Standing With Our Somali Community Public Statement from YWCA Minneapolis
At YWCA Minneapolis, Somali Minnesotans are our members, our program participants, our coworkers, our volunteers, our neighbors and our friends. They are also an essential part of the fabric of this city, contributing to the strength and vibrancy of Minneapolis every day.
Right now, many in our Somali community are experiencing fear, harassment and dehumanizing rhetoric. Families are questioning whether it is safe to go to work, go to school, seek health care or simply exist in public without being targeted. Words are being weaponized to portray Somali people as outsiders in their own home.
Let us be perfectly clear:
We oppose the targeting, intimidation and dehumanization of Somali Minnesotans.
We reject the racism and Islamophobia driving these attacks.
We stand visibly and vocally with our Somali community.
Dignity, safety and belonging are at the heart of our mission and not negotiable inside our walls or across our city. When our neighbors are afraid, we show up. When people try to divide us with fear, we respond with truth and unity. When people are told they do not belong, we say louder:
You belong here. You are valued. You are home.
YWCA Minneapolis is committed to:
Ensuring that all YWCA Minneapolis spaces remain safe, welcoming spaces for everyone by having clear non-engagement protocols with immigration enforcement, training staff on how to respond if law enforcement appears and taking proactive measures like walking youth participants to their vehicles when needed, so everyone knows they are protected and cared for in our spaces.
Disseminating Know Your Rights information in multiple languages, so community members understand how to protect themselves, their families, their friends and neighbors.
Supporting youth programming and wellness for youth and families under stress with staff trained to support those who are experiencing fear or trauma.
Uplifting Somali voices and standing in solidarity with community organizations that do the same by sharing information, supporting their efforts and showing up where our presence can make a difference.
Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women demands more than statements. It demands action.
We will not be silent. We will not stand by while our Somali neighbors are made to feel unsafe in their own city.
To our Somali community members: You are part of us. We are with you. Today. Tomorrow. Always.
— YWCA Minneapolis