Below is the letter that the North Star Health Collective’s Mental Health Support Organizers have composed to initiate contact with health care practitioners in the Twin Cities area
North Star Health Collective
Mental Health and Wellness Center Organizers
http://northstarhealth.wordpress.com
http://rncmentalhealth.wordpress.com
Dear ____________________:
We are contacting you on behalf of the North Star Health Collective – a Twin Cities-based collective that is working to set up health care support for the demonstrations at the Republican National Convention (September 1st through 4th). We expect tens of thousands of demonstrators to be in the streets during the convention. Inevitably, some of these demonstrators will need health care at various levels, and North Star is committed to providing that care. Hundreds of trained medics from across the country are coming to work both in the streets and in a trauma space, to assist with the physical needs of protestors. In addition, the North Star Collective is working to create a Wellness Center, in which we will treat those in dealing with mental health issues and emotional trauma.
Central to the North Star Health Collective and all the work we do are our points of unity:
–to resist the commercialization and corporatization of our health care
–to organize that care on the principles of decentralization, autonomy, sustainability and mutual aid
–to work to end all relationships of domination and subjugation, including but not limited to those rooted in patriarchy, racism, classism, xenophobia, and heterosexism.
We are currently seeking out practitioners to join with us to provide treatment during the protests. As a health care provider and skilled professional, you are key to the work we are trying to do. We are looking for a variety of practitioners to get involved. Acupuncturists, massage therapists, reiki practitioners, herbalists, therapists, paramedics and others are needed to staff the Wellness Center. Any amount of time that you could contribute your skills and expertise during the demonstrations would be tremendously helpful.
If you feel you cannot contribute your time during these four days but support what we are doing, there are plenty of other ways you can help – from attending meetings in advance of the demonstrations to donating money or supplies for the wellness space. A list of our current needs can be found at our website or you can contact us through the information below.
Thanks in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Candace Bollinger and Kim Christoffel
Candace@riseup.net and Akimbo@riseup.net
Mental Health Support Organizers
North Star Health Collective
