With Derek Chauvin’s trial underway, it’s likely that many of us are feeling retraumatized, anxious, stressed, or numb. With the continued violence against Black people and people in mental health crisis, it’s nearly impossible to not feel something. And, for those living in Minnesota when George Floyd was killed by the police, it was an event that sparked protests, important conversations, and deep trauma.
At Guild, we believe that Black Lives Matter and we are all too familiar with the harms of inequity, racism, and violence. We believe that anti-racist work is a concrete way to build compassion, equity, and peace. From sharing resources and practicing mindfulness to educating ourselves, there’s always something we can do. So, please join us in participating in and sharing the resources below.
Community Resources to Get Your Basic Needs Met
- Food: Twin Cities Mutual Aid, Minnesota Food Pantries.
- Shelter: Your County, the Homeless Shelter Directory, Day One (Domestic Violence Shelter Network), United Way.
- Mental Health: Guild’s Community Access team, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, NAMI, Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health.
- Mutual Aid: The Mutual Aid Hub
Community Resources for IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, or People of Color)
- Check out MN Healing Justice. They have a list of IBPOC health and wellness providers that includes Bodyworkers, Yoga and Movement Leaders, Physical Therapists, and Mental Health Coaches.
Self-Care Resources
- A guide to creating your own self-care toolbox.
- Seven strategies to help you manage trauma triggers.
- Racial stress and self-care for parents–and mitigation tactics.
- A self-care toolkit for youth working in the community.
- Self-Care Tips for Black People who are Really Going Through it Right Now.
- Tips for Self-Care: when police brutality has you questioning humanity and social media is enough.
Meditation
- Hand Over Heart guided meditation by Dr. Joi Lewis.
- Guided Ancestor Meditation by Justin Michael Williams.
Podcasts
- Self-care for change agents, by Dr. Thema.
- Race and healing: a body practice, by Resmaa Menakem.
- Resmaa Menakem on Racialized Trauma.
- Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence, a podcast with Resmaa Menakem following George Floyd’s murder.
Resources for Racial Justice and Community Healing
- A great list of resources to help you support, learn, and listen.
Resources for People Who Want to Educate Themselves on Racism:
- Talking About Race: learn how to talk about what matters.
- What is Systemic Racism, a video.
- Allies, Don’t Fail Us Again, an article discussing how change has to become an American Ideology, not just a part-time hobby.
- Learn about individual, cultural, and institutional racism.
- A Guide to White Privilege: an illustrated series!
- 75 Things White People can do for Racial Justice.
- Listen to Code Switch, an NPR podcast.
- Decolonize your bookshelf! Make sure that for every book you read of someone that looks like you, read a book from someone who doesn’t. Here’s a list to get you started!
- And finally, advocate for those around you. Speak up and speak out against racism in our community.
- Learn about what it means to be an actor, ally, or accomplice.
Resources for Social Workers:
Donate and Support
- MN Alliance On Crime has a great list of how to support our communities and Black-owned businesses.
- Black-owned businesses in the Twin Cities that you can support.
- Donate to the Minnesota Rapid Response Coalition that uses a community-centered strategy to find real solutions to community issues.
- Donate to Guild. We provide innovative and lifesaving services to our community members experiencing homelessness and mental illness.
- We also encourage you to participate in mutual aid! Mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources to benefit the whole community. Mutual aid is all about working together to become better. Not sure where to start? Some neighborhoods have mutual aid groups on Facebook. There are also many mutual aid request lists on social media. It might take a bit of digging to get involved, but it’s worth it! No time to explore? Keep your eyes open for when your community members are in need and offer support. It could be a gift card to help get a car fixed or dropping off groceries for a neighbor in need.
Know of resources that you would like added to this list? Email marcomm@guildservices.org and we can get them added.
Need mental health help? Call Guild’s Community Access team at (651) 925-8490. We can help.