I created a video of my poem “Not the Intended Target” interspersed with photos by Marilyn Humphries, a professional photographer who has been documenting protests against ICE and this administration. (My profile picture is one of her photos.)

Please share.

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Below, I’ve added the slides that did not make it into the final video. They add additional information relevant to the issues of immigrants and those who have been harmed by ICE/CBP/DHS abuses.

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Joan Sebastian Guerrero
Lies dead on the sidewalk.
Killed by ICE.
He was not the intended target.
7/13/2026

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo
Lies dead on the street.
Killed by ICE.
He was not the intended target.
7/7/2026 

Renee Nicole Good
Lies dead in the driver’s seat.
Killed by ICE.
Surely, she, a US citizen, was
Not an intended target.
1/7/2026

Alex Jeffrey Pretti
A US citizen. A Helper.
Shot 10 times.
Killed by CBP.
Was he an intended target?
1/24/2026

Silverio Villegas Gonzalez
Shot and killed by ICE
During a traffic stop
Just after he dropped his kids off at school.
9/12/2025

Ruben Ray Martinez
US Citizen
Killed by ICE HSI agent 3/15/2025. 
His death remained hidden
Until February 2026.

Not the intended targets,
Yet executed on our streets.

‘Weaponized their vehicles,’
‘Rammed ICE cars,’
‘Hit and dragged the officer,’
DHS repeatedly claimed.

‘Video evidence contradicts that claim.’
Evidence was ‘materially inconsistent with the allegations.’
‘Bodycam footage shows this account to be false.’
The facts repeatedly demonstrated.

DHS lies.
CBP kills.
ICE murders.

Mothers, Fathers
Husbands, Wives
Family, Neighbors.

Joan, Lorenzo, Renee,
26, 52, 37 years old, respectively.
Alex, Silverio, Ruben,
37, 38, 23 years old, respectively.

Not the intended targets
But bullets hit their bodies.

No one checked for a pulse.
Medical aid was delayed.

Blood flowed on the streets
And dried.

“This is blood.”
Written on the pavement
As witness 
To the death.

Then the official statement,
‘They were not the intended target.’

Oh, how I wish that disclosure
Could magically, miraculously  
Bring them back to life. 


By Laura Barrett Geggis
7/17/2026
© Laura Barrett Geggis

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I want to live in a cabin in the woods.

One with a large picture window 
Overlooking a spring-fed pond
And a babbling brook. 

Where there is a chair for reading, 
A stool for weaving, 
And a desk for writing.

I want to live in a cabin in the woods.

With the morning birdsong 
As my wakeup call,
And a chorus of tree frogs 
As my nighttime lullaby.

With visits from hummingbirds, 
Cardinals, turkeys, and deer,
And, occasionally, I can reach out my window
To pet a moose.

I want to live in a cabin in the woods.

Where mountain laurel petals are
Sprinkled along the mossy paths
And fragrant milkweed blossoms
Attract floating Monarch butterflies.

Where cascading branches of
Bridal-wreath bushes
Create secret hidden dens
For foxes or fairies.

I would like to live in a cabin in the woods.

Surrounded by flowers
Transplanted from old homesteads
And filled with treasured heirlooms
Passed down through the family.

Where favorite foods,
Like maple syrup and ice cream,
Evoke sweet memories 
Of loved ones now gone.

I would like to live in a cabin in the woods.

Where the heat of summer
Is cooled by breezes flowing
Down the mountains 
And over the water.

And where winter cold is 
Warmed by an antique cast-iron stove
And a pot of simmering stew.

I imagine living in a cabin in the woods.

A welcoming home
Of cozy seclusion,
And quiet peaceful reflection.
A refuge for solitary contemplation.

A loving abode 
To share a confidential cup of tea
And to celebrate life’s milestones 
With family and friends.

I dream of living in a cabin in the woods.

A sacred sanctuary 
Where chaos and cruelty are denied entry
And harsh reality can 
Temporarily be suspended.

But right now, I need to Be Here
Where there is work to be done,
People to help,
And kindness to spread.

So, for now, 
This dream is on hold, 
But someday I hope
I will live in a cabin in the woods.

By Laura Barrett Geggis
© Laura Barrett Geggis

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I can recall the celebrations of the bicentennial – the excitement, the events, and the joy that unified our country. This semiquincentennial is the antithesis of those commemorations – the co-opting of events, making it all about one tyrant, not about all of us. Not about our country, our history, or We the People.

Yet, our country is founded on We the People, the consent of the governed. It is established on a rejection of tyranny and kings.

So, as we move forward – to this milestone anniversary tomorrow and onward to the next 250 years of our democracy – let us re-commit ourselves to our founding ideals that All are created equal and have the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

I am resharing this poem I wrote 1 ½ years ago. It still resonates today.

Never forget – the People have the Power. We will persevere.

We The People

I am Brokenhearted
Filled with Fear
Crushed with Exhaustion

And Yet….
I am Gathering my Peace
Collecting my Strength
Preparing my Resistance

I am Sitting in Silence
Gathering in Community
Listening. And Speaking Out.

Then, Together…
We will Rise
To Resist
To Fight

History has Chosen Us
We are Warriors
Made for this Moment

We will Not Obey the Authoritarian
We will Not Give Away our Power 
We Will Fight for Our Rights 

We will Persist
We will Persevere
We will Overcome 

We will Defeat this Threat 
And Preserve Our Democracy

Because… 
We ARE the People

By Laura Barrett Geggis
November 5, 2024
© Laura Barrett Geggis

Speakers spoke of the meaning and purpose of Juneteenth, the necessity of working to combat the racism that continues to exist, and the importance of looking at past practices and determining if they are contributing to systemic racism.

One person spoke about the history of Juneteenth: On June 19, 1865, after the end of the Civil War, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed the 250,000 enslaved people that they were free. Then, she spoke a truth that I had not considered before – while it was news to the enslaved Blacks, it was not news to the Whites. The knowledge of freedom had been purposely kept from and denied to those who were forced to live in slavery.

When it was my turn to speak, I began by reading excerpts from a Langston Hughes poem that was originally written in 1935. These words, written over 90 years ago, resonate with relevance today.

Excerpts from a Langston Hughes poem originally written in 1935.

Let America Be America Again
By Langston Hughes

Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
 
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
 
Let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
 
I am the poor white, the Negro, the Native, 
the immigrant clutching the hope I seek—
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
 
I am the young, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!
 
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
Who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home—
To build a "homeland of the free."
 
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
 
Let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where everyone is free.

^{(Full text of the poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/147907/let-america-be-america-again)}

I continued speaking:

America has never been perfect. For all our history, there have been people who have been marginalized and excluded.

Yet, our Constitution begins with: “In order to form a more perfect union”

This is a call to us to continue to work towards a more perfect country – one that is more inclusive and extends freedom to everyone.

Immediately after it says, “In order to form a more perfect union”, the Constitution says “We the People”

Because that is where the power rests. The power to change and improve our communities and our country comes from the people.

We have an obligation to make this world and our country a better place for each succeeding generation. Our better angels recommend this; our Constitution mandates it.

The fight for freedom and equality continues – now more than ever.

Each of us must do our part to extend the promises of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all.

Happy Juneteenth! May you join in the efforts to expand freedom and equality.

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Happy 1 year anniversary!

This weekend, we celebrate one year of weekly protests in both Topsfield and Middleton, two Red small towns in a Blue state.

It has been quite a year.

We’ve been called names and yelled at. One of our favorites is the frequently-shouted nonsensical insult “get a job!” – thrown at retirees and others who don’t work on the weekends. Another goodie is the ridiculous accusations that we are paid protesters. Honestly, if that were so, we’d be wealthy now – but, alas, we’re still waiting for these mythical checks to arrive. No, we do this for free – it is our commitment to community and country. We’ve learned to respond with a smile and shout, “have a nice day!”, “drive carefully!”, and “god bless!”

We’ve faced some interesting challenges. The two aggressive teenagers on dirt bikes who tried to bully us, the local self-professed MAGA instigator who confronted us and filmed us for social media, and the young man who counter protested last summer and continues to stop by repeatedly – no longer carrying his Trump flag but always curious about our signs. We’ve learned to de-escalate and even find common ground with these politically polar opposites.

We’ve laughed and had fun, wearing Halloween costumes in October, multi-colored Santa hats in December, and anniversary party hats this weekend. We’ve belted out the choruses of our favorite protest songs – “The People Have the Power!” by Patti Smith and others. We’ve attempted line dancing up and down the protest line (and I’m determined that we will succeed eventually!). We’ve learned to celebrate the increase in support we’ve seen over time.

We have made a difference in our small-town communities.

We have weathered a lot together. We have shown up on the high humidity 90+ degree days with the sun blazing down on us. We have stood out on raw, rainy days with winds so strong that we struggle to hold onto our signs. We have even gone out in the snow and ice on the freezing 12-degree days of winter. (I vowed that I would not stand out in the winter cold, but I did – and so did you.) We learned how many layers were needed and when to add hand warmers to our mittens.

Through all kinds of weather, we’ve stood on the side of the road, dancing and singing along to our Family Friendly Protest Playlist, having fun, and getting to know one another.

And that brings me to the best part of this past year: Each and every one of you.

A year ago, we were strangers and acquaintances. Now, you are treasured friends. We have built relationships and community. You have been kind and supportive and generous. I trust you with my life.

We have each other’s back – literally as well as figuratively. You made sure I was not alone when I approached counter protesters. We’ve encountered stressful situations and worked together to resolve them. When we hosted our No Kings protests, people stepped in to help as if we had been doing this as a team for years. I am in awe of how far we have come in just one year.

I never imagined that I would be standing on the side of a road, getting honked at, and having a great time – but I can’ imagine doing it with anyone other than Our Community. You are the best!!!!

With deep gratitude, I want to say ‘thank you’ for a terrific year.

With love, Laura

Now, on to year two…

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As we all try to manage the constant chaos and cruelty coming from this administration, and the feeling that each day our nation is being governed by dementia, our everyday lives go on.

Work, family, organizing, and weaving have taken up my time. The group I started organized a successful candidates night, hosted 3 No Kings events over the weekend of March 27-28 with about 300 participants, navigated new issues with counter protesters, met with town officials and with local faith-based leaders, and so much more.

Since my last post, my granddaughter turned six months old, has been babbling up a storm, blowing raspberries (especially to her grandpa) and beginning to crawl!

So, instead of poetry or prose, I’ve decided to share some of my weaving projects.

“Flowing Water”

I wanted to evoke the spirit of water rippling down a river.

Gently flowing water can be meditative and healing. I wanted to weave love, healing, and peacefulness into this scarf for a friend going through health challenges.

As I wove, I kept thinking, just ‘go with the flow.’

I reflected upon times when life presents overwhelming challenges and difficult journeys, we just have to ‘go with the flow.’

Interestingly, this piece had a number of issues – from warp thread breaking to pattern re-designs. It was unusually challenging.

I had to keep telling myself, just ‘go with the flow.’ It became a mantra that was woven into the cloth.

Other recent projects:

Placemats and napkins

Curtains

Rainbow bookmarks for Pride

The Decrees of Dear Leader:

You will believe what We say. 
You will think what We tell you to think. 
You will not question Our authority. 

We will criminalize 
What you see, what you hear, what you say,
What you record, what you witness.

We will surveil you 
And entrap you.

We will indoctrinate you with cruelty and hatred
So we can commit Our inhumane atrocities. 

Our artificial intelligence will replace reasoned intellect. 
Your ignorance will be our strength.

We will manipulate the algorithms and the information you ingest.
Our false narratives will assail the Truth. 

You will trust Our Lies, not what you see with your eyes. 
You will Obediently accept our pronouncements, unquestioningly.

We will spew ‘word salads’ to overwhelm you
   Where ‘transparency’ is code for ‘cover up’
   Where ‘voter fraud’ is an excuse for ‘voter suppression’
   Where ‘fully exonerated’ actually means ‘undeniably guilty’

We will direct Our Secret Police to attack peaceful protesters 
While we pardon Our violent insurrectionists for their ‘patriotism.’

We will declare we are upholding the ‘rule of law’ 
As we violate the Constitution.

We will proclaim Our absolute Freedom of Speech and Religion
While suppressing Your 1st Amendment rights
And we will Silence the nonconforming Press. 

We will insist on Our rights to stockpile military weapons,
But will abuse the man who peaceably protests with a legal permit to carry.

We will falsely accuse and prosecute you.
We will lock you up without Due Process.

If you challenge us, 
We will add you to our Domestic Terrorist Database. 
If you criticize us, 
We will come after you with the full force of our Department of (In)Justice. 
If you get in our way, 
We will kill you.

We will crush all dissent.
We will make you conform.
You will bow down. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The Message was delivered.

The People heard and understood the threats
   To their safety and 
   To their way of life.

They assessed the risks –
   Loss of Truth
   Loss of Independence 
   Loss of Freedom
   And Loss of a Future for their children and grandchildren

A choice was Required.
   A political choice between Autonomy or Tyranny
   A moral choice between Right or Wrong
   An ethical choice between Human Dignity and Inhumane Treatment
   A values choice between Caring for your Neighbor or Looking Away as they are                      deliberately hurt 

So the People chose.

They rejected the Decrees.
They refused to cower.

They had lived too long in the
Land of the Free and
Home of the Brave.

Freedom was their sustenance.
Courage was their support.

They chose to claim their Power
From the dust of Tyranny and Treason.

The People
   Organized 
   Boycotted
   Protested

The People
   Stood Up
   Spoke Out
   RESISTED

The People 
   Persisted
   Persevered
   And were Powerful!

And the Dear Leader
Cowered before the People

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To our soldiers – 
Our sons and daughters,
Our nieces and nephews,
Our extended family 
United across our States:

When you are deployed,
Not to a foreign battlefield,
But to our domestic cities,
I pray for you.

I pray you understand 
This could be your hometown.

And I pray you remember
This is our home
Where once we felt safe.

Although you are trained in warfare
And weaponry
I pray you don’t forget that you are also
Trained to protect us All.

I pray you recall your oath
To serve our country and its People
And to defend the Constitution 
From all enemies foreign and domestic.

And I pray you don’t assume
That we, your neighbors, are the enemy.

Like you, we want to 
Protect our country,
Land that we love,
Home of the Free.

Like you, we are 
Defending the Constitution,
Standing up for 
Freedom and Liberty for all.

So, when you are deployed
To our streets,
In front of our homes, businesses,
And our children’s schools

When you see the crowds 
Of our protestors assembled, 
Exercising our First Amendment rights,

I pray you look carefully 
Into our faces:

Do you see your sisters 
And brothers in the crowd?
Do you see your cousins?
Your aunties and uncles?

And those older women over there,
Could one of them be your 
Beloved Grandma?

I pray you see Your Loved Ones
In the faces of the scared but 
Courageous protesters.

I pray you recognize
Our shared mission to
Preserve our threatened Democracy. 

And when the time comes,
I pray you will refuse 
The order
To shoot.


Copyright 2026 LBG

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This poem came tumbling out of this emotional turmoil. I am sharing it because I suspect you are feeling much the same. And in these very difficult days, I want to remind all of us that we are here to support each other.

Remind Me

When there is so much coming at us
And every time we try to take a break,
        There is another email or text that must be immediately answered.
        There is another crisis to absorb, react to, and process.

When it is all so overwhelming

Remind me
To breathe

Remind me
To eat, to sleep

Remind me
To step away
And pause

Remind me
Because it is hard to remind myself

When I feel like I am not doing enough
When it feels like there is SO much more that needs to be done

When people are hurting and grief is all consuming
And all I want to do is answer the need

Remind me
I don’t have to do it all 

Remind me 
That you are here too

Remind me 
That we are in this together

Remind me
And I, in turn, will remind you


Copyright 2026 LBG

At the end of the vigil, I wanted to send both a message of hope - and of fight - the need to get engaged, to step up. This is my closing speech.

I have added an audio file as well.

Closing the Vigil for Our Country

250 years ago, in 1776, our ancestors stood up and said “No Kings!”
In the 1940s, our parents and grandparents fought to save the world from fascism.
In 2026, it is our turn to step up and meet this moment in history.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. We have to be on the playing field, working as a team, if we want to move the ball down the field towards the goal.

For our democracy to survive this year, everyone will need to participate.

You can’t sit back and hope someone else fixes this for you.

2026 is going to require all Hands on Deck. 

There is no promise we will have free and fair elections in November. We need to work now to ensure secure elections.

There is no guarantee our democracy will survive this year – 
Unless…
•	We speak out in Truth to Silence the Propaganda and Lies. 
•	We hold government officials accountable to the Law and the Constitution
•	We resist the authoritarian takeover of Our Country

It feels like a lot
But we don’t have to do it all alone
We just have to do it together

We will Gather in Community
We Will Fight for Our Rights 
We will Not Give Away our Power 

We will Persist
We will Persevere
We will Overcome 

We will Defeat this Threat 
And Preserve Our Democracy

Because… 
We ARE the People
And in America, the People have the Power!

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The lineup of speakers included a minister, local politicians, organizers, and residents. I began the vigil by welcoming everyone. I then delivered the opening speech below.

I have added an audio file as well.

Opening the Vigil for Our Country

We are Gathering today in Peace and Love
Coming together in Community

To grieve.         
Mourning for Renee Nicole Good
And mourning for our country. 

The invasion of Venezuela
The threats to Greenland, Cuba, and Canada
The ongoing failure to release the Epstein files as required by law
The 5th Anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection
And the White House re-writing the history of that day

The killing of Renee Nicole Good
And the fabrication of defamatory lies about her
The ICE agents using chemical irritants on Minneapolis high school students as they left school 
The shooting by ICE of two people in Portland, OR.

All of this happened in just this past week
It’s a lot 
It is overwhelming

How are you doing?
How are you coping?
Are you holding loved ones a little tighter? 	I know I am.


Renee Nicole Good
Was a wife, a mother, and a daughter
We did not know her – 
Yet she was our sister – our friend – our neighbor

If you are a wife – or are married and have a wife – 
      You share a common relationship with Renee
If you are a mom, like Renee – 
      There is nothing you wouldn’t do to make this country better and safer for your babies
          or for your 6 year old
          your 12 year old
          your 15 year old
          or even your 37 year old
If you live in a quiet neighborhood, care about your neighbors, are a US Citizen – 
      You share a lot in common with Renee
If you are a human being – then you can identify with Renee
      All of us are endowed by our Creator with the intrinsic Rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.


We are so deeply affected by the killing of Renee
Because we can empathize with her – and with her family.

Her mom described her as the Kindest Person she ever knew
	And her wife said she Radiated Kindness
Imagine how painful it must be for her family – for her kids –
To hear the vicious lies that are being said about her

We must honor Renee by remembering her as her family knew her
In her memory, we should Spread Kindness

Then with love, we need to flood our country with Empathy.
      Contrary to what you may have heard recently,
      Empathy is not a Wasted Emotion
      Empathy is our Superpower

When we care about what happens to others
When we see the shared connections we have with our neighbors
When we insist on kindness, compassion, and human dignity
      They cannot get away with atrocities.

They want us to ignore the concentration-camp detention centers
They want us to sit idly by as they violate our 1st Amendment rights to free speech, the right to assemble, and freedom of religion
And as they deny our 4th amendment right to due process for All

But we will not ignore or sit idly by
We will Stand Up and Speak Out!
We will Do Something!
	To prevent harms to others
	And to save our democracy

It may not be comfortable
It may not be easy
But we will push back
	Because pushing back is the only thing that works
	To slow and eventually to stop the damage they are inflicting

Let us come together – as a community –
In peace and love – and with empathy
And let us take back our country from this nightmare

At the urging of our president, a mob of over 2000 rioters stormed our Capitol, attacking and beating the police who tried to defend the Capitol and the legislators within. Our president egged on the crowd – in his speech on the Ellipse and in his tweets as he sat in the White House watching the attack on TV for hours. He refused to call up the National Guard to protect the lawmakers and his own vice president.

The attackers brought weapons and a gallows with a noose on which they hoped to “hang Mike Pence,” hang Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and possibly other congressional leaders. Carrying Trump flags and American flags, they turned their flag poles into clubs with which to beat the police officers. They smashed doors and windows, and defiled our Capitol building with their defecation. They used chemical irritants and stun guns on those trying to defend our elected leaders. They savagely beat these police officers, causing permanent injuries, ending careers, and ending lives – 5 officers died as a result of these insurrectionist’s actions.

In the immediate aftermath of the insurrection, Republican lawmakers were outraged and withdrew their support of Donald Trump. Many said he should be held accountable. (Others hid their involvement in the failed conspiracy.)

He should have been held accountable. Fifteen hundred insurrectionist rioters were prosecuted for the attack. Yet the president and his co-conspirators were not. It was a failure of the Biden Department of Justice and of Attorney General Merrick Garland, who did not move immediately to arrest and prosecute those responsible. Justice delayed became justice denied.

Two years passed before Jack Smith was named Special Counsel to investigate the conspirators. This investigation “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power.” It was “sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial.” Trump knew that he had lost the 2020 election, that there was no widespread fraud, and that Biden had beat him, but he refused to accept those results.

“[Trump] then engaged in an unprecedented criminal effort to overturn the legitimate results of the election in order to retain power.”

Quotes from Jack Smith testimony released December 31, 2025 (New Year’s Eve)

Sources: PBS News report: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-jack-smiths-full-deposition-on-the-decision-to-indict-trump. Other selected video clips and the full video can be found online. A printed transcript can be found here: https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2025/12/Smith-Depo-Transcript_Redacted-w-Errata.pdf

We saw it with our own two eyes and heard it with our own ears. The attack. The violence.

But now a large segment of our country wants to pretend it never happened. Or choses to have amnesia.

In the immediate aftermath of the January 6^th Insurrection, the Trump propaganda machine went into overdrive, pushing a campaign of lies, re-writing history. Republicans invented ‘alternative facts’ to ignore the truth about January 6^th. And they once again gave their devoted support to a man who was responsible for the attempted overthrow our government. Today, on the 5^th anniversary, the White House put out a narrative that twists the facts to make the guilty look innocent and the innocent defenders to look guilty. They want to deceive us all.

We must not forget the Truth.

This attack and this deception is destroying our American representative democracy and replacing it with authoritarian rule.

Almost four years after the attempted overthrow of our government, too many chose to ignore or forget what had happened on January 6, 2021. And they reelected an insurrectionist.

This is as great a betrayal to our country as the attack on January 6^th. Why would any patriotic American have put our democracy at risk of failure by returning Trump to power? History has taught us what happens when a wannabe dictator returns to power after a failed coup. From Hitler in Germany to Chávez in Venezuela, we know the danger. From Hungary’s Orbán and Turkey’s Erdoğan, we are reminded that democracies can fail when dictators are democratically elected.

Instead of a failed democracy, I want our country to thrive. We need to move it towards a more perfect union and to be a land of freedom and opportunity for all.

I don’t want authoritarian rule telling me what I can say or think or do. I don’t want corruption and oligarchy destroying future opportunities for my children and grandchildren.

I want a country “of the people, for the people, and by the people” where we have a say in how we are governed.

Five years after the January 6^th Insurrection, we stand on precipice. Will our democracy survive 2026?

If our representative democracy is to prevail, then the Will of the People must be accepted. Yet, we cannot take it for granted that we will have free and fair elections in November. Efforts are already underway to rig the elections for a predetermined outcome to keep Republicans in power.

We need to start working now to secure the elections. We must elect leaders who will represent us. We have to stand up daily for our freedoms and our rights. We need to engage in our democracy, and to demand that the Constitution be upheld.

The Insurrection of January 6, 2021 cannot be allowed to succeed in 2026.

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Today is the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year. The longest night of the year.

My dad and I had a tradition on the solstice that began in my childhood.

Throughout my youth, on the winter solstice my father would announce, “Today is the shortest day of the year. After this the days will get longer, and before you know, it will be back at the lake. “

When I was an adult with my own children, I would call my dad each winter solstice and repeat these words back to him. We would laugh together at this silly connection we shared.

This solstice, I am thinking of my dad and wishing I could call him and hear him laugh. I am holding onto good memories.

To honor his memory, I am making his Chocolate Truffle recipe. This was one of his favorites. Happy solstice, Dad!

Happy Solstice to all! May the shortest day and the longest night of the year bring you rest and peace.

Knitting was my first gateway into the textile arts. After knitting, there was embroidery (also first introduced to me by Nana) and sewing (taught by my mom). Many enjoyable childhood hours were spent designing, sewing and knitting miniature doll clothes. And there were the handmade Christmas gifts, some quite nice, and others that were quite ugly but received with graciousness.

It was years before I found my passion for weaving. There were no family members to teach me how to wind a warp or dress a loom. I don’t know of any ancestral connection to weaving. Yet, weaving speaks to me, feeds my soul, and connects me to the past and future.

This love of weaving is something that I wish I had passed onto my children (I did teach them the basic skills of knitting and weaving). Now, it is a priority to share it with my grandchildren. My oldest granddaughter and I have coordinated on some weaving projects. She created a beautiful pattern in pastel chalks, and I turned it into woven textiles.

For her next design, I suggested she do the weaving to interpret the pattern. I ‘dressed’ my simple table loom, putting on the warp threads. She will determine the color pattern for the weft threads to weave across.

Recently, she saw me knitting and asked me to teach her to knit. As I watch her mastering the basic stitches, I think back to my Nana. We are making connections across the generations of our family. There is a continuous thread that connects my Nana to my granddaughter.

These threads that bind our family generations now extend to my new baby granddaughter. Her middle name is my mom’s name – weaving these two generations together. While my two-month-old grandbaby is far too young to learn to knit or weave, I am already entwining her into our family lore.

Knitting together the generations of our family goes beyond the textile arts. It is also about passing on traditions, stories, food, and love. I sing I Love You a Bushel and a Peck to my granddaughters just as my mom sang to my children (how I wish my mom was here to hold this precious baby and sing to her). I share with them stories about their great-grandparents and great-great grandparents as I hang my Nana’s handmade Christmas ornament on my tree, make peanut butter blossom cookies in memory of my mom, and tell of my dad’s many adventures.

My ancestors are interwoven into my life – through memories, stories, and creative arts – and I am sharing this connection with my children and grandchildren.

I am knitting and weaving the generations of our family together.

Below, I am sharing pictures some of this year’s weaving projects:

Many of us were depressed – not because our preferred candidate had lost – but because we understood the consequences of who had won. We knew what was coming would be painful, harmful, and dangerous to our futures.

It’s not that we didn’t care about the prices of ‘the groceries’, it was that we cared deeply about the health of our democracy. And we cared about our neighbors, including our immigrant, transgender, and other scapegoated neighbors.

It was crushing to realize that millions of Americans didn’t share these values. They felt that the cruelty of the first administration was acceptable and wanted to see it repeated. They ignored the warnings of the January 6^th insurrection, returning this regime to power to threaten the future of our republic. We lost faith in the decency of our fellow Americans.

A year ago was a period of overwhelming emotions – grief, fear, anxiety, anger.

We were only at the beginning of the terrible times to come. To endure this, I felt we needed to come together – to build community. We would need each other more than ever as our country and our lives were turned upside down.

So, a year ago, I posted in a local group on social media:

• I keep thinking about the importance of building community. I would like to start something where we can come together and work towards creating stronger community bonds.

The response was tremendously positive. Soon, we gathered together. A few friends, some acquaintances, and many strangers.

I asked a simple question – how was everyone feeling? The emotions poured out. Anger. Disbelief. Anticipatory fears of the expected destruction. And – Determination.

The determination to do something – to not just give up and accept defeat. The resolve to stand up for our country and our neighbors. The sense of our individual and collective power. The recognition that We Are the People.

A year ago, we could only imagine what was coming.

The cruelty and abuse of children, women, men, immigrants, citizens – human beings who deserve human dignity – has been worse than anticipated. The destruction of aid organizations, cancer research, social safety nets – and the East Wing of the White House (!!!) – was unthinkable. The capitulation of law firms, universities, tech giants, corporations – and Congress – has been spirit crushing.

Yet, …. When our leaders submitted in fear, We The People learned to lead.

WE spoke our dissent through economic boycotts, calls to our members of Congress, and mass mobilizations. THE numerous protests, numbering in the thousands, have been attended by millions and millions more. PEOPLE altered their plans and careers to focus on preserving our democracy. WE THE PEOPLE pushed back.

A year ago, the outlook was intimidating. Throughout the year, the strength, fortitude and resilience of everyday people has been inspiring.

We, the American People, love our freedoms. We will not bow down to a king – or a wannabe dictator.

We have become courageous. Joyful warriors. Undaunted.

Over the year, our community group grew and grew with each passing month. We have hosted monthly meetings (where we always checked in on how everyone was feeling) and training sessions (where we learned new skills). We began (and continue) weekly protests in local Red/MAGA small towns.

We’ve been yelled at, called ‘communists,’ flashed the middle-fingered salute, and approached by some aggressive agitators, as well as a polite counter protester. We have learned not to engage or take the bait, and to de-escalate tense situations. We laughed, sung protest songs, and sometimes even danced for democracy.

Over time, we have seen the appreciation and support increase – more thumbs-ups, waves, and vigorous horn honking. The best response was last week when upper elementary students clapped and shouted, “Thank You!” as they passed by.

Reflecting over the past year, I am filled with gratitude. Deep appreciation for wonderful new friends. Thankful for the trust and support we have for each other. Grateful that we have built community together.

A year ago, we were filled with trepidation. This year, I am filled with hope.

Dear Senator,

I am one of your constituent supporters, a leader of an Indivisible group, and a host of one of the No Kings protests on October 18^th.

I became an activist reluctantly after the 2024 election, organizing a group to build community and take action to preserve our democracy. I changed my life’s plans, once again putting important goals on hold. I dedicated my time, energy, and limited funds to pushing back against the harms being inflicted on the people and institutions in our country. I have taken risks – to my personal and financial safety – because I love this country.

I am not alone. I know of many others who have given up careers, changed paths, and made sacrifices, and who are working hard to serve and preserve our country.

A month ago, we delivered. The No Kings protests were the largest peaceful protest in American history with over 7 million people.

A week ago, we delivered again. Extraordinary election wins, not just in NYC, New Jersey and Virginia, but breaking the super-majority in Mississippi, flipping seats in Georgia, and more.

We The People put the Republicans on notice.

We The People gave victory and power to the Democrats.

The Democrats could have rode this wave to demand more to protect our healthcare and to deliver a win for the middle class.

Instead, they capitulated.

With nothing but weak promises and false hope, 8 Democratic senators surrendered to give Republicans the win. They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

The loss I feel today echoes how I felt after the election a year ago – possibly even worse now because I’ve lost trust in the Democratic party.

We worked so hard. We delivered the votes. We gave Democrats power. They gave us the middle finger.

Like so many other Americans, I am sick and tired of Democrats telling us to overcome gerrymandering, voter suppression, rigged systems (that favor Republican wins) to give them power. Yet when we deliver, Democrats do not use that power to protect our voting rights, our healthcare rights, or essential safety nets for the working and middle classes.

I recognize – and appreciate – that you have always been a strong voice for the working and middle classes. Now, I need to ask you to stand up for your constituents and the American people by demanding the removal of Senators Schumer and Durbin from leadership.

The current Democratic leadership is failing to meet the moment. It is time for new leaders.

We the People deserve an opposition party that will fight for our Constitution and Country.

I had told her that she had brought me into this world, and I would be with her when she left this world. I fulfilled my promise.

When I arrived to sit with her, I knew it was to be her last day. Initially, I talked to her and played her favorite songs, but soon realized that I needed to be quiet. She was doing hard work. So, I sat quietly by her side.

Unexpectedly, bits and pieces of a poem started popping into my head, and more lines came to me in the quiet moments over the course of the day.

With the words came strong images of the farm, the home, and the landscape around where my mom grew up.

Midafternoon, shortly after a nurse had spotted a beautiful red cardinal sitting on a branch just outside my mom’s window, I was alone again with my mom, and I heard very clearly and distinctly in my mind, “It’s time to go home.”

I knew immediately that this was the final line of the poem. I wrote it down.

Then I looked at my mom and realized something had changed.

I watched her closely as she took quiet breath. Then I waited to see if she would take another. But she didn’t.

With that last breath, my mom went home.

After her passing, I kept returning to the pieces of the poem that had come to me at her bedside. I worked to finish the poem, combining the words and imagery I had experienced that day. The poem became a journey about collecting one’s memories and going home.

It is entitled, This One Last Gift. The beginning of this poem was my mom’s last gift to me. Finishing it is my last gift to my mom.

Picture painted by my mom’s uncle, Harold Vandervoort Walsh, at the farm where my mom grew up.

This One Last Gift
By Laura Barrett Geggis

Do not hold onto this earthly toil
Your body and mind are frail
Float away towards your homeland soil
Where youthful memories prevail

Travel back though distant place and time
Seek comfort and restful release
Hear whispers of distance voices chime
It’s time, It’s time to come home

Cross the pasture towards the farmyard gate
Hear the cows lowing on the hill
Reach the stonewall piled tall and straight
Gather up autumn bright leaves

Walk the cow paths your memory traces
See the fog lift beyond the vale 
Pause by your pond, that beloved of places
Soak up sweet refuge and calm

Stop a moment near your favorite tree 
Turn back and look at me
I smile and wave with an aching heart
Yet I long for you to be free

Do not hold onto this earthly toil
Your body is now quite lame
Float away across the farmland soil
Where your memories to reclaim

Feel the breeze swirling through your hair
Rustling the dry cornstalk leaves
Chase milkweed parachutes in the air
Drifting on gossamer currents 

Enter the barn where the dust motes dance
Feel the grain cart rumbling by
Catch sight of barn cats looking askance
Drink in the fresh dairy scent

Stroll to the garden where late flowers fade
Taste the last of the concord grapes
Hear frog pond sounds in the afternoon shade
Bullfrogs profoundly ga-lum-phing 	 

Stop a moment at the garden gate 
Turn back and look at me
I let you go with a loving heart
It’s time for you to be free

Do not hold onto this earthly toil
Your travel is nearly complete
Float away amidst the homeward soil
Your memories fully replete 

Glimpse a red cardinal land near the gate
Singing a message divine
Move forward to where your loved ones await
Welcoming family reunion

And then in the silence I hear you state

It’s time to go home.

It’s time to go home.

And with one last breath…..
You float away home…..

We won’t get a big announcement that: AMERICAN DEMOCERACY HAS ENDED!

No. That’s not how we are going to lose our country.

It will be much more subtle. Without fanfare. Imperceptible changes. Inconspicuous losses. Acquiescent erosions.

We will still get up, go to work, go to our favorite coffee shop, and occasionally eat out.

We will continue to go about our daily lives as ‘normally’ as possible. Yet, without thinking, we’ll make small adjustments to the ‘new normal.’ And we will keep bending as we adapt our behaviors to more and more repressive conditions.

We’ll understand that we should not voice opposition in the public square. We’ll self-censor. We’ll (silently) go along to get along.

We’ll rationalize the slow erosion of our rights. We’ll justify it by saying we just want to focus on our work and families. Or by saying we don’t want to be political.

Maybe we won’t justify it at all. We’ll just ignore all the warning signs. We’ll pretend it is not happening. We’ll deny reality.

Those of us who feel safe, who have the privilege of not being impacted by the harms already being inflicted on others, can afford to hunker down and wait it out. We can hope that miraculously things will get better – eventually – even as we sit and do nothing. Yet, this is false hope.

We can ignore the famous poem “first they came for…” because we assume they will never come for us. But that’s not how it will work. Eventually, they are coming for all of us.

The ‘announcement’ of the end of our democracy will come in quiet whispers.

So, pay attention to the whispers.

• Individuals and corporations will bow to extortion and bribery.

• News outlets will assert to be unbiased while reporting regime propaganda.

• Social media will shift their algorithms to conform to tyrannical expectations.

• Our favorite comedy shows will be taken off the air so that critical satire dies.

• Citizens will be put on enemies lists and subjected to undue prosecution and invasive tax audits.

• Professors will be put on watch lists, harassed and even stopped from flying out of the country.

• The thought-police will see that we’re fired from our jobs if we think differently than the regime permits.

• Our military will invade our cities with lethal force.

• Militarized forces will rappel onto apartment complexes from Blackhawk helicopters and break down the doors of sleeping residents.

• Children will be dragged from their beds, zip-tied together, and forced outside in the middle of the night without clothes.

• US citizens will be rounded up and detained by masked police.

• Immigrants will be disappeared to prison camps across the country and world.

• Elected representatives of the People will be shoved to the ground and arrested.

• Journalists will be knocked unconscious while trying to report the truth.

• Clergy members will be attacked, and a priest praying for peace will be shot in the head with ‘non-lethal’ projectile fired from a gun.

• Secret police will be ‘unleash’ on innocent civilians.

• Regime leaders will claim that anyone who opposes them is a terrorist.

And this is just the beginning. It will only get worse.

Unless… Courageous People push back.

Courageous People will stand up and speak out. They will speak out when others want to hush them into silence. They will stand up when others won’t get off their couches. They will build community when others work to divide us. They will show courage and hope when others are living in fear and pessimism.

These People understand that ‘democracy’ is a verb – it is an active state of being. Democracy requires vigorous engagement to protect and defend the ideals on which this country was founded. Democracy upholds the American values of liberty and freedom while working towards a more perfect union.

Courageous People are driven to defend our country and our Constitution. They are answering a Call. Maybe it is love of country. Maybe it is to honor those who fought for our freedoms. Maybe it is to ensure a future of peace and opportunity for their children and grandchildren. Maybe it is because they cannot accept a life of oppressive compliance.

Yet, with all their courage and commitment, it is not enough if just some of the people take action. It needs to be All of the people – All who care about our liberty and freedom, and who want a say in how we are ruled.

The authoritarian takeover is happening. We must act right now - to challenge the regime’s unlawful actions, to protect our rights, and to save our democracy. We must push back – it is the only thing that works.

We the People need to unite to answer this threat. It is a time of choosing – and we all need to make a choice. Will we answer the call to save our country, or will we acquiesce to dictatorship?

History is watching how each of us responds.

K, a right-wing political activist and media personality, was murdered on Wednesday, September 10^th. When I heard the news, I was shocked. His murder was heinous. I am not a follower of his, but I fully condemn his murder.

Almost immediately, right-wing influencers and even the president blamed ‘liberals’ and ‘the radical left lunatics’, accusing, without any evidence, the political left of responsibility for his murder. When I heard this, I was alarmed and concerned their words would only incite more violence.

I recognized that the violent rhetoric blaming the left could inspire someone to commit violence against my group members. We hold weekly protests in two small (red) towns. Would this rhetoric impact our protests? Over the months, the supportive responses had increased, and the negative reactions had become more muted. Still, I felt I needed to be prepared to keep us safe.

I contacted the local chiefs of police and requested a police presence at our protests “in light of the recent political violence.” Then I made two new signs. One read, “We are Committed to Nonviolence” and the other read, “End ALL Political Violence.” On this second sign, I added pictures of victims of recent political violence, including K and Melissa Hortman, a Democratic Minnesota State Representative who had been politically assassinated in June along with her husband. I brought them to the Friday evening protest.

My concerns about the incitement of violence from the rhetoric were quickly proven to be justified.

Hatred and anger were hurled at us from the opened windows of passing cars. “Dirty Liberals!” “You have blood on your hands!” One driver stopped in front of me, yelling. I responded, pointing to my sign, we need to end ALL political violence. I don’t remember his exact words, but I remember his face, his anger, and his hatred – directed at me and those around me. Two teenage boys rode their motorbikes past us on the opposite side of the road, yelling at us.

This was the most rage we had ever experienced while protesting. Even though the majority of responses were still positive, we could not ignore the forcefulness of the hatred of the minority.

Then, the two teenage boys on motorbikes unexpectedly came up behind us, driving on the grass. They stopped a few feet away from some members of my group, threatening and bullying, clearly wanting to incite something.

I recognized that I needed to act. I walked over to them, quickly joined by another team leader. We needed to de-escalate this situation to protect our members.

The boys continued their forceful language as we approached – spitting out ‘liberal’ as if it was the vilest swear-word they knew. They seemed intent on engaging in a verbal fight.

I was not taking the bait. In a calm voice, I asked them if we could have a conversation instead of an argument.

They blamed us for the murder of K. I told them we condemned his murder. Political violence of any kind was not okay. I repeated this over and over throughout our conversation.

I pointed to the picture of K on my sign, stating that his murder was heinous, and my heart broke for his family. Then I pointed to Melissa Hortman, explaining that she and her husband had been murdered too, and their children lost both their parents. These teenagers didn’t know anything about the Hortmans, but one of them agreed that the political violence against them was wrong.

The other wasn’t ready to give up his anger. He still blamed us. He stated that a liberal killed K. “We don’t know that.” I responded quietly and emphatically. The ideology and motivation of the killer was still unknown.

I kept talking, asking questions, and trying to de-escalate. I focused on finding common ground: We are all Americans. We love this country. All political violence is unacceptable and has to end.

The enemy wasn’t ‘liberals’ - or those of us protesting along the side of this road. It was violence perpetrated on individuals because of their political beliefs.

After a while, one boy turned to me and confided that K was their idol. I looked him in the eyes and said, “I am so sorry. This must be very painful.”

What mattered in that charged moment was that I truly heard his pain. I acknowledged his grief and connected with him on this emotional level.

The conversation shifted to the need to stop the violence. I began to talk about the importance of kindness, compassion, and understanding to others.

I looked at the angrier boy and repeated that we all needed to care for each other. Then I stated we needed empathy – intentionally using that word.

This caught his attention. “K hated empathy,” he stated. I acknowledged this and reiterated the need for compassion and understanding.

These boys have been taught to hate empathy. Yet, it was my empathy that they desperately needed as they tried to express their grief. They were lashing out in anger because they needed someone to empathize with their pain.

Gesturing towards the other team leader, we restated our commitment to nonviolence. Then she asked the boys, “Are you committed to nonviolence?” One immediately responded that he was. The other held back. My colleague looked directly at him and asked again, “Are you committed to nonviolence?” He hesitated for a moment, then said yes.

We had de-escalated. We had made a connection. Their anger and pain had been heard and understood.

The conversation wound down. We exchanged names, thanked them, and invited them to come back to talk anytime (and I sincerely hope they do). My colleague and I returned to the protest line, and the boys rode off. I was quite happy that this interaction worked out so well.

The next day, I braced myself for the Saturday morning protests, expecting similarly intense reactions. I was pleasantly surprised by almost no negative responses and tremendously supportive reactions.

Overnight, it had been reported that the murderer was part of the alt-right group called Groypers. (Since that time, the motivations of the killer have become more unclear.) That Saturday, this information seemed to suppress the rage.

The following week, the Jimmy Kimmel show was indefinitely suspended, in an infringement on free speech, and the immediate pushback led to the show’s restoration. Americans started to pay attention to the rapid erosion of our rights.

Last Friday and Saturday, as I stood on the protests lines, I was amazed at the increase in positive responses. Americans are waking up.

Now, we need everyone to step up. We need millions to take to the streets on October 18^th No Kings day. Find an event happening near you and make a plan to be there. These nonviolent protests will send a message that the American people love their freedoms and are committed to our democracy.