From anxiety to action.
A decision to take deliberate and intentional steps.
By now, you’ve probably seen or heard about the situation evolving in Minneapolis this week.
On the morning of February 7th, Jonathan Ross, an ICE agent, shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. In a country seemingly defined by gun violence, what has made this death all the more troubling is how the Trump administration has spun the narrative in the hours and days afterward.
Good’s body is barely cold, yet some Republicans are already using this as an opportunity to go after their favorite boogeyman, the “radical left.” Just hours after the shooting, President Donald Trump described a “vicious situation,” despite multiple videos from the scene showing otherwise. During a press conference on Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance went further, calling the media coverage pushing back on this framing an “absolute disgrace” and that Good’s death was a “tragedy of her own making.”
This isn’t the first time the administration has defended the violent actions of immigration agents. Over the last year, four other people have lost their lives. Good isn’t even the first person agents have shot at while in a car. Back in October, during “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, 30-year-old Marimar Martinez was also shot multiple times by Border Patrol agents. Martinez survived but was charged with using her car to “assault and impede federal law enforcement” by the Justice Department.
While the case in Chicago was ultimately dropped, Minneapolis represents the latest escalation by the Trump administration to silence dissent, transforming peaceful protests into supposed acts of domestic terrorism.
As of a September executive order, antifa - defined here as “a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law” - is now an official terrorist group. Never mind the fact that antifa is more of an ideology than a coordinated movement with known leaders, unlike the Proud Boys. Never mind the fact that there are actual coordinated movements seeking to overthrow the government, including the very groups that stormed the Capitol five years ago to stop the certification of the election, only to receive blanket pardons on Trump’s first day back in office.
We are barely a week into 2026, and I can already sense the exhaustion from some - at this point in the post, I imagine many have already stopped reading. Yet this disengagement and lack of interest are exactly why this administration continues its anti-democratic actions. We have collectively lost our sense of agency, buying into the nihilistic narrative that the actions of one person will have little to no impact.
I had originally set out to write about something completely different this week - a survey of contemporary Black art in New York City - but instead feel as though it’s important to build from last week’s post: where do we go from here? Rather than remain in the conceptual, I’d like to offer a few actionable steps I am taking and have implemented in my life over the last year.
Attend a ‘Know Your Rights’ training.
As we continue to see federal immigration agents descend on cities, making sure you understand your legal rights might just save you or a neighbor. The 4th Amendment of the Constitution protects against search, seizure, and arrest without probable cause. It does not permit the police or ICE to enter homes without judicial warrants or consent. Sometimes ICE will use an “administrative warrant,” which is signed by an agent or supervisor, not a judge. This is not legal. Do not let them in.
These trainings cover other tips, like reporting sightings to a local ICE watch group, and are typically organized by local nonprofits, immigrant rights organizations, or other community groups. You can find these events in your city by searching on Instagram, TikTok, or bulletin boards in spaces like libraries, cafes, and bars.
While NYC-specific, if you’re not able to find one in your community, former Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine’s office shared a virtual training last summer that provides some good information.
Hope for the best - but plan for the worst.
No, this doesn’t mean you need to go full “prepper,” but that also doesn’t mean you should FAFO either. Your blase attitude is cute until you’re scrambling during the next LA wildfire or Hurricane Sandy. Making sure you have some basic supplies that reflect the potential disasters in your community is simply the responsible thing to do. At a bare minimum, make sure you have a first aid kit in your home and know where your important documents are. I would also recommend identifying a specific meet-up location, either with your partner, family members, and/or a group of trusted friends.
If you’re curious about where to get started, resources I recommend include the Red Cross Preparedness Checklist and your local Office of Emergency Management (NYC has a great overview).
Conscious consumption.
As a consumer in a capitalist economy, one of the few areas where you have some power is where you spend your money. This is why the boycott, like “don’t buy where you can’t work” or contemporary efforts like the BDS Movement, can become successful tools for raising awareness. As we see with the ongoing Target boycott, these micro decisions can have an outsized impact. In 2026, I will be more discerning with where and how I am purchasing goods. For me, that has meant finally leaving Spotify and transferring over to Qobuz.
Part of conscious consumption is also around my media habits. Rather than doomscrolling throughout the day, I subscribe to several newsletters that go to a specific email just for my news. I check this inbox 2-3 times a day, typically no more than 15 minutes at a time. These are the ones I regularly read:
States Newsroom (my favorite) - Collection of nonprofit newsrooms reporting out all 50 state capitals plus DC; great for a high-level snapshot of what’s happening across the country
Politico - Good for understanding top national and international stories from a “centrist” perspective
Mother Jones - An added layer of national coverage that aligns more closely with my personal politics
Semafor - Another aggregator of top national and international stories; also read their D.C.-specific newsletter
Daily Deduction - Tax/finance policy analysis out of the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution; very in the weeds but good for having a sense of how lawmakers are thinking or voting on legislation
Other sites I semi-regularly view for news and media include: 404 Media, The Guardian, NY Magazine. I also have current subscriptions to print editions of the New Yorker, Harper’s, Mother Jones, and will not be renewing my subscription to the Atlantic.
Prioritize time for joy - both alone and with others.
In this time of darkness, it can feel so easy to sit in the murkiness and become bogged down with the news. It’s important to stay aware, but also make sure you’re carving out space to laugh and find small pockets of light. Don’t lose sight of the things that keep you feeling grounded and connected.
I’m regularly talking with loved ones on the phone throughout the week, making plans to socialize with friends a few times a week, and also enjoying moments of inner solitude or reflection, like this week’s gallery walk that I’m excited to share next week.
currently –
reading
The School for Good Mothers (Jessamine Chan) - In a dystopian world, negligent parents must complete a year-long reform program or else risk losing their children. I’m currently going through my personal library, revisiting books to decide whether I want to donate or hold onto them. This one’s a keeper.
Jordan Casteel monograph - Coming to a deeper appreciation for this contemporary artist through this recent Phaidon monograph, which features reproductions of her work throughout her career, alongside an interview with the artist and essays.
Forgotten Lands, Issue 7: Poetics of Architecture - Slowly making my way through this gorgeously edited collection of art essays and commentary that focuses on Caribbean art and dialogue.
watching
I Love LA - Lowkey expected to hate this but binged over the holiday and it surprised me. One of my favorite episodes was episode 3, “Girls Girl,” which was written by novelist Jean Kyoung Frazier; I loved her debut novel, “Pizza Girl.” This felt like the right balance of social commentary and pure laughs.
eating
Heyday Canning Co - This is an upcoming brand that is attempting to reinvent canned beans and soup; seriously obsessed. Their canned beans come pre-sauced, which makes for an elevated lazy girl dinner. At this point, I’ve tried almost their entire product line. Standouts include the cannellini beans in a pasta alla vodka sauce (great with some crusty bread and cheese) and a black bean, sweet potato soup.
See you next week, where I’ll talk about the contemporary Black art scene in New York, as well as some initial thoughts heading into the upcoming exhibition season from some major museums and galleries.
xx,
kayla