I’m writing from Los Angeles, where yesterday the National Guard was deployed to repress immigrant-led protests at the LA Detention Center. The escalation was immediate and violent—poor and working class immigrants snatched by unidentifiable agents, immigrant families separated, and brutal state violence.
This is authoritarianism in real time—and it’s happening now.
I grew up hearing stories of my grandparents’ and my mother’s immigration to the US—the pure luck in being able to sneak past authorities and the mentors who shepherded my family members into graduate school in the States. Because of my class privilege, I’ve felt distant from any homeland, my grandparents’ culture, and felt like I had the choice to fully assimilate. I’ve dug deep into this feeling of straddling oppression and privilege during my time in RG.
And now, seeing poor and working class immigrants experience state violence—I’m asking: how can we as young people with wealth be in solidarity with poor and working class immigrants that are under attack?
Leah Hunt Hendrix and Astra Taylor describe transformative solidarity as “expanding one’s sense of self-interest.”
We’re calling RGers to expand your own self-interest! We’re inviting you in to speak up, show up, and fight alongside our immigrant neighbors, friends, and community.
Want to hear how to take action? Join us this Wednesday, June 11 for Donors Against MAGA from 4-5:30 PM PT/ 7-8:30 PM ET, hosted by our sibling organization RG Action and our donor network allies.
We’re in touch with our LA Chapter and will follow-up if there are any nationally relevant calls-to-action.
In Solidarity,
Katie Wang
Chapter Organizing and Base-Building Director
