Early into the first Trump term, Ruthie and I were watching families torn apart in our neighborhood, following the attempts to dismantle DACA, and feeling a sense of despair creeping through the youth in our neighborhood.
We decided that we needed to do the hard work of finding hope in an oppressive political season. As a team, we started telling stories and assembling good thoughts for our "Hopeful Friday" e-mails. Those e-mails were edited and uploaded to this blog.
This Wednesday morning, I woke up at three, checked the election results, and felt a familiar sense of grief and dread. A candidate who has declared war on immigrants in this country has come to power again.
The next day, I followed up with our staff. Some were keeping their feelings close to their chests. One reported making contingency plans if the situation gets too hostile. Another talked about crying on and off all day. A friend who is on DACA shrugged and explained that he has lived under this kind of threat more or less his whole life.
We don't know how the coming months will go. We don't know if, when, and how the promised deportations will start. We're not sure if our neighbors will stay put or relocate. We don't know how employment, schooling, and housing will play out for the families of our students. One thing is guaranteed: life will change.
I believe that the best thing we have in this moment is each other. Staying connected and engaged in community is our first priority. On Wednesday, Ruthie and I brought both our kids to Presencia. Wanda brought her husband and kids as well. We made art, talked, and ate a meal with our students, then we all went out to the playground to make the most of the fading daylight.
While we stay close, we prepare for what's ahead. This means building out our networks so we can better serve our neighbors with legal needs, advocacy, and crisis intervention. It also means gathering resources to keep our team engaged and ready for what's next. Between now and year end, we need to raise over $220,000 to start next year rooted and ready to launch.
As our world changes, we tell the story. These blog entries will return to their original purpose: to foster hope by telling stories from our neighborhood. We will resist the dehumanization of our beautiful neighbors.
Thank you for being part of this vital work. As you read, donate, and share these messages, we grow a resilient community for a new season.