This week, the President of the United States leveled a tirade of dehumanizing and vulgar insults at our Somali friends and neighbors. It was shocking and offensive and in stark contrast to the values we hold and practice within the Land Stewardship Project community.

Immigrants are valued members of our communities, within and beyond Minnesota. They are farmers, farm workers, food processing employees, small business owners, nurses, teachers, truck drivers, and more. They are our neighbors, our co-workers, our family, and our friends. At a time when we need more farmers on the land, we are energized by the enthusiasm, creativity, and wisdom that immigrants are contributing to our food and farming system. They are among LSP’s essential members, partners, participants, and collaborators.

When members of our community are threatened, LSP turns to its values and mission to shape our response. Our response now is to speak up in defense of the lawful rights and the human dignity of our immigrant neighbors. 

If you’d like to learn more about how you can support your immigrant community at this critical time, we invite you to connect with the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN). IDN is a coalition of over 90 organizations, including LSP, that are dedicated to protecting and advancing the constitutional rights of immigrant communities across Minnesota. You can sign up for upcoming Constitutional Observer Trainings in your area on IDN’s website.  

Please read more about LSP’s involvement with the Immigrant Defense Network in our upcoming issue of the Land Stewardship Letter, which should be in mailboxes later this month. And we invite you to connect with our Long Range Plan, mission, and values to better understand why a sustainable farm and food system must be sustainable for everyone.

If you have any questions or want to talk about LSP’s support for the immigrant community, feel free to contact Scott Elkins, LSP’s executive director, at 612-722-6377 or at selkins@landstewardshipproject.org.

Beth Slocum is LSP’s board chair and farms near Welch, Minn. Scott Elkins is LSP’s executive director.