06/16/2020
Hi. It's The Skewer.
We — every one of us humans — are in the middle of ongoing global uprisings against white supremacy, the carceral state, and (extremely good and exciting) the very notion of police. These uprisings are both leaderless and abundant in leaders, some of whom have been on The Skewer's stage.
If you can demonstrate in person (put your body against the machine), we urge you to do so. That said, there still is a global pandemic going on, and police have consistently escalated violence at these demonstrations, so you are taking a risk by attending — only you can make these decisions about your safety. If you can't find the courage or ability to show up in person, then help the cause in other ways.
Here is a document listing local protests so you can be informed of when/where you can turn out: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1_SEauMp53f2KxWB0JfXr92tLHtJ4UnKzxIsxwYiHddc/htmlview?urp=gmail_link #
If you are lucky enough to still be employed in a job that does not put you at risk of coronavirus, we *demand* you put money toward the movement. If you aren’t thus employed, please give whatever you are able to. If you're overwhelmed by where to start, some suggested places to put money include:
- US Community Bail Funds https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory
- My Hood, My Block, My City - Chicago Small Business Relief https://www.formyblock.org/
- Assata's Daughters - Chicago black youth leadership https://www.assatasdaughters.org/
- Chicago Mutual Aid - direct person-to-person financial assistance
http://chicagomutualaid.net/
- ActBlue mass donation page to a number of Black Trans groups. You can split your donation equally among all orgs, or read up on them and choose which to support https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blacktrans-queer?tandembox=show
- Massive directory of places to donate you’ve probably seen shared around: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
In general, it’s better to support local organizations over national ones whenever possible. (Also do not give money to Shaun King ever)
Here is a tool that will automatically generate emails to local politicians to demand defunding the police: https://defund12.org/
(IF YOU CAN, it’s best practice to vary the wording of the email as it’s easier for politicians to ignore form letters, but making any noise is better than staying silent).
If you're early in your radicalization and want to know more about what "defund the police" or "abolish the police" means in practical terms, here's Angela Davis:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBWQP3PFFMS/?igshid=1g1f7tkwl4jxk
"Safety safeguarded by violence is not really safety"
The police would have you believe that humanity is a violent, seething mass that you need a military force to beat back in order to live safely. As the mass global movements for racial justice have proven: no. The people putting us in danger are the cops and the system they represent.
If you are conflicted because you personally know police who are good people, remember the issue is not that all police are bad people (though many are!), but that policing as a concept is a violent and evil force of oppression that cannot be wielded for justice no matter how good the wielder’s intentions. For proof, see literally everything the police do.
The Skewer stands in solidarity with BIPOC performers, staff at Cafe Mustache, and citizens of Chicagoland.
It may be a long time before we're able to be together in person again. Until that time, we are foregoing further Skewer shows and instead supporting black- and BIPOC-led shows like:
The Stoop
Congrats on Your Success
Soul Stories Live
Pour One Out
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay angry.
with love,
erica and Tom
