Grounded in Minnesota
I have been wrestling with what to say for the last month as our city has been increasingly harmed by ICE. We’ve been working on this business for the last four years, dreaming of a place where we celebrate local farms, businesses, producers, and each other, all as members of a food system that we are trying to make better. Radish Farm Stop is a grocery store that will source 100% of its products locally, many delivered by the producers directly. It will be a place that welcomes all the participants of our food systems, and encourages them to get together over a cup of coffee, connect, and dream dreams of their own.
Radish’s mission is: “To cultivate an economically vibrant community of local farms and thoughtful consumers.” In my efforts to build a store that supports this mission, I’ve been steadily checking off items on the growing to-do list: meeting with producers, finalizing floor plans, selecting equipment, picking up furniture, hiring the team…. But even with the clock ticking down towards opening day, it's been a struggle to focus my energy on Radish, with what is going on in our city. Community members are being assaulted and detained based on their skin color, and American citizens bearing witness have been killed. ICE has created a climate of fear.
ICE’s presence in Minnesota is a threat to the very fabric of our community and our food system.
Immigrants are part of our community of farms and food businesses as owners, workers and consumers. It is not possible for people to feed their families when they are afraid to leave their homes. Some farmers and their staff are now forced to weigh the risk of an ICE encounter against their simplest operational needs—making deliveries, gathering supplies, and planning for the growing season. Once vibrant marketplaces are empty. Staff are stretched thin as people are afraid to go to work. Small businesses are the backbone of our city, and have continued to give everything they can to help those at risk, while being economically impacted themselves. Last week, some colleagues and I met at Plaza Mexico on Lake Street. There, two business owners shared heartbreaking stories of what they have been through in the last few months. They fear the businesses they have put their life’s work into could fail. A Go Fund Me has been created to support them.
In spite of these threats, our community has persisted. Minneapolis is a place filled with incredibly resilient people. We take care of one another. Everyone has pitched in however they can, helping pack and deliver food, keeping watch for their neighbors, marching, donating, and building a network of support. This last Friday, friends and I marched in the frigid cold amongst tens of thousands of others as businesses across the state closed in solidarity. We felt buoyed by this collective action.
The following morning, Alex Pretti was killed, protecting his neighbors and exercising his first amendment rights. We spent Saturday making space in our home for friends to gather, process, and grieve. That evening, we attended Alex’s vigil, and then joined our neighbors on our street corner with candles, in his memory. I’ve texted all of my friends and family in surrounding states to share resources and ask them to call their senators. They’ve sprung into action: “I’m calling them every morning” “We’re donating right now” “We’re here for you, let us know what we can do.” If you’re inspired to play a role in supporting our community’s food system in this moment, here are few ways to help:
Call your senators, and encourage your friends and colleagues in other states to do the same. Request that they take action to remove ICE from affected cities and hold them accountable.
Support food businesses across the Twin Cities, but especially those targeted by ICE directly.
Support local food co-op grocers.
Support local farmers: Mill City Farmers Market, Minneapolis Farmers Market, Northeast Farmers Market, Neighborhood Roots Farmers Market, and St. Paul Farmers Market are still operating on the weekends through the winter.
Check out Stand with Minnesota for more resources.
In solidarity,
Lily Gross
Founder of Radish Farm Stop