Mutual aid is any type of support given or received without expectation of profit that works to alleviate or transform injustice as felt by those who experience it disproportionately in society. It can be as simple as caring for another when they are having a hard time, donating money, or handing out supplies. When combined and organized toward social justice, mutual aid can be a revolutionary practice.
Twin Cities Mutual Aid is a project to organize and give access to mutual aid efforts in the Twin Cities area.
Words from L, a trans femme survivor who gives and receives mutual aid within her communities:
“There are so many of us that have need and want to give something. This is an advantage.
The idea is to explore mutual aid from the perspective of people who are traumatized and oppressed by the systemic powers they are trying to fix. I think really the most important thing that we all need to remember is that we’re not looking for bad guys amongst each other. We should be trying to understand the systemic powers that are creating this trauma. And if we can’t, we need to walk away and not find ourselves a monster in them. Because odds are they are doing the best they can and are just having a bad day.”