Austen Hartke
@austenhartke.bsky.social
Trans guy, lover of dad jokes and pastries. Author of "Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians." Home is MSP. He/Him. linktr.ee/austenhartke
Reposted by Austen Hartke
This article is sympathetic towards ICE but still a good read because it's clear that Minneapolis and Saint Paul are doing AMAZING work (with a little assistance from our weather).
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
ICE operation shows the difficulty of immigration arrests amid pushback in frigid Minnesota
NBC News was granted exclusive access to accompany Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as they tried to arrest targets in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
www.nbcnews.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:55 PM
This article is sympathetic towards ICE but still a good read because it's clear that Minneapolis and Saint Paul are doing AMAZING work (with a little assistance from our weather).
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
It's Day 9 of the ICE occupation in MSP.
Reminder that we are in this for the long haul. Take a deep breath and take care of yourself, your family, and community.
If you have not yet gotten ICE training, there's another chance on Zoom tonight led by our friends in Chicago. (Link in thread)
Reminder that we are in this for the long haul. Take a deep breath and take care of yourself, your family, and community.
If you have not yet gotten ICE training, there's another chance on Zoom tonight led by our friends in Chicago. (Link in thread)
December 10, 2025 at 7:31 PM
It's Day 9 of the ICE occupation in MSP.
Reminder that we are in this for the long haul. Take a deep breath and take care of yourself, your family, and community.
If you have not yet gotten ICE training, there's another chance on Zoom tonight led by our friends in Chicago. (Link in thread)
Reminder that we are in this for the long haul. Take a deep breath and take care of yourself, your family, and community.
If you have not yet gotten ICE training, there's another chance on Zoom tonight led by our friends in Chicago. (Link in thread)
"Tincher said she’s even more motivated after her arrest to volunteer to support immigrants in her community. 'I’m just so concerned about our neighbors, our peaceable neighbors, being abducted, and the worries their families are going through,' Tincher said."
Really thankful for folks like Sue.
Really thankful for folks like Sue.
“She has marks on her neck and wrist from where agents restrained her. Agents cut off her wedding ring and held her in leg shackles at Whipple Federal Building for about five hours.”
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Federal agents arrest citizen observer watching ICE detain neighbors on her north Minneapolis block
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, appears to be the first observer arrested by federal immigration enforcement officers since the agency launched an immigration surge in the Twin Cities l...
www.mprnews.org
December 10, 2025 at 3:20 AM
"Tincher said she’s even more motivated after her arrest to volunteer to support immigrants in her community. 'I’m just so concerned about our neighbors, our peaceable neighbors, being abducted, and the worries their families are going through,' Tincher said."
Really thankful for folks like Sue.
Really thankful for folks like Sue.
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Minneapolis, I'm sure this would be helpful this week
The latest edition of my newsletter includes must-reads, organizing resources, year-end reflections, and a writing exercise for anyone trying to stay whole and take action in 2026.
Must-Reads and Some Notes on Taking Action and Staying Whole in 2026
As we close out a year of crisis and courage, I’m thinking about what sustains us — and what comes next.
organizingmythoughts.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Minneapolis, I'm sure this would be helpful this week
Reposted by Austen Hartke
This is the energy we need from everyone
December 5, 2025 at 11:54 PM
This is the energy we need from everyone
Reposted by Austen Hartke
"If something were to happen, we would know that we’d done everything possible to protect what was entrusted to us."
sojo.net/articles/new...
sojo.net/articles/new...
What to Do if ICE Comes to Your Church
“How do we ensure that our people know exactly what to do if law enforcement or a government official were to come to our building, particularly during open hours?” Rev. Minna Bothwell said.
sojo.net
December 5, 2025 at 9:30 PM
"If something were to happen, we would know that we’d done everything possible to protect what was entrusted to us."
sojo.net/articles/new...
sojo.net/articles/new...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Boosting this virtual training opportunity tomorrow (Wednesday!)
Register in advance for this webinar:
zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register in advance for this webinar:
zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 3, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Boosting this virtual training opportunity tomorrow (Wednesday!)
Register in advance for this webinar:
zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register in advance for this webinar:
zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Can I just collectively nominate every hymn they've ever done in the 9 Lessons and Carols from King's College every year??
Okay, but seriously, favorite Christian carol: The Holly and the Ivy
Favorite secular song: I'll Be Home for Christmas
(Runner up for both categories: Good King Wenceslas)
Okay, but seriously, favorite Christian carol: The Holly and the Ivy
Favorite secular song: I'll Be Home for Christmas
(Runner up for both categories: Good King Wenceslas)
What is your favorite "Christian" Christmas song and what is your favorite "Secular" Christmas song?
I will probably always adore "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" for Christian.
And "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for secular.
I will probably always adore "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" for Christian.
And "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for secular.
December 2, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Can I just collectively nominate every hymn they've ever done in the 9 Lessons and Carols from King's College every year??
Okay, but seriously, favorite Christian carol: The Holly and the Ivy
Favorite secular song: I'll Be Home for Christmas
(Runner up for both categories: Good King Wenceslas)
Okay, but seriously, favorite Christian carol: The Holly and the Ivy
Favorite secular song: I'll Be Home for Christmas
(Runner up for both categories: Good King Wenceslas)
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Really a wonderful list of ways to organize. Observing and potentially disrupting ICE’s activity is of course a visible and essential tactic right now, and there are a lot of other tactics as well! Many described here.
New resource⚡️ Block it! Don’t Build It. Don’t Fill It. Don’t Fuel It.
A mini-toolkit to take action to slow down and disrupt the government’s kidnapping, detention, and deportation machine.
Info on strategies/tactics, ways to take action, and more:
www.interruptingcriminalization.com/block-it
A mini-toolkit to take action to slow down and disrupt the government’s kidnapping, detention, and deportation machine.
Info on strategies/tactics, ways to take action, and more:
www.interruptingcriminalization.com/block-it
November 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Really a wonderful list of ways to organize. Observing and potentially disrupting ICE’s activity is of course a visible and essential tactic right now, and there are a lot of other tactics as well! Many described here.
Reposted by Austen Hartke
New "How to Report ICE" zines up today:
#Nashville
#Asheville (In North Carolina folder)
#TwinCities Metro Area (in Minnesota folder)
#NewYorkCity en Español!
I am working on the backlog and will have more out tomorrow!!
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
#Nashville
#Asheville (In North Carolina folder)
#TwinCities Metro Area (in Minnesota folder)
#NewYorkCity en Español!
I am working on the backlog and will have more out tomorrow!!
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
SALUTE zines **BE SURE TO PRINT AT 100%!** - Google Drive
drive.google.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:57 PM
New "How to Report ICE" zines up today:
#Nashville
#Asheville (In North Carolina folder)
#TwinCities Metro Area (in Minnesota folder)
#NewYorkCity en Español!
I am working on the backlog and will have more out tomorrow!!
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
#Nashville
#Asheville (In North Carolina folder)
#TwinCities Metro Area (in Minnesota folder)
#NewYorkCity en Español!
I am working on the backlog and will have more out tomorrow!!
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent sheep I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
November 14, 2025 at 9:48 AM
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent sheep I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
Reposted by Austen Hartke
I’m gonna miss our only true poster Senator
November 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I’m gonna miss our only true poster Senator
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Starbucks employees in Minneapolis, and across the country, are striking for
✅ Fair wages
✅ Proper staffing
✅ End to union busting
I'm proud to stand in solidarity with @sbworkersunited.org until they get the fair contract they deserve! 💪🏽
#NoContractNoCoffee
✅ Fair wages
✅ Proper staffing
✅ End to union busting
I'm proud to stand in solidarity with @sbworkersunited.org until they get the fair contract they deserve! 💪🏽
#NoContractNoCoffee
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Starbucks employees in Minneapolis, and across the country, are striking for
✅ Fair wages
✅ Proper staffing
✅ End to union busting
I'm proud to stand in solidarity with @sbworkersunited.org until they get the fair contract they deserve! 💪🏽
#NoContractNoCoffee
✅ Fair wages
✅ Proper staffing
✅ End to union busting
I'm proud to stand in solidarity with @sbworkersunited.org until they get the fair contract they deserve! 💪🏽
#NoContractNoCoffee
Really thankful for the campaign Fateh ran, and even though I'm frustrated (to put it mildly) about another 4 years of Frey, I know the energy and strength of this campaign is going to matter moving forward.
Thank you, Minneapolis!
While this wasn’t the outcome we wanted, I am incredibly grateful to every single person who supported our grassroots campaign.
I’ll keep fighting alongside you to build the city we deserve. Onward.
While this wasn’t the outcome we wanted, I am incredibly grateful to every single person who supported our grassroots campaign.
I’ll keep fighting alongside you to build the city we deserve. Onward.
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Really thankful for the campaign Fateh ran, and even though I'm frustrated (to put it mildly) about another 4 years of Frey, I know the energy and strength of this campaign is going to matter moving forward.
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Heading to bed, hoping for some good news for the #dontrankFrey crowd in the morning 🤞
Because Frey didn't get more than 50% of the first round votes, no winner was declared yet and won't be until tomorrow at the earliest.
November 5, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Heading to bed, hoping for some good news for the #dontrankFrey crowd in the morning 🤞
Reposted by Austen Hartke
wait, are you telling me that all the centrist pundits who insisted that Dems wouldn't win any future elections unless/until they threw trans people under the bus turned out to be wrong? how could this be?!? 😱
www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-poll-v...
www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-poll-v...
New Poll: Voters Prefer Democratic Candidates Approach To Trans Rights Over Republicans
A new poll, which surveys voters who will partake in the New Jersey and Virginia governor races, found that voters were not impressed with Republican anti-trans positions.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:35 AM
wait, are you telling me that all the centrist pundits who insisted that Dems wouldn't win any future elections unless/until they threw trans people under the bus turned out to be wrong? how could this be?!? 😱
www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-poll-v...
www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-poll-v...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
The lesson here is have good principles and stand on them. Stand for something that isn't power!
Zohran at the rally for trans youth on february 8 ❣️ he was polling single digits.
November 5, 2025 at 2:59 AM
The lesson here is have good principles and stand on them. Stand for something that isn't power!
Reposted by Austen Hartke
I am no longer employed so I'm not blogging Zohran tonight but I can just repeat exactly what I said in June :-)
he won on the back of a pro-migrant, pro-trans, pro-working class campaign. and also: Dem pundits are full of shit
he won on the back of a pro-migrant, pro-trans, pro-working class campaign. and also: Dem pundits are full of shit
The Democratic Party Needs to Learn from Zohran Mamdani's Guts and Backbone
Zohran Mamdani did something different, and it made all the difference.
www.teenvogue.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:29 AM
I am no longer employed so I'm not blogging Zohran tonight but I can just repeat exactly what I said in June :-)
he won on the back of a pro-migrant, pro-trans, pro-working class campaign. and also: Dem pundits are full of shit
he won on the back of a pro-migrant, pro-trans, pro-working class campaign. and also: Dem pundits are full of shit
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Went to whistle distro /mini-training event in Powderhorn Park today. There were 200-300 people, very inspiring to see community come out and be ready to fight.
Big love to folx in Chicago for the inspiration.
Next whistle distro/training:
Sun. Nov. 2, 1:30pm,
Powderhorn Park 14th Ave & 33rd St
Big love to folx in Chicago for the inspiration.
Next whistle distro/training:
Sun. Nov. 2, 1:30pm,
Powderhorn Park 14th Ave & 33rd St
For neighbors here in the Twin Cities planning on adapting the whistles tactic we've seen in Chicago:
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
October 26, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Went to whistle distro /mini-training event in Powderhorn Park today. There were 200-300 people, very inspiring to see community come out and be ready to fight.
Big love to folx in Chicago for the inspiration.
Next whistle distro/training:
Sun. Nov. 2, 1:30pm,
Powderhorn Park 14th Ave & 33rd St
Big love to folx in Chicago for the inspiration.
Next whistle distro/training:
Sun. Nov. 2, 1:30pm,
Powderhorn Park 14th Ave & 33rd St
Reposted by Austen Hartke
For neighbors here in the Twin Cities planning on adapting the whistles tactic we've seen in Chicago:
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
October 24, 2025 at 10:10 PM
For neighbors here in the Twin Cities planning on adapting the whistles tactic we've seen in Chicago:
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
In the spirit of zines being adaptable, we made some super slight tweaks to the original Pilsen one. SAME INFO, just added a page of Twin Cities-specific resources: cryptpad.fr/file/#/2/fil...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
Want to learn more about why and how whistles are being used?
In Little Village, Residents Are Blowing Actual Whistles To Warn Neighbors About ICE
Residents have equipped themselves with bright orange whistles amid ramped-up ICE arrests. "People could hear that noise, and if they don’t have legal status, go the other way," one immigrant advocate...
blockclubchicago.org
October 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Want to learn more about why and how whistles are being used?
Reposted by Austen Hartke
South Minneapolis! Come get a whistle and get some practice in!
October 23, 2025 at 2:05 PM
South Minneapolis! Come get a whistle and get some practice in!
Reposted by Austen Hartke
after a clarinet player was arrested at Sunday's ICE protest in downtown Portland, I talked to five artists, crafters and makers - a puppet designer, an illustrator, a graphic designer, a knitter, and a theatre artist - about creativity under fascism
www.orartswatch.org/resistance-c...
www.orartswatch.org/resistance-c...
“Resistance can be joyful” • Oregon ArtsWatch
Portland protest artists on creativity, resilience, inflatable frogs, and protecting the soul of the city.
www.orartswatch.org
October 18, 2025 at 5:40 PM
after a clarinet player was arrested at Sunday's ICE protest in downtown Portland, I talked to five artists, crafters and makers - a puppet designer, an illustrator, a graphic designer, a knitter, and a theatre artist - about creativity under fascism
www.orartswatch.org/resistance-c...
www.orartswatch.org/resistance-c...
Reposted by Austen Hartke
I know not everyone is who they thought they would be under a fascist, authoritarian regime. That's okay. But it's time to do more than react and post about it. It's time to get organized—including mapping or creating lines of support and defense in your community.
Mapping Community Defense and Care in Our Neighborhoods
This worksheet can help us prepare for Trump's military interventions at the neighborhood level.
organizingmythoughts.org
October 11, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I know not everyone is who they thought they would be under a fascist, authoritarian regime. That's okay. But it's time to do more than react and post about it. It's time to get organized—including mapping or creating lines of support and defense in your community.