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Havdalah #67: Picket and Rally TODAY, Stop ICE Terror!

Havdalah #67: Picket and Rally TODAY, Stop ICE Terror!

7 Shevat, 5786 / January 24, 2026

White Rose RI
January 24, 2026

White text on black backgound that says "We are your bad conscience. We will not leave you peace."

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Hello all, and welcome to Havdalah #67 —

We’re writing this a few hours after ICE executed another person in the street in Minneapolis. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a registered nurse, was tackled to the ground and beaten by more than half a dozen ICE agents. Then, while he was prone, they shot him eight times.

Almost immediately, community members were on the scene, and were then tear gassed by feds. As of this writing, Minneapolis is resisting, as they always have.

Yesterday, the city engaged in the first general strike in living memory. Hundreds of thousands were in the streets in an astonishing demonstration of love and anger — love for its immigrants, for Renee Good, for their city, and anger toward ICE’s occupation of their home. Temperatures were in the -20s, but it did not seem to depress turnout.

It’s hard to not see this murder as punishment for the city’s refusal to bend the knee.

In little more than an hour, Rhode Islanders will take to the streets too. Information is included below, in What’s On. If you can go, do so. Keep each other safe, and stay dangerous.

Goodnight, and mind how you go —

Katherine (she / her), Lee (they / she), James (come back with a warrant)

PS: We’d like to hear from you! Let us know how we’re doing!

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From PVD to MPLS: STOP ICE TERROR! Expand the General Strike!

When: Today, Sunday, January 24, 4:30pm
Where: 380 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903
EMERGENCY PICKET AND RALLY TODAY IN PROVIDENCE!
Hours ago, Federal Agents killed another person in Minneapolis. This comes after a massive day of action where hundreds of thousands took the streets in Minnesota and around the country to rise up against ICE terror.
We cannot let ICE kill more people with impunity. We demand an end to ICE terror now.
Instagram Post for Rally

CARI: Make Polluters Pay — Rhode Island Action Hour

When: Originally Monday, January 26, currently rescheduled due to snow — check out the event page for updates if you’re interested!
Where: Farm Fresh RI, 10 Sims Avenue Providence RI 02909
For too long, fossil fuel companies have made record profits while our communities pay the price for climate disasters. As extreme weather becomes more destructive and more expensive, it’s time to change that.
Join CARI during Make Polluters Pay Week for a fun, informative, and action-oriented event launching support for the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026 (S2024/H7004)— a bill that would require major fossil fuel polluters to help cover the costs of climate damages and invest in the infrastructure our communities need to prepare for what’s ahead.
What to expect:
- Presentation + Q&A with Sen. Linda Ujifusa and Rep. Jennifer Boylan — the Rhode Island State legislators who introduced the bill.
- Introductory remarks by Aaron Regunberg, the director of Public Citizen’s Climate Accountability Project, where he leads Public Citizen’s efforts to hold Big Oil companies legally accountable for their climate crimes.
- A RI Superfund Bill support petition launch
- Free pizza (including vegan options)
- “Make Polluters Pay” T-shirts and posters
- A Climate Action Postcards activity
- Clear next steps to keep building momentum after the event — including shareable explainers, testimony guidance, and tools to take action.
Learn more about Climate Superfund Bills with this guide and this overview by Make Polluters Pay!
Hosted by Climate Action Rhode Island, Rhode Island Citizens Climate Lobby, Environment Council of Rhode Island, and Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition. Make Polluters Pay Week sponsored by Fossil Free Media, Climate Defenders, and Food & Water Watch.
They are monitoring the progress of the winter storm and will email RSVPs 24 hours out if we need to reschedule!
This event is accessible.
CARI Make Polluters Pay Event Page

The Womxn Project: Voting Rights Act Postcard Campaign

When: ongoing
RI Voting Rights Act Postcard Campaign is simple: TWP collects postcards from Rhode Islanders asking Representatives and Senators to protect the voting rights that matter most to them. Then TWP staff will hand-deliver these cards to the State House until the mailboxes can’t hold any more.
Grab a pair of postcards from any of the Drop Off Locations on the event page or print your own from that page. The lighter-colored one is for your Representative and the darker is for your Senator. Fill out the front of each postcard with the rights that matter most to you and the back with your information. Don't know who your Representative of Senator is? Leave it blank- TWP'll get it to the right place!
Voting Right Act Postcard Campaign Event Page

ACLU Rights Explainers

When: Up now
Where: Online
The ACLU released two updated versions of their explainers about your rights when interacting with immigration agents (ICE) or the police. They have them available in 10 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean, Haitian Creole, French, Swahili, Dari, Pashto, and Khmer.
Read and save this material – regardless of your own immigration status – and send to friends and family! Click the link below and scroll to the bottom of the page to download PDFs that you can print, plus the ACLU posted on all their social media platforms (@riaclu) if you want to save and share online.
If you have a specific way to distribute larger numbers of the paper copies, please email the RI ACLU at [email protected] or call them at 401-831-7171. They have a limited supply printed, but will provide as many as they are able.
ACLU Rights Explainers

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The People’s Forum: Hidden Histories of Rebellion in the United States Seminar Series

When: Tuesdays, January 27-March 17, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Online (recordings will be made available) and The People’s Forum, 320 West 37st Street, New York, NY 10018
PSL is inviting people to join them in taking Hidden Histories of Rebellion in the United States, an 8-week seminar series hosted by The People's Forum. This critical series will run from January 27 to March 17, meeting once a week every Tuesday.
What stories will this series tell?
- The Battle for History: Why Trump wants to Erase the Past
- Fire in the Fields: Black-Indigenous Alliance Against Slavery
- When Texas Enslaved and Mexico Liberated: The Southbound Underground Railroad
- Stop the Trains, Shake the Nation: The Railroad Strike of 1877
- Rural Revolt Against War: The Green Corn Rebellion (1917)
- The Army That Turned on the War: GI Resistance in Vietnam
- Organizing on the Inside: Women's Prison Rebellions 1974-2011
- The Fight Continues: Uprisings of Our Time
WHAT IS THIS SERIES? Weekly seminars featuring discussion, historical study, and collective learning. A chance to connect with others, explore hidden histories, debate their meaning, and understand how these stories empower our organizing today.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? This series is open to everyone from all backgrounds, experiences, and locations! Whether you are new to studying history or are already engaged in movement work, you are encouraged to sign up and bring your friends, coworkers, and family to study.
Don’t worry if you can’t make the time, if you register you will receive all recordings and materials!
People’s Forum Seminar registration page

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Ahlquist Family Fundraiser

Taken from their fundraising page:

As you may have noticed, this newsletter uses quite a lot of reporting from Steve Ahlquist [ed: our beloved] and his Substack. Sadly, a few weeks ago, his wife, Kathy, passed away. She was an absolutely incredible and loving human, and her very being was an inspiration to everyone she knew. She will be incredibly missed.

With Kathy’s passing, the daycare that she operated out of her home has closed. The daycare was a main source of income for their family and with its absence comes financial obstacles moving forward.

If you know Ayla (Steve and Kathy’s daughter) and Steve, you know how much time and energy they put towards making sure folks feel loved, cared for, and supported. The entire Ahlquist family lives by these values, and this is one of the many reasons why they’re such an inspirational and beloved group of people.

A GoFundMe has been created for their daughter and their family, and any donation is greatly appreciated to help the Ahlquists cover some costs during this difficult time.

Thank you!

Ahlquist Family GoFundMe Page