The Power of Community—and Cartoonists

Coming together during hard times

I’ve felt an avalanche of emotions these past few weeks living here in Minneapolis and watching the actions of I.C.E. escalate. As I’m writing this on Saturday morning, I learned that a man was shot and killed by I.C.E. agents in a neighborhood where I frequently go, right around the corner from the art college where I mentor.

I’ve never felt such horror and sadness. But honestly, I can’t write about that now because I’m too upset.

Instead, I’m going to write about how I’ve never felt so proud.

Proud of my neighborhood.

Proud of my state.

Proud of cartoonists.

As I wrote in my last post, a little over a week ago, Minneapolis cartoonists Jason Walz, Trung Le Nguyen and I put out a call to artists asking them to make comics about the impact of I.C.E. on their community. We hope that cartoonists can help bear witness to what’s going on and keep this from spreading further.

The response has been tremendous, with 395,000 people viewing my call to action comic and over 8,000 shares. In only a week, over 60 comics have already been created and shared using #iceoutcomics.

We didn’t expect that cartoonists from around the world—who weren’t experiencing I.C.E. themselves—would offer to make art if people have stories to share.¹ People want to help, even from afar.

There have been many moving comics. Here are some that stood out to me:

Rosemary Mosco (Massachusetts)

Christine Lynn Chen (Minnesota)

Haley Weaver (Seattle)

Michiums (New York City)

I’m especially grateful for all the cartoonists who have shared comics, especially since I know how hard it can be to make them when you’re emotionally distressed.

I’ve honestly had to force myself to make the following comics, because it feels too important not to share what’s happening here:

And here’s a different comic I made about the strength of the community I’m seeing on the blocks where I live:

Even thought it’s been hard to make art at a time like this, there’s a catharsis in doing so too. The feelings and the stories no longer feel so lodged as deeply inside of me. All the comics remind me that:

I am not alone.

We are not alone.

And we are not helpless.

Let me know in the comments: Have you seen or made art lately that helped you process what’s happening in the world?

If you are in the position of being able to donate, here are two organizations doing important work in my area: Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota and Monarca.

Leif Love

It’s been extraordinarily cold the last couple weeks, with Friday’s high temperature only reaching -9° F. The frigid cold didn’t keep us—and tens of thousands of Minnesotans—from showing up at an anti-I.C.E. march in downtown Minneapolis on Friday. However, we left Leif at home sleeping and resting, cozy and warm inside.

Take care and keep creating—even when it’s hard.

-Katharine

1. If you have a story about I.C.E. and aren’t able to draw it yourself, head over to my post and scroll through the comments to find a cartoonist who is willing to draw it (make sure you’re comfortable working together and it’s a good fit first.)