Dear John,

It’s been a tough few days.

George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by Minneapolis police, surrounded by witnesses. The officers involved have been fired, but we know that’s not enough.

We know Black and brown folks are violently overpoliced in America. Running or sleeping or driving, Black folks in our country are regularly subjected to racist, state-sanctioned violence. Case in point: when protesters gathered yesterday evening, they were met by cops with tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets.

Through our pain, we can – we must – imagine a better world. A world without police.

I’ve seen this quote floating around on social media and on signs: “There was a time before police and there will be a time after. Can you imagine?”

I can. There will be a time after.

We must invest in the world we deserve. Our liberation is bound together.

Illustration by Andres Guzman.

Here’s where you can start.

Check out our blog with information on actions you can do to demand justice for George Floyd and his loved ones. We’re updating it regularly.

This is a must read: Representative Aisha Gomez wrote about police abolition and the world we have to build.

To learn more about the police abolition movement, check out this chart. It breaks down the differences between reform and abolition – an important distinction in this work.

Here in the Twin Cities, there are a number of incredible organizations doing the hard work around police abolition. Check out some of them below – and donate to support their work if you are able.

Help support George Floyd’s loved ones.

Attend this socially distanced protest in honor of George Floyd, Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, and others that have been murdered by police in Minnesota.

After this week, I’m craving something lighter. Tune in for our concert with Chastity Brown tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. My favorite song she sings is “Wake Up.”

I also found respite in Asian American Organizing Project’s youth zine, The Pandemic Depression, about COVID-19.

In solidarity,

LyLy