Condemned to Interdependence

Toward a More Survivable Columbus & Springfield

Earlier this week, I opened Instagram to a sketch of our Album Club meeting from the beginning of the month. Sketched by the incredibly gifted Hannah Mosley, a talented Black artist here in Columbus, the illustration captures the heart of these gatherings better than I ever could with words. The palpable warmth emanating from a room full of people coming together to share in our love for music. It’s always my hope that communing around this love will translate into a greater love for each other—something I believe is necessary in building a more survivable future, especially now.

Sketch by Hannah Mosley

ICE violence is not new. Under Democrats and Republicans, ICE has been empowered to harm immigrants and the communities they belong to. These abuses are connected to state-sanctioned violence around the globe, including ongoing genocides in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and Haiti. As ICE raids pop up in different cities around the US and the public becomes increasingly aware of murders by ICE—most recently with the shooting of Keith Porter in LA and the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis—it’s more important than ever that we look out for each other and do what we must to keep us safe.

As ICE watches continue in Columbus and we prepare for targeted surges in Springfield, Ohio with the expiration of Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status, I’ve done my best to gather a few resources and ways to help. In the spirit of Thomas Sankara, “This war is one we can and will win—if we understand that we need one another and are complementary, that we share the same fate, and in fact, that we are condemned to interdependence.”

If there’s a resource you’re not seeing below, please share in the comments!

Columbus

CRIS

Get involved with Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS), an independent non-profit organization that serves the refugee and immigrant populations in Central Ohio. You can donate here. If your loved one is detained by ICE, CRIS may be able to help connect you to trusted resources. Call the FAMILIA Hotline: (614) 874-1189

BQIC

The Black Queer & Intersectional Collective (BQIC) is organizing whistle kit pickups and drop-offs to support community safety and collective care. If you’re an individual or involved with a school, church, or community space in need of whistles, you can complete this form to request a pickup or drop-off.

Call for Anti-ICE Zines

CBUS Creative Club & Zine Club Columbus are requesting ICE response & resource zines. Email your design to sydneyheckeler@gmail.com. It can be a scan or high-quality photo of your finished zine open and laying flat as an 8.5” x 11” sheet. They’ll print it out, fold it, and drop it off to local organizations who will help distribute it during their programming.

Community Response

The Community Response Hub supports efforts to defend communities at risk of deportation and detention in Central Ohio. They do this through advocacy and mobilizing ally organizations and community members. If you’re interested in learning more about the Hub and joining their work, they invite you to complete this form.

Additional Resources

• Whistle Kit Pamphlet

• Mutual Aid Organizations

Springfield

Haitian Support Fund

Central Christian Church is raising funds to help Haitian neighbors and other immigrants in their community with transportation support, groceries, court fees, and shelter costs. You can donate here.

Stand with Springfield

The Abortion Fund of Ohio and Ohio Women’s Alliance compiled a list of resources and ways to support immigrant neighbors in Springfield.

Springfield Speaks

Residents and stakeholders of Springfield are urging state officials to advocate to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals. You can join their petition here.

Please share additional resources in the comments. Thank you for your support!