15 Comments

Thanks for sharing this. I didn't know about Mutual Aid LA. I lucked out — had to evacuate, but my house is ok, but I know others whose houses are not. Also, now I know areas where I can help out people in my city locally, which means a lot given how little the Trump admin will care about us or anyone who aren't rich and powerful

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I'm so glad that both you and your house are OK. Sending love.

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Thank you!

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Beautiful, thanks for sharing and giving me direction for my donation. Mutual aid societies can be so beautiful, helpful,and hopeful ! <3

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This is really meaningful, Garret - thanks for these loving reflections and for the spreadsheet. I just shared it in our kindergarten class’s WhatsApp group! It’s truly overwhelming here, and your perspective is so helpful.

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I can only imagine how overwhelming it is. Sending love to you and your whole community.

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Greetings from an all-refugee hotel in Santa Monica, and thanks for the constructive, positive, fact-based take on our community's future, which is more than I can say about what I just saw and heard, albeit accidentally while channel surfing, Larry Kudlow of Fox News insisting that our problems are the result of "left wing nonsense." That pundit class's knowledge of how we live here is amazing.

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Sending love to you and all your fellow hotel-mates! Other than not adding to the fear mongering, anything that those of us farther afield to help (either materially or with vibes)?

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Garrett, thank you for this piece—so many good and important points. A friend of mine that helps lead a mutual aid group in Brooklyn has always said to me the importance of having folks that can (a) manage a mean Google Sheet/Drive (b) take their organizing as seriously as they would a paid job. Typically unglamorous, quiet admin work but man, it's simultaneously beautiful and heart-wrenching seeing that spreadsheet be put into action.

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This is a really good point. As somebody (white guy) who for a long time thought that the being an activist was about a very specific model of "charisma" and "leadership," it took me longer than I should have to realize that one of the greatest ways to both care for people and to advance work is to be the person who commits to keeping information clear, organized and available. Cheers to the row and column freezers and filter makers!

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This spreadsheet brought tears to my eyes. Neighbors helping neighbors in the midst of terrifying events.

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That's exactly how I felt!

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Thanks for this post and the link to mutual aid. Our family had to evacuate with their 9 month old and dog and cat. There house was standing as of yesterday which was a small miracle, but the neighborhood looks obliterated. It is painful to see accusations fly at a time like this. It’s so small.

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I'm so sorry for your family and will be holding them in the light.

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Thank you 💕

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