Invest in a Culturally Rooted, Long-term Vision for Racial Justice.

________________________________________________________

Thank you for standing with us in our vision for racial justice and collective healing within communities of color in Minnesota. The work of racial justice interrupts the systems of oppression that were built on legacies of genocide, land theft, slavery, and exploitation. Our stories are a powerful way to reclaim our agency and embody the pathway to healing. 

Community building, organizing, and healing are overlapping practices. Organizing that is grounded in collective healing uplifts beautiful and powerful strategies for change that honors the expansive knowledge present in our communities. It is through these brave acts of restoration and reclamation that we are able to reconnect with the essence of who we are. 

What does it look like to center healing in our work? It calls on us to cultivate relationships with ourselves and our communities that foster tenderness, liberation, and joy. It means opening space that honors our ancestral healing practices. It’s moving towards shared visions of justice that can dream and build towards a new world that honors our individual wellness and the collective wellbeing of our communities. 

This Give to the Max Day, we’ve set a goal of raising $50,000 to go towards supporting our work in digital storytelling, healing spaces, community leadership development, and policy solutions. 2022 saw us:

– Celebrating the graduation of our 4th annual Education Equity Parent Fellowship cohort,

– Connecting BIPOC voters with resources, information, and grounding as they navigate the Fall midterm elections, 

– Honoring our communities’ wisdom through an intergenerational, cultural storytelling zine, and

– Creating shared learning experiences to help individuals and organizations strengthen their tools in effecting transformative change for racial justice. 

We shared stories of collective power and healing. We let our ancestors guide us as we organized for the next generation. Our imaginations dream of our future, a future where communities of color live in abundant joy. We dream of the peace and relief of needs met: homes for all of our neighbors, food on all of our tables, and trips to the doctor whenever we need them.  

We are asking you to invest in a culturally rooted, long-term vision for racial justice. We hope you’ll join us as we find a path forward in 2023. Whether you become a monthly, sustaining donor or give a one-time donation at any level, we are deeply grateful.

In gratitude and solidarity,

Monica Bryand & Gabriella Anaïs Deal-Márquez, Co-Executive Directors