Nationwide Action This Weekend

Digest 01.30.26 - Stone Soup

Welcome to the Stone Soup Digest! This is where I share what I'm up to and some of my favorite things from around the internet. Subscribe to Stone Soup to get this in your inbox every week.

In support of the General Strike today, Team Gailey is off work today, but mobilized yesterday to edit this piece ahead of time. That said, any errors in the newsletter are my fault, and should serve to highlight how incredibly valuable my team is. Lydia, Josh, Jen: Thank you for everything you do, and thank you for not doing it today. -gailey

Although the context and specifics are updated, you may notice that today’s digest includes many sentiments that were also in your inbox from me last week. They’re all true again this weekend. Friday and Saturday are days of action and solidarity. Different regions have made different plans for how to support that activity. I'm sharing the information I have here, but as always, err on the side of supporting your local community.

First, on Friday, a second General Strike in support of our neighbors in Minneapolis is taking place in various parts of the country. Check in with your local union leaders and community organizers to find out if there's action taking place that you can support. If you see a picket line or protest outside a corporate building, do not cross that line, and join it if you're able.

Saturday is a general day of rallying, protests, and solidarity nationwide. There will be protests and rallies all over the country for you to join and support. You can also attend this information meeting on building a General Strike:

Join this call to hear from Minnesota organizers, international experts on authoritarian regimes, and regular people who are leading the way in their neighborhoods. Together we’ll learn how we each can build the power we need to make a general strike real in our communities, wherever we are. And we’ll learn why it works and why we will win. Join us.

Participating in this weekend isn’t just a way to show solidarity and exercise your rights and power as a citizen—it’s also a great way to build the muscle of action. Taking action and resisting authoritarianism isn’t instinctive or reflexive. It’s a practice we develop, and this is one of the best ways to do it: Participating in mass collective action.

Below this, I've shared some more information on the usefulness and importance of broad, far-reaching strike action. Underneath that, you can find some concrete action items. Use your weekend to help where you can, how you can, and don’t forget: Every single person in this effort matters. That includes you.

Finally, a major shout out to the Stone Soup Supper Club – especially Dana – for sharing resources and perspective as I put this together. It's because of my community that I'm able to share any of this. Thank you, friends, for always helping me do better.

Today is the second nationwide general strike in protest of ICE/CBP operations in Minnesota and across the country. You can learn more at NationalShutdown.org. Per that website: 

The entire country is shocked and outraged at the brutal killings of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Silverio Villegas González, and Keith Porter Jr. by federal agents. While Trump and other right wing politicians are slandering them as “terrorists”, the video evidence makes it clear beyond all doubt: they were gunned down in broad daylight simply for exercising their First Amendment right to protest mass deportation. Every day, ICE, Border Patrol and other enforcers of Trump’s racist agenda are going into our communities to kidnap our neighbors and sow fear. It is time for us to all stand up together in a nationwide shutdown and say enough is enough!

Across the country, we’re going to stay home from work and school and to refrain from shopping. This action is, in itself, designed to disrupt normal operations—and to free up citizens to protest the unthinkably violent presence of ICE in Minnesota and across the country.

Perhaps you are thinking to yourself: I do not live in Minnesota, what does this have to do with me? Well, it turns out that everyone, everywhere, fucking hates what’s happening in Minnesota right now. And what’s happening isn’t limited to Minnesota. It’s happening in Maine, it’s happening in Los Angeles, it’s headed for Pittsburgh. We need to stand united against this threat.

The thing is, ICE operations are a profit engine. The US government just voted to give a shitload of money to the DHS. This measure hasn’t yet passed the Senate, and you still have time to call your senators and let them know exactly how you feel about the idea of your tax dollars being handed over to these sadistic villains. Here are some scripts you can use for emails and phone calls.

If the measure passes, ICE will use that funding to kidnap people and force them into unpaid and underpaid labor. This system is designed to launder money, extract labor, and exploit vulnerable people. The goal of this horrific, evil project is profit.

But profit is easy to fuck with. If business operations are shut down through strike action, profit evaporates. This is a way for us to flex the muscle of collective action: The General Strike.

I can’t overstate how unprecedented this moment is. This system is vulnerable. We have the ability to throw sand in the gears. Let’s not waste this opportunity. General Strikes are nearly impossible to coordinate, but right now, it is happening. This is a massive, vital movement that will demonstrate the collective power we hold—and you can be part of it. 

Don’t go to work today. Don’t go to school. Don’t send business emails, don’t shop, don’t order anything online. Don’t spend a dime. Don’t generate profit for anyone.  

Instead, find a collective action in your area to join. Protest outside ICE collaborators like Target, Comcast, and Tesla. Get your high-vis vest on and stand on street corners as part of ICE watch. Find your neighbors and share a meal together. Check out this roundup of ways you can support our neighbors in Minnesota right now (note that you’ll need to turn off your VPN to view this). Check out more specific resources below. 

We are in this together. We are greater in number and in principle and in conviction than they are. Together, we can drive ICE the fuck out.

I believe in us, as long as we are together.

Let’s take the day off, and in doing so, let’s get to work.

Publishing for Minnesota auction

We are a group of authors, illustrators, agents, and editors who believe the time is now for collective action. In response to ongoing ICE raids and federal actions causing harm to immigrant communities and our neighbors across the country, we are organizing this auction to raise funds for those most impacted. Proceeds from this auction will support organizations providing legal aid, emergency assistance, food, and community resources to those in urgent need.

This auction ends January 30 at 11:45 PM EST! Don’t miss your chance to pitch in!

Support Picnic Linden Hills donating meals to the Minneapolis community

In moments of crisis, our bodies need nourishment – and our neighbors in Minneapolis need to eat. Help support this meal donation effort!

Take Action 

Check out this Take Action guide (organized by energy "battery level") from Strategies for High Impact. H/t to friend of the newsletter Effie Seiberg for the link!

Modern Times Cafe is feeding people for free until the occupation of Minneapolis is over

Support them in their work!

Unite Here Local 17

This is Minnesota’s Hospitality Union, which is providing mutual aid to affected workers by distributing food and supplies.

Community Aid Network — A Minneapolis Mutual Aid Coalition

Other ways to support Minnesota: a Stand with Minnesota roundup

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In the meantime, remember: Do what you can. Care for yourself and the people around you. Believe that the world can be better than it is now. Never give up.

-gailey