MamaP

I’ve spent the past few weeks in a forced pause, recovering from an illness. Sitting in that silence gave me the space to look closely at the world we are currently navigating - and frankly, to process what I’m seeing.

Today, many are participating in a Nationwide Shutdown - no work, no school, no shopping - as a protest against the systemic disregard for human life. We see it in the illegal kidnappings, detentions, and deportations orchestrated by ICE across our country. We see it in the violence in our backyard in Minneapolis and across the country. We see it in the humanitarian catastrophes abroad, from Palestine to Venezuela. Human rights violations against women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.

What we are witnessing isn't just chaos; it's a design. This volume of injustice is intended to overwhelm us into a state of paralysis.

As a Mother, a Citizen, and a Business Owner, I see the struggle of this day intimately. I see my fellow small business owners - many of whom are the lifelines for their families and employees - deciding to stay open today. For a small business, a single day of zero revenue isn't just a "protest"; it’s a threat to their survival. If you are participating in today’s shutdown, I stand with you. If you find that you must shop today, I urge you: Buy Small. Buy Local.

When you shop with a small business, you are directly impacting a family’s life and keeping funds within your local economy. You are divesting from the corporate giants that often remain silent - or worse, profit - from the very systems we are protesting.

My perspective is shaped by my own family's history - one side arriving as immigrants, the other rooted here for generations. This dual history has taught me that human rights are not a privilege to be granted or taken away by power; they are the baseline of a civilized society.

Mama-P remains committed to a future rooted in equity. We cannot talk about "saving the planet" if we aren’t willing to fight for the people on it. We will not be distracted by the designed exhaustion of the current news cycle.

Thank you for standing with us, and for standing with your local community.

With resolve,

Suz