side menu icon

Girl Scouts River Valleys Takes Action


Girl Scouts River Valleys

At Girl Scouts, we seek to instill in girls the fundamental values of respect for all, inclusivity, equity, and the belief that injustice anywhere is a slight to justice everywhere. Read Girl Scouts of the USA statement in support of Black Lives Matter.

For more than 100 years, we have prepared girls to be leaders in our world, to speak up, speak out, and take action for fairness, equality, civility, and compassion for all people, and to arm them with the courage, confidence, and character they need to make our world a better place. Girl Scouts will always stand for justice, for respect, and for the inherent value and worth of each individual who makes up the beautiful and richly diverse tapestry of the United States.

There are multiple actions we can all take right now. Girl Scouts River Valleys is providing a list of resources and organizations to help you get involved:

  • Donate to the George Floyd Memorial Fund
  • Assist with urgent community, school, and rebuilding needs
  • Donate to justice organizations and protest support groups
  • Learn about anti-racism and how to talk with children about race in classrooms and beyond

Please let us know about organizations or resources you would like to see included. We will continue to update this list as we are able, but know that needs are changing quickly. Links to the planning groups or organizations have been provided. Please confirm with those groups before proceeding.

Thank you for your determination to lead every day and to inspire girls to be leaders and advocates for the issues and ideas important to them.

 

George Floyd Memorial Fund

 

Justice Organizations

  • Reclaim the Block - Organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that promote community health and safety.
  • Black Visions Collective - A Black-led, Queer and Trans centering organization whose mission is to organize powerful, connected Black communities and dismantle systems of violence.

Protester Support

  • Minnesota Freedom Fund - has announced that their need has been met and are directing folks to other organizations to donate.
  • North Star Health Collective - has announced that their need has been met and are directing folks to other organizations to donate

Community Support

  • Twin Cities Mutual Aid Project
  • Support the Cities - Facebook page that collects opportunities.
  • Urban Ventures (Minneapolis)
    • They are collecting food and essential items, as well as supplies for children (books, legos, art supplies, pretend play items, yard toys). If you are purchasing books, please consider buying titles that feature diverse protagonists, as kids relate most to characters who look like them. Bonus points for Spanish or Somali-language and bilingual books.
    • They are also buying gift cards from local businesses and distributing them to families living in the community, in addition to creating a fund to assist small business owners with insurance deductibles and/or expenses not covered by their insurance policies.
    • Visit  to contribute or sign up to receive more information about service opportunities.
  • Black Trans Community - Actions and resources for solidarity.
  • Little Earth Residents Association - Food and safety needs for residents of Little Earth of United Tribes.
  • Holy Trinity Church Minneapolis - Collecting food, first aid, and health supplies. Needs donations and volunteers.
  • Sanctuary Covenant Church - 2018 Aldrich Ave. N., Minneapolis 55411
    • They are distributing essential supplies to residents of North Minneapolis. Urgent need for toilet paper, diapers, baby formula, baby wipes, bar soap, toothpaste/toothbrushes, and cleaning supplies.
    • Accepting donations and need volunteers Fridays, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
    • Curbside drop-off available.
  • Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf - St. Paul’s historically Black Rondo neighborhood.
  • YMCA
    • Collecting monetary donations that go towards funding:
      • Providing priority child care and financial assistance to emergency and essential workers.
      • Food distribution for youth, families, and seniors.
      • Telephone wellness checks to senior members sharing resources to stay healthy and safe.
      • Connecting people to critical governmental and nonprofit community services.
  • YWCA Midtown
  • YWCA Saint Paul
    • Collecting monetary donations that go towards funding:
      • Programs addressing racial inequities in housing, employment, and youth development.
      • Priority child care and financial assistance to emergency and essential workers.
      • Food distribution for youth, families, and seniors.
      • Telephone wellness checks to senior members sharing resources to stay healthy and safe.
      • Connecting people to critical governmental and nonprofit community services.
  • Healing Justice Foundation - Will be providing free mental health resources.
  • Minnesota Healing Justice Network - Supportive professional community and mutual aid network for wellness and healing justice practitioners who also identify as BIPOC (black, indigenous, or people of color).
  • Touchstone Mental Health - Nonprofit providing support people as they recover from mental illness and learn the skills to live a full, healthy life.
  • Women for Political Change - Holistically invests in the leadership and political power of young women, trans, and non-binary individuals throughout Minnesota.
  • Twin Cities Diaper Drive - Allows supporters to donate to parents and babies affected in Minnesota.

Rebuilding Funds

Community Organizations

  • BIPOC Owned Businesses
  • Migizi - An organization for Native American youth. Their building was damaged in the fires.
  • Juxtaposition Arts - A Black-owned, arts-based non-profit for youth, located in North Minneapolis (Black community) that was broken into.
  • Black Immigrant Collective - Amplifies and makes visible the voices of black immigrants in Minnesota.
  • Black Table Arts - Gathering black communities, through the arts, towards better futures.
  • Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha - Worker-led organization; workers organize, educate, and empower each other to fight for a voice in their workplaces and in their communities.

Resources for Children

Anti-Racism Resources for White People

Resources for White Parents to Raise Anti-Racist Children:

  • EmbraceRace - shares topics, resources, webinars, and curated links about Race in the U.S.

Books:

Podcasts:

Articles:

The Conscious Kid: follow them on Instagram and consider signing up for their Patreon

Articles to Read

Videos to Watch

Podcasts to Subscribe to

Books to Read

Films and TV Series to Watch

  • 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
  • American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
  • Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent
  • Blindspotting (Carlos López Estrada) — Hulu with Cinemax or available to rent
  • Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent
  • Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
  • Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
  • I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin documentry) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
  • Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent for free in June in the U.S.
  • King In The Wilderness  — HBO
  • See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
  • Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Free to watch online in June or free with Amazon Prime
  • The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent
  • The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
  • When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

Organizations to Follow on Social Media

More Anti-Racism Resources to Check Out