The Coco Canary Newsletter
March 2026
Summary:
Exciting updates about new & current projects, Upcoming Our Roles & Reflecting on the ICE Surge Workshop, and, as always, a social justice grounding & calls to action.
A Social Justice Grounding & Calls to Action
Local MN News
- Operation Metro Surge (ICE in MN and Beyond): Since January 1st, 2026, 15 lives have been lost due to ICE operations (13 in ICE custody, and 2 outside custody during the MN Metro Surge) (ICE Deaths Memorial, U.S. ICE). Families were (and many still are) split apart, and the impact is still felt here in Minnesota (MPR).
- Minneapolis as a Model for Fighting Fascism. It is inspiring and powerful how Minnesotans showed up (and are still showing up) for their community. Scot Nakagawa wrote an excellent article that summed it up well. It is titled How a City Resisted a Federal Occupation and What the Pro-Democracy Movement Must Learn from It.
All Eyes On
- Palestine (Gaza Strip): Airstrikes and other attacks hitting civilian areas continue, and Israel has resumed limited medical evacuation and returns through the Rafah crossing. The Gaza death toll rises to 72,000, with thousands still missing and believed dead under the rubble, and 1.4 million are currently displaced. The current ceasefire is shaky. For it to continue, Israel must withdraw from the Gaza Strip—and allow unconditional aid in—and Hamas (and other armed groups) must surrender their weapons. And even if that happens, trust in reciprocity is low. (Al Jazeera).
- Palestine (West Bank): Settler and state violence continue to escalate. This year, settler attacks, in particular, have increased by 54% in injuries and a fourfold increase in displacement compared with 2025 averages. “Since the beginning of 2026, a total of 26 Palestinians, including six children, were killed by Israeli forces or settlers…” (OCHA) Also, an awful death penalty law (only for Palestinians) was approved by Israel’s parliament this week, which is being publicly scrutinized locally and abroad (The Guardian).
- Iran/Lebanon: In February, Israel and the U.S. assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In response, Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel and on neighboring countries with U.S. bases. In response, Israel and the U.S. have launched bombing strikes in several neighboring countries. In Lebanon, where Israel recently began ground operations, a total of 75 Lebanese people have been killed and 500 wounded (US Today). As of March 24th, 130,000 people have fled from Lebanon into Syria, and one million have been displaced inside Lebanon (UN News).
- Ukraine: The war continues, and the conflicts in Iran will likely impact the Russia-Ukraine war. This month, Russia has intensified its offensive, even sending a thousand drones over a 1-day period throughout the country, killing 7 people and injuring at least 50 (Kyiv Independent, CNN).
- Congo: Even after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a peace deal in December 2025, violent conflicts continue. Most argue the violence is initiated by a rebel group based in eastern DRC called M23 (and some believe they are backed by Rwanda). This month, both countries came together again to talk and agree upon the next steps on de-escalation (Reuters).
- Sudan/Chad: There has been a sharp increase in civilian deaths due to the increased use of drones. A recent deadly attack was on a hospital, killing 64 people, including 13 children, and injuring 89. The United Nations urges all countries, especially those with power and influence, to end the sale of military weapons and drones (UN – OHCHR).
- Cuba/Venezuela/Mexico: The U.S. has maintained a harmful economic embargo on Cuba since the 1960’s, and since early this year, has cut off Cuba’s main oil suppliers (Venezuela and Mexico) through ousting the Venezuelan president in February 2026 and threatening Mexico with additional tariffs (CNN). Cuba’s national energy grid frequently collapses, leaving 10 million people without electricity and other essential energy services, and the UN is drafting a plan to support in relief efforts (OCHA).
Calls to Action
- Anti-ICE / Anti-Fascism organizing:
- Sign IfNotNow’s Petition: Their petition is titled, “Tell Congress: Jews Say No ICE. No Bombs. No Kings.”
- It’s not too late to get involved! Keep an eye out for trainings, both for ICE resistance and for Election Defense (Midterms are coming!!).
- Financially Support Families Impacted by ICE: There are still MANY ways to financially support folks impacted by ICE. One thing that I’ve been hearing a lot from organizers is helping families with legal fees. Search for your local nonprofit that does pro bono immigration law support to help detainees get back home (Examples include: New Mexico Legal Aid Defense Fund, Las Americas, etc.)
- Attend a Coco Canary Workshop: Coco Canary and friends are facilitating another workshop titled: Our Roles In Community: Reflecting Together on the ICE Surge. Learn more at our Workshops webpage.
- Read these articles from Scot Nakagawa’s The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook:
- Congo
- Donate to this org: Your donation will help Justine Masika Bihamba and Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles protect women and children from sexual and gender-based violence in the war zones of eastern Congo.
An Example of a Photo Gallery poster that I made during one of our Neighborhood Team facilitations
Business Updates
1. The Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) Foresting Seattle Neighborhood Team (Seattle, WA)
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I am in an arts-based methods & urban forestry advisory role for this project, which means I am less hands-on, though I have gotten to do a few fun tasks! The leads on this project are Sully Moreno from Culture Shift Consulting and Jessica Werner from Moon Snail Consulting. The goal of this project is to develop a Tree Action Plan (TAP) for Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID), which, for this project, is a strategic report with recommendations on how to address gaps in CID’s urban tree canopy. See below for what we have accomplished together since November 2025:
- Values-Based Criteria: The main goal of this project is to develop a TAP informed by CID community input, which is why a Neighborhood Team was recruited to participate in the planning and implementation process. An important element of a TAP is prioritizing the community’s values and creating criteria based on those values so the city can refer to them when making decisions. Thus, a Value-based Criteria was developed thanks to input from the Neighborhood Team (via a photo elicitation exercise and photo gallery facilitation; see image above).
- Opportunities List & Narratives: The next gap to fill was to determine WHERE exactly to plant trees in the CID. The city already had ideas, but they wanted to hear from the NT about exactly where the community would most benefit from increased tree canopy. Thus, an Opportunities List and Narratives were created!
- Tree Palette: The next gap was to determine WHICH trees to plant, based on the Values-Based Criteria, and HOW to make it easy to read for NT members. This is where I came in (thanks to Jessica’s initial effort)! In the end, we created a visual packet that included images & descriptions of tree species, and how each one related to the Value-Based Criteria.
An Activity Calendar I made and used for a March 2026 taskforce facilitation
2. Community-Based Participatory Audience Research (CBPR) with the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (Seattle, WA)
Sully Moreno from Culture Shift Consulting and I have been working with the Hazardous Waste Management program in King County (HAZ Waste) on an audience research study since July 2024. Our end goal is to co-develop and implement a community engagement plan with community members and HAZ Waste staff. Since my last newsletter, we facilitated four meetings (virtual and in-person) with our Community Taskforce, and together we accomplished:
- Drafting Storyboards and Creative Briefs for Ad Campaigns: Using the Message Map we created earlier in the project, participants brainstormed examples of stories and visual narratives that the HAZ Waste comms team could use. From those stories, we developed Creative Briefs that helped us fine-tune the specifics (desired audience, tone, materials, etc.).
- Developing a Calendar of Community Events: At our final celebratory meeting, our final task was to draft Activity Calendars. Participants shared activity ideas throughout the project, so we compiled them all, asked folks to prioritize their favorites, and then place their favorites on the Activity Calendar flipchart.
Now that the taskforce is over, Sully and I will begin the report-writing process!
3. *NEW PROJECT* Collaborating on a Program Evaluation with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU)!
We just started a new contract with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU)! They are an organizing collective where their main goals are:
- Expanding the power & capacity of Black UUs within their faith
- Providing support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists
- Justice-making and liberation through their faith
They are bringing me in to assist in evaluating their BLUU Housing Initiative program. We only just started this project, so I will share more in my next newsletter! I am so looking forward to working with Lena K. Gardner, BLUU’s executive director.
Other Business Updates
Our Roles in Community: Reflecting Together on the ICE Surge
Please join us on April 26, 2026, 10 am – 2:30 pm, for this 4-hour workshop (plus a 30-minute lunch). We will: (1) Reflect on the roles we’ve been playing during the ICE surge in the Twin Cities; (2) Process together about what we have learned and what we are thinking about in the wake of the ICE surge; (3) Strengthen our resolve to do the longer, sustained work of creating a world where a crisis like the one we currently face can no longer happen; (4) Reflect together on the 5 pillars for dismantling authoritarian regimes and clarify what roles we want to play in dismantling oppressive systems; and (5) Determine what steps we can take going forward to help prevent a loss of momentum and continue building a world that centers human dignity, well-being, and liberation.
Business Retreat in Joshua Tree with Sully Moreno
Sully and I have been working together since July 2022 (almost four years!), and we decided it was time to: (1) reflect on the work we’ve accomplished together; (2) streamline our processes; and, most importantly, (3) celebrate and relax together in a beautiful setting. So, we decided to do our retreat in Yucca Valley, CA, near Joshua Tree National Park. It was such a nice time, and we hope to turn this into a tradition!
Taking Back Our Data: Digital Security for Artists & Activists
One of my friends, Kelly Baker, through the U.S. Department of Arts & Culture (not a federal org), co-created this GREAT zine about data security. I highly recommend checking it out.
Personal Update
Winter/Spring Joy With Friends, Family, & Community!
Above are images of what I’ve been up to since my last newsletter, and below are image descriptions from top left to bottom right:
Image 1: Molly holding her niece, Azalea (born January 3rd)! Molly’s twin sister, Colleen, is the mother, and Molly flew to Washington, D.C., to help caretake the baby (and her sister and brother-in-law) for the first 3 weeks of life!
Image 2: Molly and her older sister, Meghan, posing with baby Azalea while visiting MN this March! Molly is kissing Azalea on the head. Azalea’s face is covered with an Azalea emoji.
Image 3: Molly and her bandmates, Ilse and Michael, on a stage. Michael with a banjo, Ilse with a guitar, and Molly with a clarinet. We are called Tree & Co! We had a benefit concert at Gingko Coffeehouse in St. Paul in February and raised $2000! We donated the money to the Yesod (“Yes-ode”) Fund and to Annunciation House. Yesod Fund is a mutual aid fund based in Minneapolis that financially supports folks impacted by the ICE Surge. Annunciation House is a hospitality center based in El Paso, TX, and has been supporting Minnesotans (and others) who were wrongfully detained to get home after being sent to El Paso or San Antonio, Texas
Image 4: An Irish meal of corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread. I celebrated St. Patrick’s day with Sully in Seattle with some of her dear friends. The food was so good! I made the not-as-pretty soda bread to the left!
Image 5: Molly posing outside with her new white e-bike! We had an uncharacteristically warm day here in Minnesota, so I decided to test out my new e-bike. It was so fun!
Let’s Stay Connected!
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In Community,
Molly O’Connor (she/her/hers)
Founder, Principal Consultant, Arts-Based Evaluator, and Community-Based Participatory Researcher
email: moconnor@cococanary.com
website: cococanary.com
