Made phone calls, sent emails, helped immigrant friends with the search for new housing, helped process medical bills and appointments, helped with employment issues, helped with WIC shopping, contacted attorneys several times about USCIS emails received by an immigrant friend, listened to world events from a perspective outside of this country, was a guest for a meal, trying to reach out to a family in hiding that their immigration application may finally be processed after years of waiting, and had the joy of playing with an adorable two-year-old and sharing his laughter. What a privilege to be able to do these things, what I would need someone to do for me if we were in each other's shoes.
Bev, look at all of that! I hope we all can adopt your privilege of viewing this sort of service as a privilege. Thank you for showing us what neighborly love looks like. You are a gift to our community!
Catching up on the good news! Back in February, TPS for the Haitians in Ohio (of "they're eating the dogs, they're eating the cats" fame -- they are of course the very best of neighbors) was confirmed by the courts. Bad news: the Trump administration is fighting that decision in court. For now our state-next-door neighbors are safe -- pray the decision holds.
Meanwhile a few dozen people held a "Singing Protest" in Sewickley PA this past Saturday morning (a suburb of Pittsburgh, to the west). We sang protest songs both new and old in the gazebo in the center of town. More to come over the summer! Also another Singing Protest group has organized in Squirrel Hill (a suburb of Pittsburgh, to the east). I'm not as active in this one because they usually have rehearsals on Sundays but I attend when I can.
Phone calls to elected rep's are on the to-do list.
Question: how often do y'all call your senators and reps in DC? Do you think they partially discount repeat callers? ("ohno not her again"?)
One other piece of good news on a personal note: I am officially retiring the end of June! I hope after the dust settles I'll be able to be more active in assisting local immigrants again.
Thank you Brittani for all you do, and for helping us look at the positives!!
Peg, so much good news packed in here! So much to pray about for TPS. And a Singing Protest?? I love this so much. Meeting cruelty with a song is so disarming. Do you know what songs they are singing?
To your question about calling: honestly, you can call once a day per issue. You're in no way penalized for repeat calls. (Most people who call are repeat callers!!) You're just a fresh tally mark for them to send data to their boss each day. :)
And CONGRATULATIONS on retiring at the end of June!! Can't wait to see what the next chapter holds. So glad you're in this community. 💛
And yes -- the Singing Protests are growing and spreading! Like I mentioned, we have two protest choirs locally, but some of the local church choirs are picking up on the trend too, and teaching some songs (especially spirituals) to praise bands etc.
Here's the list of songs from our 'gazebo sing':
This Land Is Your Land
Lead With Love
Somebody's Hurtin' My Brother
We the People
We Want Justice
Hold On (this is the one we heard the Minnesotans singing in some of the newscasts)
Who's Got the Power
We Shall Overcome
It's OK to Change Your Mind (this is one of my favorites among the 'new songs')
Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us 'Round
Give Light
Peace Like a River
Stronger Than Our Fear
We Are Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The other group I sat in with one Sunday afternoon had a number of the songs above, plus....
We Are Marching in the Light of Love (I learned this in the UK under the name of "Siya Hamba" -- I think it's from Africa originally)
We Shall Not Be Moved
This Little Light of Mine
...and some others. This group was still sort of pulling things together.
At any rate there are a LOT of good protest songs out there! And I'm looking forward to adding our voices to the next protest(s) whenever they are.
Made phone calls, sent emails, helped immigrant friends with the search for new housing, helped process medical bills and appointments, helped with employment issues, helped with WIC shopping, contacted attorneys several times about USCIS emails received by an immigrant friend, listened to world events from a perspective outside of this country, was a guest for a meal, trying to reach out to a family in hiding that their immigration application may finally be processed after years of waiting, and had the joy of playing with an adorable two-year-old and sharing his laughter. What a privilege to be able to do these things, what I would need someone to do for me if we were in each other's shoes.
Bev, look at all of that! I hope we all can adopt your privilege of viewing this sort of service as a privilege. Thank you for showing us what neighborly love looks like. You are a gift to our community!
Catching up on the good news! Back in February, TPS for the Haitians in Ohio (of "they're eating the dogs, they're eating the cats" fame -- they are of course the very best of neighbors) was confirmed by the courts. Bad news: the Trump administration is fighting that decision in court. For now our state-next-door neighbors are safe -- pray the decision holds.
Meanwhile a few dozen people held a "Singing Protest" in Sewickley PA this past Saturday morning (a suburb of Pittsburgh, to the west). We sang protest songs both new and old in the gazebo in the center of town. More to come over the summer! Also another Singing Protest group has organized in Squirrel Hill (a suburb of Pittsburgh, to the east). I'm not as active in this one because they usually have rehearsals on Sundays but I attend when I can.
Phone calls to elected rep's are on the to-do list.
Question: how often do y'all call your senators and reps in DC? Do you think they partially discount repeat callers? ("ohno not her again"?)
One other piece of good news on a personal note: I am officially retiring the end of June! I hope after the dust settles I'll be able to be more active in assisting local immigrants again.
Thank you Brittani for all you do, and for helping us look at the positives!!
Peg, so much good news packed in here! So much to pray about for TPS. And a Singing Protest?? I love this so much. Meeting cruelty with a song is so disarming. Do you know what songs they are singing?
To your question about calling: honestly, you can call once a day per issue. You're in no way penalized for repeat calls. (Most people who call are repeat callers!!) You're just a fresh tally mark for them to send data to their boss each day. :)
And CONGRATULATIONS on retiring at the end of June!! Can't wait to see what the next chapter holds. So glad you're in this community. 💛
Brittani, Thanks so much!
And yes -- the Singing Protests are growing and spreading! Like I mentioned, we have two protest choirs locally, but some of the local church choirs are picking up on the trend too, and teaching some songs (especially spirituals) to praise bands etc.
Here's the list of songs from our 'gazebo sing':
This Land Is Your Land
Lead With Love
Somebody's Hurtin' My Brother
We the People
We Want Justice
Hold On (this is the one we heard the Minnesotans singing in some of the newscasts)
Who's Got the Power
We Shall Overcome
It's OK to Change Your Mind (this is one of my favorites among the 'new songs')
Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us 'Round
Give Light
Peace Like a River
Stronger Than Our Fear
We Are Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The other group I sat in with one Sunday afternoon had a number of the songs above, plus....
We Are Marching in the Light of Love (I learned this in the UK under the name of "Siya Hamba" -- I think it's from Africa originally)
We Shall Not Be Moved
This Little Light of Mine
...and some others. This group was still sort of pulling things together.
At any rate there are a LOT of good protest songs out there! And I'm looking forward to adding our voices to the next protest(s) whenever they are.