Time to “move your feet”
As we complete this newsletter, we are grieving two mass shootings in Minneapolis. Back to school and the state fair signal exciting seasonal transitions, but we are faced with ongoing trauma.
Our hearts go out to the communities and victims of Annunciation church and school and of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. At the same time, we hold space for those being kidnapped by ICE, the thousands suffering in Gaza, and the victims of global conflicts.
So what can we do to prevent despair? As Matthew DeBoer, principal of the Annunciation Catholic School, quoted from an African proverb: “When you pray, move your feet.”
Here are some ways to keep moving:
- SURJ-National’s 5-week Organize in Solidarity Training
- Campaign urging a local collective to protect immigrant rights
- Coffee Hangout September 7th
- Welcome Gathering September 9th
Campaign urging a local collective to protect immigrant rights announced at 8/21 mass meeting
Over 140 people joined us Thurs., 8/21, for the “Summer to Grow and Turn up the Heat” mass meeting. SURJ chapters and communities around the U.S. hosted meetings this summer to get folks involved in one of two national tracks: non-cooperation and electoral, both of which are necessary to beat back the Trump regime and authoritarian takeover. Here at SURJ-Twin Cities, we focused our meeting on introducing a non-cooperation campaign—a long-term immigration-focused campaign with our partners at UNIDOS MN.
We had a great night introducing the campaign and breaking into groups to brainstorm initial ideas around narrative strategy, research needs, and public actions. Our goal for the night was to get folks excited and interested in building the campaign together, and it seems like we reached our goal.
Whether you were there on 8/21 or not, please join us for campaign meeting no. 2 on Sun., 9/14. Details to come as things develop—we’re building this together. Come join us, bring a friend, and make it happen!
RSVP for 9/14 campaign meeting here: bit.ly/20250914surjtc
Coffee Hangout September 7th
We’ve been having some powerful conversations at our SURJ-TC Community Coffees. Over the past few months we’ve consistently had 8–12 attendees. Ripe conversations lead to new friendships, shared accountability, and alignment in working towards a more equitable world. Whether folks come to talk about the progress the Twin Cities are making in multiple directions, or simply looking to connect with like-minded folks, this space has proven fruitful.
Our next coffee will be September 7, from 12–2 pm, at Wildflyer Coffee, W. 7th, St. Paul. Please join us, or register here to give us a heads up. We hope to see you.
Welcome Gathering ~ September 9th
Being in community is a powerful support and antidote to disruptions and changes all around us. This Welcome Gathering is an opportunity for you to learn more about us and see if we could be a potential community ~ a political home ~ for you. We are offering a Welcome Gathering on Tuesday, September 9th from 7:00pm – 8:30pm over Zoom. We will share stories about anti-racism in our lives and then talk about how you can get more involved with SURJ-TC and how we can support you in deepening your commitment to racial justice work.
Please register here if you would like to attend. We will send the Zoom link, along with a reminder a few days before.
We offer Welcome Gatherings regularly, so if you are interested and can’t make this one, keep an eye on the newsletter for future dates.
SURJ National 5-week organizing training
If you’re interested in being part of our local campaign to resist ICE and want to learn more about the underlying strategy, register for SURJ-National’s 5-week Organize in Solidarity Training. Now through September 23rd from 8–9:15pm ET
SURJ-TC is a local chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice, a national organization organizing white people to build the political will to end white supremacy. White people have been told for years by Black, Indigenous, and people of color that we need to educate and organize our own people. So that’s what we try to do. Learn more at www.surjtc.org. SURJ-TC is one of 150 chapters and affiliates nationwide. Learn about SURJ National at surj.org.
Our work is local and so are our volunteers. Within this volunteer-driven culture, we strive always to make our work as transparent and non-hierarchical as we know how while holding ourselves accountable to our mission of ending white supremacy and implementing our theory of change (i.e., self-education, action, and calling in more white people).
We welcome volunteers in our working groups and teams and can offer a variety of ways to get involved. If you’d like to find out more or are interested in other ways to get involved, email showingupforracialjusticemn@