A Letter to the Community

Beloved community,

We at the alley are devastated by the loss and violence being experienced in Phillips as of late. There are few words to say that haven’t already been shared a thousand times already, and we are hurting alongside of you.
The heaviness of life in Phillips has reared its head often this past year. We grieve for the fentanyl and drug epidemic, our houseless neighbors, our Muslim neighbors in the wake of the mosque vandalizations a few months back, the shootings that have left multiple communities mourning, and those experiencing a constant state of fear because of violence in the neighborhood or at home. These most recent tragedies have reminded us that we haven’t offered enough space in this community newspaper to hold these griefs. It’s hard to remember, or even to see, the ways in which we care for each other in dark moments. It’s sometimes harder still to see why small acts of care would even be worth it.
We are a community newspaper, and often don’t have more to add to the official facts about events, especially since we almost solely rely on articles written by community members – but we have always attempted to be a space for discussion, debate, and sharing.… Read the rest “A Letter to the Community”