Some resources for the present moment

How you can take action + What I got up to this week

It’s been a hard week for many of us.

This note shares what I did to try to get centered, places that need resources, and an action item or two. If this is helpful, I can provide more. Please share your ideas.

I visited some art, which was soothing and uplifting. We have a small gem of a museum in Washington called Dumbarton Oaks with a marvelous pre-Columbian art collection. Last Sunday, a college group organized a lecture about the complex set of civilizations that inhabited what is now Central and South America, long before white people showed up.

I thought, history is long and complicated. It goes up and down.

The objects in the museum are stunning.

Back of a mirror, Wari, 650-1000 CE

Chancay burial figure 1000-1450 CE

Seashell pendant, Chimú, 900-1470 CE

I led a zoom discussion (on behalf of PEN/Faulkner) of Jamel Brinkley’s terrific short story collection, WITNESS. I learned a lot, and was reminded how much I love the community of readers.

I started through the Booker Prize shortlist, which is my practice. I am nearly finished HELD, by Anne Michaels, which is stunningly gorgeous, more poetry than prose. I'm not sure how to describe it, except that it’s about love and intimacy, and yes, loss, and would be best be read curled up by a fireplace (I don’t have a fireplace, but this book envelops).

I taped a video, which expresses some of my feelings in this moment.

Now for the resource part.

In the long term we will need organizing and strategy, which will emerge in the coming months. If you are raring to go, SURJ has a long term vision for organizing and educating white people to become effective allies [Showing Up for Racial Justice]. SURJ is not tied to the election cycle, and can connect you with actions and volunteer opportunities.

Given the trifecta, or quatrifecta, depending on how you count (presidency, Senate, House, and Supreme Court), litigation will be indispensable to stop or slow actions that breach the walls of our democracy. Litigation is not a long term strategy. But in the shorter term, these organizations need resources. If you are able to donate, here’s a list. There are many others, so please let me know what organizations you support.

LITIGATING ORGANIZATIONS

• National Immigration Law Center

• NAACP Defense Fund

• Public Citizen

• ACLU

• Movement Law Lab

• National Resources Defense Council

BORDER ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER IMMIGRANT GROUPS

• The Florence Project

• RAICES

• United We Dream

• Mijente

Here is a link with ideas about fighting authoritarianism.

We need to hold each other close, share support and ideas, and yes, read.

My love to all of you,

Martha

P.S. ICYMI, here is last week’s newsletter: Let’s talk about music