MARCH 2024
Haga clic aquí para ver El Despacho de Marzo en español.
Click here to view The March Dispatch in Spanish.
The LISTINGS section of the Dispatch–a roundup of ways to contribute to LA's mutual aid and community care-based efforts in the form of time, money and/or items as well as what resources each group offers–can be found by ⬇️ scrolling down ⬇️
A FEW WORDS ON: WEARING A MASK
The COVID-19 pandemic itself is unprecedented, but our reactions have been entirely precedented. History doesn't repeat itself, it rhymes. The AIDS crisis, the rampant spread of HPV, the hundreds of thousands of deaths annually from influenza – we are content with letting people become disabled and die, as long as we do not need to see them. As we enter the fifth year of the COVID pandemic, wearing a mask is essential for mutual aid communities to include disabled people and care for our disabled future.
Dean Spade defines mutual aid as “the radical act of caring for each other while working to change the world.” By not wearing a mask, we systematically exclude people who are cautious for the sake of their own survival. Are the immunocompromised not welcome at your protests for Palestine? Are our elders not a part of the community fundraisers? Cancer patients, long COVID survivors, people with asthma all have a place at concerts, game nights, and movie theaters. Sick people buy groceries too. In your justice-inspired future, do you see disabled people as part of public life and community?
Disability is the crisis of an intentionally isolating system. So far our answer has been to leave disabled people to be confined at home, in hospitals, or abandoned on the streets. Think of where and with whom you feel included, loved, or inspired. Your teachers, friends, family, and comrades are everywhere. Communities need you to wear a mask so they might go wherever it is you easily go. This is not a demand for limitations, but a call to expand community and imagine a more inclusive world for all of us.
The irony is that we are all, fundamentally, already members of the community we segregate from our lives. Through age or incident, even our currently able minds and bodies will eventually become disabled. I do not want to build isolation into my own future. Many of us rely upon whiteness, patriarchy, and class as a way to avoid a disabled future, not recognizing that these systems of oppression are the roots of ableism.
We hate to think about history repeating itself, however we happily move to the popular rhythms of rhyming. Our actions must extend beyond vaccines and vibes. Wearing a mask is a necessary first step to making our communities whole and embracing our future selves.
Written by matt who is just one piece of a whole in MALAN
MORE WORDS ON: WE, THE PEOPLE
You’re likely reading this right around California Primary Day.
Whatever your opinion on voting, candidates you support, ballot measures you'll mark yes (or no) on and then wonder afterward if the wording was so confusing that you unintentionally voted incorrectly, one thing is certain: mutual aid work at the grassroots level is where the real change happens.
Community mutual aid projects provide direct support and create an opportunity for us to be heard en masse. (Plus, mutual aid projects never tout progressive or leftist values only to let their neo-liberal flags fly once elected.)
With each campaign mailer, text message, commercial, robo-call, and/or solicitation you encounter, consider all the mutual aid projects operating independently, without multi-million dollar campaigns to spread the word. Those projects create more direct support for people and communities than we often see from elected officials. It makes sense though, right? With only 15 LA City Council seats, each member represents roughly 255,000 people (from vastly different neighborhoods with disparate needs and challenges). This system isn’t set up to help all people, it’s set up to serve those with the most resources. You know this already.
By contrast, we don’t know how many mutual aid projects there are in LA city, not to mention non-profit organizations doing some mutual aid work or individuals providing direct aid in their communities. For the sake of conversation, in the Dispatch alone we’ve highlighted roughly 150. Most of those projects are hyperlocal and responsive to the needs of the communities they serve. They’re providing the support that elected officials can’t. Don’t. Won’t.
So, in honor of Primary Day (and an election cycle that feels like it started a decade ago and will never end) we share this reminder of how important (and awesome and necessary) it is that we can come together to support each other in meaningful ways. As you peruse the groups below, we hope you’ll consider how much further your contributions (of time, items, or money) to any one of them will go versus time spent phone banking for, or money donated to candidates.
Written by Lauren, a recovering campaign staffer who’s seen the light
DO YOU HAVE TIME, ITEMS*, OR MONEY TO CONTRIBUTE?
DO YOU NEED ITEMS, SERVICES, OR FOOD?
*PLEASE clean, sort & fold all items you are donating. Items should be new or gently used. Socks, underwear and hygiene items should always be unused.
WHO: Proper Hygiene Project
YOU HAVE: TIME ITEMS
YOU NEED: ITEMS SERVICES FOOD
We want to eliminate the stigma behind being unhoused and PROPER HYGIENE is our approach! Organizations provide us with free food, clothing and hygiene items that we distribute as a mobile group and as a stationary free market setup. Organizing supplies are always needed but days/times are always random. Interested in volunteering or coordinating an item donation handoff? DM us on IG: @properhygieneproject_dtla
COLLECTING: Tents, tarps, large mens winter wear, socks, underwear, razors, washcloths, paper plates/cups/bags
WHEN: 6pm Thursdays (mobile) & Fridays (stationary) in Skid Row | Friday 7-10am (Downey, pending sufficient supply count)
WHERE: Skid Row and Downey
$: Venmo @properhygieneproject_dtla
WHO: KTown for All
YOU HAVE: TIME ITEMS MONEY
YOU NEED: ITEMS SERVICES
We supply our Ktown unhoused neighbors with lifesaving supplies like tents, blankets, food, + hygiene materials. We serve over 200/300 ppl per week. We also do sweep watches and policy + media work defending the unhoused community. Show up to volunteer for a distro, no RSVP needed. On site training + best practices provided day of. Q’s can be sent via IG DM or hello@ktownforall.org
COLLECTING: Tents, blankets, tarps
WHEN: Every Saturday @ 12pm (except the first Saturday of the month)
WHERE: Immanuel Presbyterian in Koreatown (3300 Wilshire Blvd, 90010)
$: Venmo @Ktownforall to help purchase supplies
WHO: For the People LA
YOU HAVE: TIME ITEMS MONEY
YOU NEED: ITEMS FOOD
We are a mutual aid group dedicated to providing food, clothes + hygiene items to people who need it. DM @ftpla.forthepeoplela to coordinate an item donation hand-off. Sign up to volunteer tiny.cc/ftplavol
COLLECTING: Hygiene kits, blankets, tarps, tents, warm clothing, and raincoats
WHEN: Friday nights from 6 pm - 7:30 pm or until we run out.
WHERE: 7th and Gladys in Skid Row
$: Venmo @ForThePeopleLA
WHO: SWOPLA Sex Workers' Abortion Navigation Services (SWANS)
YOU HAVE: MONEY
YOU NEED: SERVICES
The SWOPLA SWANS program provides financial aid & trauma-informed peer support (flights, hotels, meals, + help booking appointments & travel) for those seeking an abortion. We cannot pay for abortions directly but may be able to cover most of the associated costs. Prioritizing the needs of current or former sex workers seeking abortions. BIPOC, Queer, Trans, Undocu people esp encouraged to apply! Email swoplaswans@proton.me w/ q’s.
WHEN: Accepting applicants now until funds run out.
WHERE: Applicants can be from anywhere but must come to CA for their abortion.
$: Donate here if you'd like to help grow this program
WHO: J-TOWN Action と Solidarity + We The Unhoused
YOU HAVE: TIME ITEMS MONEY
YOU NEED: ITEMS FOOD
A grassroots collective that distributes electricity, food, PPE, and harm reduction supplies to unhoused and housing insecure residents of Little Tokyo in partnership with We the Unhoused. We support our neighbors with sweep defense and organize with the tenants at the Ozawa boarding house. Power up volunteer sign-up here. DM @JtownAction or email jtownaction.la@gmail.com to get in touch.
COLLECTING: Tents, blankets, hygiene supplies
WHEN: Power Up is every Saturday 2-5pm
WHERE: Half a block west of Toriumi Plaza / First and Judge Aiso St in Little Tokyo
$: Donate here, Venmo @JtownAction, or Paypal @JtownActSolid
WHO: MARS Collective
YOU HAVE: TIME MONEY
YOU NEED: ITEMS SERVICES
We are a collective of revolutionary minded queer folks working towards overdose prevention + harm reduction. We provide Narcan, fentanyl test strips, safe use supplies, and overdose trainings at various events + education on the concept of harm reduction thru a radical lens + are dedicated to taking an abolitionist, anti-racist, + anti-carceral approach to the overdose crisis. We’re always open to having volunteers help with harm reduction outreach and table w/ us at events.
WHEN: Check our IG for updates on upcoming events.
WHERE: LA and parts of SGV
$: Seeking funds for transportation + printing harm reduction lit. We operate out of pocket, so anything helps! Venmo @hotsauceandhoney w/ “mars collective” in the subject line or donate on GoFundMe to contribute to one of our organizer’s legal fees.
WHO: Farm2Power
YOU HAVE: TIME MONEY
YOU NEED: FOOD
A mutual aid org that utilizes funds to support community farms, uplift BIPOC farmers, + provide fresh produce to community members in LA who are in need of food support. We pay BIPOC farmers directly by purchasing produce boxes for distro (1 box = $25). Currently seeking new volunteer drivers (1 Sunday/month, delivering produce boxes) as well as core team members (1-4 hrs/wk, planning for pantries + events).
WHEN: Pantries are once/month, usually the last Sunday (morning/early afternoon) + meetings for team members are Monday nights.
WHERE: Koreatown and Compton ← volunteer driver produce pick-up spots
$: Venmo @farm2power or Givebutter (givebutter.com/f2p)
WHO: Solidarity and Snacks
YOU HAVE: TIME MONEY
YOU NEED: ITEMS
Solidarity and Snacks is a mutual aid affinity group that does radically consistent outreach twice a week in downtown LA. We set up resource hubs at the same place at the same time every week & serve over 200 people food, beverages, & survival supplies. We’ve distributed for 188 straight weeks.
WHEN: We have a variety show fundraiser and silent auction on March 7th. Doors @ 6pm show @ 7pm.
WHERE: Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park
$: Buy fundraiser tickets, take place in our online silent auction, Patreon, and Venmo!
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