Watch My Remarks On the Murder of Alex Pretti on Jan 24 & Mass Mobilization on Jan 23

Remarks at a Community Vigil on the Murder of Alex Pretti

See the video I posted on Jan 24, 2026 on my personal page:

Remarks as prepared:

My heart is grieving for Alex Pretti and his family. This is an indescribable and preventable loss. I honor Alex’s humanity and life, an ICU nurse who loved to help people and enjoyed spending time outdoors. I also acknowledge the deep pain felt by our community, loved ones, and neighbors, for the loss of Renee Good just 18 days ago. Both of these killings merit full, nonpartisan, independent investigations and once again the victim blaming and spinning have already begun in order to twist the truth. But we must not look away. We must continue telling the truth we are seeing and experiencing here on the ground in Minnesota. 

Three shootings, two videotaped murders, children and minors abducted in broad daylight, US citizens detained with no access to council, and federal agents unwilling to provide a badge number, a warrant, or any legal documentation, which is a terrifying reality, since we are still grieving speaker Hortman's assassination, due to the impersonation of a police officer at her doorstep. This taxpayer funded harm and violence we are experiencing right now is inhumane, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

United States’ due process means that justice is pursued through legal action, credible investigation and courts, not through guns, murder, and indiscriminate violence on our streets. And the deliberate choices this Federal Administration has made are fundamentally rooted in hatred and greed. They stopped funding food, healthcare, and housing. And what did they do, they reallocated those funds in Minnesota towards kidnapping, violence, and family separation. One week of this so-called “operation” could fund all of SNAP for the entire County. Just think about that, what are they choosing?

I, like many of you, find myself completely stunned in grief, in anger, in sadness, in fear, in disbelief. Almost frozen, and not just because it’s 10 below. But together, we can and must resist this urge to give into the frozen numbness. Because numbing our pain might also numb our shared humanity and it is only through the collective wisdom in our bodies and ancestral storylines that we will get through to the other side of this. Together, we come from powerful, loving, imaginative, and resourceful stories. Our cultures and ancestors have found ways to construct creativity from pain, joy from fear, and hope from oppression. And we will do so again today.

Yesterday, we were 100K strong in Minnesota and double that across the county in solidarity toward justice. Authoritarianism is brittle and requires constant control, together, we have something much more enduring than that. We are rooted in love and care, and the expansiveness that comes with protecting and cultivating our shared humanity. To all Minnesotans, residents, neighbors, our friends, our family members, our coworkers, especially to our kids, I am very very proud of our unrelenting courage, compassionate caregiving, and a fierce resilience towards justice. 

Ultimately, I do believe that our shared humanity and love for one another will prevail, but that only occurs when we all rise with one another. Leading with integrity, caring for one another with dignity, and fighting for our shared humanity without apology. I remain in this fight with you: speaking our truths, and leading toward accountability and justice.

Video from Mass Mobilization on January 23

See the video I posted on Jan 23, 2026 on my personal page:

On Friday, January 23rd, I joined 100,000 of people across Minnesota and twice that across the nation in protesting federal immigration actions in this state and across the nation. Together, we have something much more enduring than that. We are rooted in love, and care, and the expansiveness that comes with protecting and cultivating our shared humanity.