaboration, mutual aid, and cultural grounding. Learn more.

OutFront Minnesota runs an Anti-Violence Program to end violence and harassment against and within LGBTQ+ communities

UNIDOS MN partnered with the MN Women’s Press to publish a Know Your Rights guide for immigrants, and is offering several upcoming Raid Response Trainings.

CAIR MN offers community safety resources to local mosques and Islamic centers– view excerpts of the CAIR Muslim Community Safety Kit and additional know your rights resources.

Jewish Community Action, a member of The Alliance, leads a combating hate campaign to counter antisemitism and white nationalism, and convenes the Communities Combating Hate coalition

Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) offers resources to Take Action Against Anti-Asian Racism.

MN8 offers several know your rights resources including the Southeast Asian American Solidarity Toolkit: A Guide to Resisting Deportations and Detentions

Research In Action is leading the Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Initiative.

MPD150: A people’s project evaluating policing, published Enough is Enough: A 150-Year Performance Review of the Minneapolis Police Department report; their website offers an extensive list of abolitionist resources.

Relationships Evolving Possibilities (REP) is “a network made up of dedicated community members showing up to support others in moments of crisis or urgency, with care and respect for the full dignity and autonomy of the people in crisis.” Learn more, and check out an interview on the One Million Experiments podcast.