Hi, I’m Sadie, born and raised in Minneapolis. I love this city and this state deeply, not just for its lakes and long winters, but for the people who make it what it is. Immigrant communities are a huge part of that. I’ve worked alongside immigrants, I’ve built friendships with them, I’ve learned from them, and I know in my bones that they are what make Minnesota, and this country, stronger, kinder, and more beautiful.

Right now, though, so many of our neighbors are living in fear. ICE enforcement has created a climate of terror that doesn’t just affect undocumented people, it reaches into entire communities. Families are afraid to go to work. Parents are scared to pick up their kids from school. Children are staying home because safety feels uncertain. And recently, the murder of Renee Good has only deepened that fear and heartbreak. I’ve felt overwhelmed with grief, anger, and helplessness watching this unfold, unsure what to do, but knowing I couldn’t do nothing.

There are so many incredible organizations doing this work, and I wanted to point people toward one I deeply respect: the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota’s Immigrant Rapid Response Fund. This fund exists to move resources quickly and responsibly to the organizations and people who need them most, especially in moments of crisis like this. If you’re like me and have felt overwhelmed by everything happening, unsure where to give or how to help, this is one place where your support can make an immediate, real difference.

I started this fundraiser because I want to protect families. I want people to be treated like humans: with dignity, safety, and basic rights. The blatant racism and cruelty sweeping our country has no place in my community. When I think about my friends, my neighbors, and families across Minnesota who are being targeted simply for who they are, I feel pain and rage, and a deep need to act in whatever way I can. This fundraiser is my way of turning that feeling into something tangible.

When you donate, I hope you imagine your support going to the families who can’t go to work without fear of being detained. To the children who deserve to go to school without worrying whether their parents will be taken away. To people who are having their rights stripped from them, and finding some protection and support through this fund. The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund does the hard work of identifying which organizations and communities need help most, so your donation reaches people on the front lines, quickly and thoughtfully.

Minnesotans know how to endure hard seasons. We know cold. We know darkness. But we also know how to take care of one another. We always have. And I believe this moment is no different. Together, we can show immigrant families that they are not alone—that this community stands with them, protects them, and believes in their right to live with safety and dignity.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping turn fear into support, and heartbreak into action.