Building Community

Our first Zoom call

Yesterday I had the absolute delight of meeting several members of the This Stays Here community via a Zoom call. It was the fist time we’d ever done something like this, and I hope it was meaningful for those who attended. It certainly was for me! (Even if I teared up at the end and struggled to finish well.) For those of you who came: THANK YOU. It was a blessing to spend time with you. I just wish we could do so in person.

I didn’t really plan to write a column this week, but I am so grateful for the conversation we had yesterday that I just have to share some outtakes with you all. This will be short and sweet, but hopefully there is something in here that sparks an idea in you.

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever humans endure suffering and humiliation…” Elie Wiesel

I firmly believe that social justice is love out loud, and I’m so grateful for the people who show up here (and anywhere!) longing to make a difference in their neighborhoods. The deep compassion of the people in this community was on full display yesterday. Here are some really practical action items that we discussed:

1. One person shared that her church is holding a citizenship class for anyone and everyone who would like to attend. You can learn more about what that would look like for your community at National Immigration Forum.

2. We all agreed that self-care is important during this time! Connecting with friends and like-minded individuals is a great way to fight loneliness and despair. And please don’t hesitate to seek counseling if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Don’t have great options locally? I’ve heard some good things about Better Help.

3. Someone mentioned that the Center for Public Justice is doing good work in the world! It’s an independent, non-partisan civic education and policy organization. Their website contains lots of resources, articles, and ways to get involved.

4. We also chatted about a new political party called the American Solidarity Party. I had never heard of this organization, but I like their mission: The ASP seeks the common good, on common ground, through commonsense. I’m interested in learning more. I fear our two-party system is failing us.

5. I recently attended an immigration forum and learned that—much like shopping local—donating local has an outsized impact on political races. Maybe you already knew this tidbit, but consider it a reminder to be aware of and involved in local and state elections. I just found out that Joni Ernst will face competition in a newcomer: Nathan Sage. You can learn more about his run at Robert Leonard’s Deep Midwest.

6. Have you heard of Project Mail Storm? It’s such a cool idea. The concept is to “flood the system with handwritten letters” because “emails get deleted, voicemail gets ignored, and tweets get buried” but physical mail “clogs the system.” It’s really simple but has the power to make our voices heard. You do not have to include a return address! Read all about it at Gina Luker’s Instagram page, and then send your letters to the following addresses:

   The White House

   1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

   Washington, DC 20500

   Supreme Court

   1 First Street NE

   Washington, DC 20543

   DOGE

   1650 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

   Washington, DC 20504

   DHS

   245 Murray Lane SW

   Washington, DC 20528-0075

It’s been a really heavy week (I bought a cake from a local bakery and have been slowly eating it with a fork straight from the pan while I stand by the counter and stare into space… You know it’s bad when.) And yet, I refuse to give up hope. I want to conclude with two bright spots in the never ending parade of bad news. I pray they leave you with a light(er) heart as we head into Easter weekend.

Love Thy Neighbor: When ICE tried to detain a man from Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, his neighbors protected him and a 12-year-old boy who was with him. For hours they brought food, water, and gasoline to where the man and child were barricaded in a van, and when ICE finally left, they formed a human chain to help the man and boy get inside. I love this story so much, and am encouraged by the deep love and humanity of the community that surrounded these people in need. It’s love incarnate. May we all heed the call when our neighbors need our help. You can read all about the incident here.

Finally, I stumbled across this prayer by Laura Jean Truman and it’s been both a comfort and a catalyst for me this week.

God,

Keep my anger from becoming meanness.

Keep my sorrow from collapsing into self-pity.

Keep my heart soft enough to keep breaking.

Keep my anger turned toward justice, not cruelty.

Remind me that all of this, every bit of it, is for love.

Keep me fiercely kind.

Wishing you soft hearts and fierce kindness today and always.

Thanks for reading. Happy Easter. xoxo - Nicole

I’m a proud member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, a roundup of world-class journalists who call Iowa home. I invite you to check out the group and become a paying member of one or more of our pages.