Giving Tuesday 2018

November 26, 2018

Sunday, November 25, 2018, I went home after the store had closed. It had been a long day of the not-so-glamorous tasks of being a small business owner (opening the bills, scheduling payments, working on end of year tax paperwork, plugging in shipping costs, ordering office supplies, and editing photos of store samples) as well as interacting with members of the community who had come in to begin their holiday shopping and holiday crafting. Those interactions are why I don't mind the not-so-glamorous tasks. I was in the kitchen, the volume on the tv turned up and the screen reflected in the living room window. Images of children fleeing tear gas were on the screen. And I burst into tears. Cat food can in hand, iPad opened to my newsfeed, I scrolled through one news alert after the other. The US border between San Diego and Tijuana had been closed and defenseless children were shot with tear gas by US agents. How could this be happening? And what could I, just a small business owner in Massachusetts, do about it?

This Giving Tuesday, gather here will be donating 15% of Tuesday's profits to RAICES Texas. Their mission is to help separated families, detained families, unaccompanied minors, and others who are seeking asylum in the United States. We hope you'll shop in-store or online on Tuesday so we can help those who have every right to seek asylum in the USA. As the daughter of an immigrant I often wonder what would have happened if Gloria Mayor had not been allowed to move to the US. If my siblings and I were not automatically US-citizens because of our father's citizenship. How different everything about our lives would be.

Looking for other tangible ways to help? RAICES has a comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities for individuals, organizations, and congregations. And don't forget to call your representatives. No matter where you believe they stand on this issue. Our voice matters and Congress must hear us firmly stand up in solidarity for the asylum seekers.

Always with you,

Virginia (owner/crafter/dreamer/activist)

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