Anahi is my brilliant and cariñosa Oaxaqueña graduate student that has big dreams of doctoral studies. As she started her first week of graduate school, a feat she had long looked forward to, the excitement of beginning this part of her journey came to an abrupt halt . While her peers were studying and getting to know one another, she was picking up the pieces left by the havoc ICE caused to her family.

On Wednesday, August 27th as she and her 4 siblings left for school- an 18 year old brother and 3 little ones from 8 to 12 years old- her father was in a detention facility. Unbeknownst to her, as her father left for work in the early morning hours, ICE was stationed outside of her home and had kidnapped him. In minutes he was gone.

While the family is trying to reconcile the emotional toll of having their father ripped away from them, the immediate change in their family's finances is looming above their heads. Because her father was the primary breadwinner in her family, they are now scrambling trying to make ends meet. With him in detention, their family of 6 (5 of which are students ) must now find a way to pay for everything from rent, to food, toiletries and basic living needs.

I call on community to support this family through the state sanctioned violence that has been afflicted on them. While so many are vociferous against the kidnappings and hypersurveillance of undocumented communities, I need us to remember that we also need to support materially. When our community members go missing, it completely destabilizes families financially. Anger and disgust against those inflicting violence isn't enough when these families need to keep the roofs over their heads, food on the table, clothes on their backs, and gas to get their little ones to school. Please consider contributing to this mutual aid effort by supporting what you can to help keep this family together.

We want these kids to stay in school and not let systemic violence win and derail them from the dreams they have had.

If you have the means, please consider donating to Anahi's family. Every cent helps.