by Becky Nelson, RN, Secretary of the Minnesota Nurses Association
It is no secret that ICE has created chaos and uncertainty in our Twin Cities communities of color. Our neighbors in Hennepin and the surrounding counties and across the state of Minnesota are being detained, physically harmed, and separated from their families. Many of my own neighbors in the city of Bloomington are still hiding in their homes and not venturing out unless they have a driver that doesn’t look like they would be a target for ICE. This has affected incomes, mental health, physical health, public education, and more.
Nurses are natural caregivers and gravitate to this type of work. Although this work is not meant to directly benefit me (or any other volunteer), it is extremely rewarding to know that you can spend an extra $50 on groceries and help feed families that are afraid to go to the market. Even though the world outside is chaotic and many community members are hurting and afraid, there are structures in place to pick up the slack. If you are frustrated with ICE and its effects on our communities, there is a space for nurses — and for you — in it.
I am deeply fortunate to have found a mutual aid system in my own community to work inside of and partner with. These systems, primarily made up of and coordinated by women, came together quickly and function outside of the public eye. They are doing amazing things. Bloomington Mutual Aid is currently feeding more than 300 families a month, giving rides, assisting with locating legal advice, lobbying all levels of government on ICE presence and tactics, raising emergency funds for rent, starting community gardens, and much more.
