Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR)
Your Allied Rapid Response is working to resist and prevent actions that would harm our fellow human beings. We intend to resist, support and bear witness for any of our community who are under attack, whether by federal policies or by hate groups.
YARR’s Mission is to use our bodies, tactics and resources to document, resist and prevent actions by ICE or other repressive forces that would harm our fellow human beings.
YARR is is an all-volunteer organization. If you have a vision for something that could (or should) happen, please be prepared to put in the work to make it so. The best place to start is by joining a working group.
Sign up for our mailing list, and one of us will get in contact with you to help you get plugged in.
YARR Principles
- Solidarity is necessary to resist force and intimidation.
- We aim to care for supporters and callers during and after actions.
- We value community collaboration and mutual responsibility, and see this as inextricable from individual contribution and autonomy.
- We aim to be accountable to communities we may impact, as well as to one another within the movement.
- We aim to challenge systems of oppression in our work and within our organizing structure, including but not limited to, racism, classism, patriarchy, homophobia and ableism.
- Solidarity will be practiced across ideological and tactical lines.
- We will consistently assess capacity, to inform our choices and support us in setting attainable goals.
- We aim to infuse our interactions with each other with kindness, honesty, and courageous love.
What We Do
YARR’s activities are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. Right now we have 5 major areas of action:
1. HOTLINE – We have a secure phone number, 831-239-4289, that you can call when you see ICE or other repressive forces in our county. We will dispatch trained community members to the site to document what’s happening and to support the people targeted.
2. COMMUNITY EDUCATION – We provide training or workshops on many skills and topics: Legal Observation, Advocacy for Immigrant Families, Introduction to Nonviolent Direct Action, Community Organizing Tools, Anti-Oppression Practices, US-Latin American Relations … and more!
3. SERVICES – We can provide an advocate to connect you with material resources (e.g. clothing, food, rides) and needed services including lawyers, therapists, emergency child care. We can accompany you to ICE interviews, and mobilize political pressure to fight individual deportations. If you need help, call our hotline, 831-239-4289, or email us.
4. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING – YARR has worked in solidarity with UCSC faculty and students, Santa Cruz May Day, the Muslim Solidarity Group, NAACP King Day March, and Sanctuary Santa Cruz. We are always ready to expand our relationships. If your group or community would like to connect with YARR, please email us.
5. PUBLIC POLICY – We supported the passage of the Santa Cruz Sanctuary ordinance and exposed the violent reality of SCPD cooperation with ICE. We successfully worked with others to pressure the sheriff to stop sharing release dates with ICE and are now working to ensure he keeps his promise to comply with SB54 and cease his cooperation with ICE.
For more information speak with Truth &/or visit: www.yarr-sc.org