the last time I sat down to write, I was trying to write about the police killing Black people, and about the widespread harm the police do in general. it was last Wednesday, and Daunte Wright was still alive.

my poet friend really described this best in “Next Black Murder”

in an effort to spread ideas, hope, and care for each other, and to fortify our abolitionist networks, here are some things folks can do about the violence that is inherent to policing:

• find a local group in your community with an abolitionist platform and attend a meeting, have a call with someone from the group, or donate some funds to help them do their work
• buy We Do This ‘Til We Free Us, or even better, read and discuss it together with some friends
• work on this list of 9 solidarity commitments to/with incarcerated people (starting wherever you are!)
• donate to another kind of mutual aid fund in your community to help strengthen our ability to care for each other and reduce our reliance on the police (or volunteer your time!)
• start learning about what to do instead of calling the police, and share this information with your neighbors and networks. If the resources described don’t exist yet near you, think about what the first steps would be to create them – what do you/we need in order to reduce (y)our reliance on policing?
• most importantly, resist despair and hopelessness. Listening to Prince helps!