What do you do if democracy starts to fail and your government turns to oppression? How do you defend your community and your neighbours? What was once a theoretical question for many of us in the West, is anything but that in cities across the United States. And one city in particular might have the answer.
Over the past few months, the city of Minneapolis has experienced one of the largest immigration enforcement operations in modern American history.
Thousands of federal agents were deployed across the city and surrounding communities. Thousands of people were detained. Families were separated. Businesses closed. Schools reported that children were too afraid to attend because parents feared they could be arrested simply for dropping them off.
The human impact has been devastating. Two citizens were killed during the operation. Many more people disappeared into a sprawling detention system, moved between centres across different states with families often unable to locate them.
But alongside the fear and grief, something else has been happening.
Across Minneapolis, ordinary people have begun organising to protect their neighbours.
We are privileged to have held a conversation with some of those who spearheaded the resistance to President Trump's operation Metro.
You can listen to some of those here.
Parents have stood outside school gates in freezing winter temperatures to make sure children can arrive safely. Community groups have trained tens of thousands of citizens to act as “constitutional observers”, documenting arrests and helping people understand their rights. Families have opened their homes to those forced into hiding. Local networks have mobilised food deliveries, rent support and legal help for those suddenly left without income.
In some cases, entire neighbourhoods came together to support families who have lost the people who were supporting them.
One story shared during the conversation captures this spirit beautifully. A group of immigrant parents drove past women standing on a street corner in minus twenty-degree weather holding signs of support for their community. When they saw them, they burst into tears, not because they were frightened, but because they realised they were not alone.
Jennifer recently hosted a deeply moving conversation with people working on the front lines of this crisis, community organisers, educators and neighbours who have been helping to coordinate the response.
They speak candidly about what has happened in their city, how communities mobilised so quickly, and why compassion, solidarity and courage have been so vital in the face of fear.
It is one of the most powerful conversations we have recorded. Difficult at times, but also profoundly hopeful about what communities can do when people decide to stand together.
If you have time this week, we would warmly encourage you to listen to the full discussion.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Warm wishes,
The Compassion in Politics team