A Note from the Board on Community
By Stephanie Zvan, Alyssa Ehni, and Maddy Love
Minnesota Atheists posted the following statement on our Facebook page on June 17 at 6:50 p.m.
At the end of May, Minneapolis police callously murdered George Floyd in the middle of the street, in the middle of the day, and in the middle of a group of witnesses whom they understood to be filming them.
Minnesota Atheists leadership by and large live and work in the neighborhoods affected by subsequent events. Because of this, we have been slower and less organized about responding as a group. We are an organization that seeks to build community as a bridge to building the world we want to see. As such, we must speak out on issues that shape our communities so profoundly.
As an organization, we want to make it clear and obvious that we believe Black Lives Matter. We believe the right to assemble and demand justice is critical. We believe transparency and accountability are crucial for a functioning society and government. The Minneapolis Police Department, and police departments across the country, have demonstrated through their actions and words they do not share these beliefs.
We recognize the need for change. However, Minnesota Atheists is not the organization
to lead that change. We value expertise and the community groups largely led by black and indigenous people who have been working on these issues longer than many of our board members have been alive. As individuals, we have and will continue to follow the lead of these well-established organizations. We urge our members to do the same.
As the long-term work of rebuilding begins, we will seek opportunities for our members to get involved and help repair our community. In the meantime, if you are willing and able to help, listed here are some online resources. Many of these same resources also provide information on how and where to seek assistance if you’ve been impacted.
This interactive, well-updated Google map includes donation sites and what needs are most urgent.
The following groups on Facebook are coordinating grassroots efforts:
- South Minneapolis Mutual Aid Autonomous Zone Coordination
- Midway Saint Paul Mutual Aid Autonomous Zone Coordination
- North Minneapolis Mutual Aid Autonomous Zone Coordination
Minneapolis groups working to reshape our public safety efforts at the funding and policy level include:
Reclaim the Block has also put together a list of smaller community groups participating in rebuilding and community support.
