How’s everyone doing?

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Sun May 31, 2020 11:25 am

Things are getting real in LA. Open thread for talking through feelings and hopes for this moment/alternative to Twitter doom-scrolling.

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Sun May 31, 2020 3:07 pm

I'm feeling really grateful for people out protesting- I have some auto-immune stuff that makes it not so safe for me. I'm also concerned about everyone out there protesting, and their health.

Twitter doom scrolling is incredibly intense but also really helpful r.e. seeing what's happening. I'm trying to limit myself to only doing it in the morning and evening, like watching the news.

Evan.V.N.S.J. · Post by **Evan.V.N.S.J.** » Sun May 31, 2020 3:12 pm

yourfriendclaire wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2020 11:25 am Twitter doom-scrolling.

I've been doing a lot of this. Even though my protesting days are (long) behind me, I am still regretting feeling so disconnected from the places where any of this is actually happening. It's a hard feeling to describe, not homesickness just like... a feeling of absence? I dunno.

Because of that I have definitely been succumbing to the doom scrolling, just as a way to get a sense of what is actually going on. But I get so exhausted by the "hot takes" and the misinformation... just doing a lot of ruminating on how visible everything is in the age of twitter and pocket computers, how these technologies make it possible to be spread awareness of how bad it really is out there, which has inspired these movements since the video camera in 92. And yet it still feels like they don't make it any more intelligible. I don't know I guess that's kind of where I am at the moment. I can't look away, but I don't know what to do about what I'm seeing other than just get sad and angry. Occasionally hopeful. But like, does my glee at seeing a burned cop car or a smashed in Starbucks window matter?

Can we also use this thread to talk about charities and stuff? I saw links to donate to different bail out funds in various cities, including this one in Minnesota. Are there others like it? Are there orgs that you know are good & need money now? (Related to this or pandemic shit, or both)

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Sun May 31, 2020 6:31 pm

National Bail Fund Network directory of community bail funds:

https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory

Reclaim The Block:

https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home

Black Visions Collective:

https://www.blackvisionsmn.org

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Sun May 31, 2020 6:44 pm

It's so intense to watch this unfold in real time & try to amplify the right messages/funds while also being bombarded with conspiracy theories, takes, misinformation, bots, and "all lives matter" bullshit. Local news in LA is laser-focused on property damage and keeps showing the same footage of, like, one looted Vons on loop instead of even acknowledging people's authentic anger & sadness, the Why of anything, or even the fact that it's clear cops are instigating the violence. National guard is downtown. A newscaster on ABC just said "things are starting to get gnarly" with a straight face which is peak LA dystopia.

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:15 am

I feel so far away and so angry and so sad. I can't even bring myself to watch the video of George Floyd's death. I have tried, more than once, and I can't finish it. I know that that makes me part of the problem but I can't do it; it just hurts too much. How can we all just open the internet and watch a man kill another innocent man with his bare hands? How do we do that? I know that my privilege is what lets me close the tab.

A colleague of mine is paying me what I consider too much money (probably half what a pro would charge her) to make her custom curtains and so I am just feeding yard after yard of horrible greyish-blue polyester through my beautiful sewing machine and going back and forth between doses of News - Star Trek - News - Gourmet Makes - News - googling recipes for homemade mustard. It feels kind of like I am just taking a nail-file to my soul.

Mustard looks surprisingly easy to make.
Thank you for those links [mention]yourfriendclaire[/mention] I also found this one https://bailproject.org/

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 11:04 am

I'm now scrolling non-stop, but started separating out things that need more than a bite of my attention. Taking screenshots, opening tabs, making bookmarks, etc. and then working my way through stuff a bit more slowly when I can.
Nail file to the soul is very much correct. Time to share that nail-file feeling.

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:24 pm

Thanks for this thread.
I don't use twitter, so I am just looking at the news.
I'm trying to take it slow. I am grateful for protesters as well, but I am not protesting. I have asthmatic nerd lungz and my experience with gas in the wto protests in the 90s taught me that police confrontations are not for me, so I am donating to bail funds.
How much does covid contribute to the protests? I'm not sure.
Everything seems crazy and I worry about protesters getting sick.
I also worry that none of it will matter. Will any "all lives matter" peoples' minds be changed? If so, will it be enough? Does reason matter in the age of Q Anon?
It feels like some hellish "Groundhog Day" where everyday is the same but worse, as if there was a photograph of America photocopied when Trump was elected and everyday the prior day's photocopy was copied anew with continued degradation.

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:10 am

Deleted this post.

alex · Post by **alex** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:07 am

It is interesting how "mandatory curfew" can lead to such strong feelings of both safety and non-safety, and for me how it has slightly twisted my home from being where I want to escape TO to where I want to escape FROM. Interesting times!

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:28 pm

I noticed yesterday that people are suddenly unmasked, for the most part, and not practicing distancing. Some combination of sunny weather, school out, fatigue, frustration, time passing, protests, etc. We had to constantly move out of the way of other walkers and joggers and many people acted like we were being weird. It's so stressful to think about the surge of cases that's about to hit us, on top of everything else happening.

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:44 pm

I'm going to anxiety-clean the bathroom grout today, feels gross and punishing and distracting enough to pass some time. What are other people doing?

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 1:55 pm

I signed up to assemble individual hygiene kits for homeless people through a local nonprofit, so we're gonna spend the day putting Purell and socks and masks in little baggies while stress-watching the LA police commission meeting, which is actually pretty cathartic because hundreds of people are dialing in with public comments just eviscerating the LAPD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz0CKlG ... e=emb_logo

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:54 pm

I saw some excerpts from that and it was very satisfying to watch them take their medicine.

alexshred420 · Post by **alexshred420** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:21 am

Went to the PDX protest last night. A moving and powerful experience, especially when everybody laid down face-first on the Burnside Bridge. I had my bike which helped with social distancing and everybody was wearing masks, but the proximity of thousands of people to one another is indeed scary in the time of COVID. I left before the later-in-the-night gassing of peaceful protesters by pigs, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a big surge in a couple of weeks.

Video of the bridge lie-down:
https://twitter.com/DanMcKATU/status/12 ... 7119816704

Post by **joni** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:12 am

[mention]alexshred420[/mention] Amazing visual.

We have a new variable that is pretty scary: our friend, friend of the board, and partner of [mention]mrbrown[/mention] tested positive yesterday. We hung out at a distance both Friday night and Saturday afternoon and didn't wear masks the entire time. How should we act now? Claire's parents also saw them at a distance on Thursday. All outdoors.

Should we real-deal self-quarantine for 14 days as advised if you are in "close contact," or do we take a less-severe approach since we were outdoors and distanced? It feels irresponsible to put protesters at risk, but we want to show up.

alexshred420 · Post by **alexshred420** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:24 am

[mention]joni[/mention] Yikes. Sasha has been doing volunteering with the Mult Co public information office around lots of public health stuff, and this is what she has to say:
"The safest thing to do for everybody concerned would be to quarantine for 14 days. The risk of transmission outdoors at distance is quite low. Sunlight deactivates the virus to some extent and the virus thrives in more stagnant humid/indoor conditions. Other factors to consider are how far away you were for most of the time you were together (anything over ~15 minutes). For example, sitting 3 feet apart for more than 15 minutes is more dangerous than being 3 feet apart for 30 seconds. Time/length of exposure appears to be a factor. Or if you could have somehow shared droplets through handling food, if you were yelling or singing. The risk from getting this off surfaces is low."

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:16 pm

Thank you [mention]alexshred420[/mention] (and Sasha!)--that's really helpful. We were six-feet distanced and outdoors on both occasions and didn't share food or anything, so I feel like the odds of transmission were relatively minimal, but we're not going to chance it. Getting re-tested this week and avoiding all public places. We've all been really safe so knowing someone in our community was exposed regardless is spooky as hell! I'm so worried about what the situation will look like in two weeks after all these protests. It's really such a fucked-up irony that the conditions that are making this moment possible (namely COVID-catalyzed economic collapse and mass unemployment) are the same conditions that are going to put all these beautiful revolutionary souls at risk of serious illness.

uncleboatshoes · Post by **uncleboatshoes** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 3:45 pm

Dang that's so rough about Alex B.
Feel better [mention]mrbrown[/mention] !

You two should definitely not go to protests and self-quarantine. The likelihood that you got infected is probably low, but in the case that you are that and you go to a protest that is very bad and not worth the risk of spreading it so far and wide.
There is a lot you can do to support not on the frontline.
Tell your parents they need to be chill for real.

Big love to you all

w0lf · Post by **w0lf** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 4:16 pm

It's rough. The perfect shit storm. I find myself angry with the newly politicized, (more) white people telling me what I should and should not be doing right now, calls for conscious consumption as if that were a great, revolutionary act, even the money to bail funds (though crucial) seem fucked up to put more money into a death machine. I have been black for many years in this country. Over the past few years most of the family I grew up with died. Imperialist white supremacist patriarchy tracks you towards death. No other way to put it. Feels like a pyrrhic victory to be alive, free, and doing very well. There were a lot of costs. I'm trying to find some peace, some patience, and some love. Everybody is going thru it right now.

Two resources I wanted to share:

https://summaeverythang.org/ artist lauren halsey's community org donating food in south la
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ list of ways to help from writing letters to donations

Take care of yourselves and each other. We're all we've got.

infopetal · Post by **infopetal** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:58 pm

there have been fewer gatherings in queens than in manhattan and brooklyn, and I'm restricted to what I can get to on foot to during non-work hours (now further restricted by 8pm curfew), but I did manage to make it to the vigil in astoria park earlier this week. I was masked and continually moved outward as people arrived to keep 6ft distance and am now laying low before going to anything else. didn't take photos but here are some I think captured the scene well—shortly after these photos there was a rainbow.
https://twitter.com/angbertorelli/statu ... 5625084928

if anyone else is going out, please take precautions with your digital security. some friends and I have been collecting related guides and resources here. if you are in los angeles, the stop LAPD spying coalition is an invaluable resource.

just sent some $$ to summaeverythang, thank you for the tip, [mention]w0lf[/mention]. otherwise lost today in a

RAGE

hole and not feeling particularly articulate at the moment. sending you all love, strength, and health.

uncleboatshoes · Post by **uncleboatshoes** » Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:48 pm

Yeah, thanks for the info [mention]w0lf[/mention] lf
First I've seen of summaeverythang.

I saw that our friend from this board [mention]tim[/mention] and his fiancé might've got arrested tonight in Manhattan (from a tweet from [mention]morgan[/mention] ) Hope they are doing okay.

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:37 am

Thanks for saying words. I miss you guys.

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:59 am

Love you [mention]w0lf[/mention]. I'm putting together a mega-guide for LA resources through the 5 Every Day mailing list, excited to add Lauren's org to the list of food-related tips. If anyone else has anything local to Los Angeles they think should be added lmk.

I saw also that Rhizome put together a digital resources guide, with a lil more emphasis on best practices for archiving online material:

https://rhizome.org/editorial/2020/jun/ ... -violence/

I didn't know this is how bail funds worked.

PS - looks like @tim has been released <3

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:45 pm

I'm glad to hear that! Bravo [mention]tim[/mention]!

tim · Post by **tim** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 1:43 pm

<3 thanks, all. we are home and safe.

Probably shared already, but here is a masterdoc of Bail/legal help broken down by different cities that's super helpful: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/ ... obilebasic

infopetal · Post by **infopetal** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:04 pm

bravo [mention]tim[/mention]! f*ck the n*pd!

the rhizome link from [mention]yourfriendclaire[/mention] mentions WITNESS, I would just add a +1 their resources if you are doing any filming: https://library.witness.org/product-tag/protests

jamessumneriii · Post by **jamessumneriii** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:22 pm

i have been inadequately processing, frankly. i appreciate the bail fund and summaeverythang links from people, since that's the only way i've been able to help so far

looking to help in person tomorrow or this weekend, but i'm currently unclear where to go—i live in santa monica and am very open to suggestions! quarantine has me feeling very...removed isn't the right word. "having difficulty parsing information about outside events that i should engage in, and would appreciate suggestions from trusted persons," whatever the word for that is

GARY-19 · Post by **GARY-19** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:58 pm

Posting this for those of you in L.A. looking for something to do/support:

https://peoplesbudgetla.com/

jamessumneriii · Post by **jamessumneriii** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 10:00 am

heading out today based on info from this site (CA only), i will report back if it's me and 5 fat mustached guys in Flowers By Irene shirts encouraging me to buy explosives or something

it has been a hot minute since i felt any optimism about positive change with respect to police violence but i feel like there's something different compared to 4-5 years ago when cnn.com posts this article on tear gas + how to deal / treat an attack with no caveats from a cop union rep insisting that tear gas is delicious and good for you, actually.

admittedly that's a very very low bar but in 2020 i'll take whatever tiny toehold i can get

jamessumneriii · Post by **jamessumneriii** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 10:13 am

more extensive street medic resources, way beyond what i can vouch for but worth filing under "better to have and not need than to need and not have":
paperrevolution.org
riotmedicine.net

what i can 100% vouch for is this megascale itch.io game bundle—all proceeds are split between NAACP legal funds and community bail funds. even if the other 7 3 9 GAMES were garbage, minit, oxenfree, and night in the woods are absolute gems

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 1:16 pm

My mom has been attending a socially distanced protest in our neighborhood and it RULES. I started going yesterday and it feels great to have a safe place to hold a sign and see other people. Everyone is masked and stays far apart, and is spread out across one big intersection. We wave signs and cars honk. It's 90% older/elderly people, but also a cool thing for anyone with compromised immune or mobility restrictions!
RECOMMENDED! START ONE UP!

jamessumneriii · Post by **jamessumneriii** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:08 pm

[mention]meadows[/mention] oh wow that rules!

santa monica/venice protest update: i am taking it as a positive social sign that while walking to one protest in venice i have literally walked into another protest

jamessumneriii · Post by **jamessumneriii** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:09 pm

not a small protest either

infopetal · Post by **infopetal** » Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:00 pm

for anyone in NYC, I've been referring to this page the past few days:
https://www.nycprotests.info/protest-locations
(was happy to see they started today to add a note with who is running each one)

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Mon Jun 08, 2020 3:18 am

There were 10,000 people at the protest in Brussels yesterday. It is very much in solidarity with the American movement but it is also clearly empowering for black Belgians and that felt good to be apart of. It is also sparking a very positive movement to dismantle statuary of Leopold II, who was a/the colonialist horror king of Belgium.

willowowow · Post by **willowowow** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 11:25 am

Really cool to pop in here and read about all the ways you nice people are participating. I've been attending protests here in Portland- afternoon and evening events. It has been pretty easy to keep distance if I focus on it, but it's also easy to get swept away in yelling and sign waving and then realize I'm 3 feet apart from my neighbor. I need to be more vigilant. I will say that *everyone* I've been in proximity to at events has been masked, and there's a very cool infrastructure for distributing hand sanitizer, masks, water and snacks to the crowds, thanks to a group called Snack Bloc. I follow a few IG accounts that post daily info about protests with details about organizers, whether the event is family friendly, socially distanced, etc. - @popmobpdx, @snackblocpdx, and @rosecityjustice. For me, going to protests feels energizing and they motivate me to be more active in other spheres as well. I know that crowds- especially now- can have the opposite effect on people too, so it's just a "get in where you fit in" situation, ya know?

I hope [mention]joni[/mention] and [mention]yourfriendclaire[/mention] are healthy and testing negative. So sad scary to hear about [mention]mrbrown[/mention]- wishing him a speedy recovery.

yourfriendclaire · Post by **yourfriendclaire** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:00 pm

We tested negative!

willowowow · Post by **willowowow** » Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:24 pm

Huzzah!

m o l l y · Post by **m o l l y** » Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:00 pm

On top of the other things, the mountain range that forms the northern border of my hometown of Tucson and the southern border of my present/future ranch-life town of Oracle (a few miles away from Biosphere 2) is on fire and it is terrible and I am sad.

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Thu Jun 18, 2020 7:56 pm

infopetal wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:00 pm for anyone in NYC, I've been referring to this page the past few days:
https://www.nycprotests.info/protest-locations
(was happy to see they started today to add a note with who is running each one)

Ah! this is great. I’ve been learning about things from IG stories and such which is hard to keep track of.

Feeling mega bad today. Doom-y about November. Crazy that wearing a mask is politicized as hell.

Generally feel SO MUCH BETTER after going to the protests than being home and sad.

Sarah — it made me happy to see you and your mom at the safe edge of a protest! It’s cool to see folks really come thru right now and for people like Angela Davis say that this is a huge thing.

So yeah — heartened but hopeless 2020. <3

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:08 am

you saw me? I just realized that I don't know really know who most people on here are, with funny names! did I see you? who is this? what's happening?!
FUN!

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:51 pm

Oh on your instagram story! Lol. I’m Matthew! I’m in Brooklyn! I got your package today!

meadows · Post by **meadows** » Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:52 am

oh yeah, the world wide web!