Commuter Still Showing Up for Community — But Now I Need Help Healing
I absolutely never thought I would have to ask but I am at the point of great need.
As the world knows since December 2025, over 2,000 DHS agents were deployed in Minneapolis. Since then, I have been showing up for my community in the Whittier neighborhood and in greater South Minneapolis. I have been doing anything I possibly could to keep our neighbors safe.
Since "Operation Metro Surge" began, I have been involved in mutual aid and rapid response — helping neighbors access food, housing, and support. I am committed to this work and have been continuing despite ongoing and unresolved medical issues.
My home and neighborhood were heavily impacted by the violence of the occupation. I was present in moments that have been heavy, traumatic, and sometimes devastating. I have stood with people in fear, in grief, and in crisis doing my best to make sure that no one felt alone.
But behind all of that, it has been a struggle holding it all together.
In December 2025, after experiencing pain for a couple weeks I went to the emergency room and ended up having an emergency adenectomy. Of course there were complications, and I ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected.
Then in January 2026, attending a demonstration downtown after Renee Good's murder, I fell on the ice at the march. Falling face-first onto tactile pavement, spitting out pieces of my teeth, I had to go to the ER again. There I found out that I broke 5 of my front teeth and fractured maxilla (basically my face).
Ever since, I have been living with pain and movement in my front teeth, without any certainty that I will ever get them fixed. I have been trying to navigate the healthcare system that keeps sending me back and forth between dentists and oral surgeons, but healthcare and dental costs are extreme even with insurance. I have made appointments with long waits and already these medical costs have caused me to miss bill payments. I simply can’t afford it. The last 3 offices I visited never even touched my teeth. The dentists said one of my teeth is now infected, and what I need is urgent — multiple root canals, possible extractions, dental implants (something similar, affordable).
I keep trying to push through, to keep showing up, taking care of others and putting off taking care of this. This is incredibly hard to ask for help at a time when I know so many people in our community are struggling too. I have thought about asking for a while, but I can't help feeling like I am taking away from families who need it more.
But right now, I’m in a place where I need support, and know that it's okay to ask for help.
How You Can Help:
Every dollar raised will go directly toward:
- Immediate medical/dental costs (consultation fees, root canals, infection treatment)
- Emergency room bills from my recent trauma
- Future reconstructive work (implants, jaw surgery)
- Living expenses while I recover and cannot work full capacity
What Else I'm Doing:
I am not waiting passively. I am also:
- Applying for MinnesotaCare/Medicaid to see if I qualify for coverage
- Contacting Hennepin Healthcare about their financial assistance programs
- Exploring the University of Minnesota Dental School for reduced-cost treatment options
- Seeking community resources and sliding-scale clinics in Minneapolis
But I need help bridging the gap while these systems process.
Thank You:
I never imagined I'd be in this position, asking strangers for help. But right now, this is the only way I can see to get the care I need to heal, eat properly, and eventually return to my normal life. Any contribution, no matter how small, means the world to me.
With gratitude,
Jessie [pika]