Minnesota Freedom Fund

Dear Family and Friends,

My name is Houston Thomas and I am a Black American ballet dancer with the Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, Germany.

For the past week, millions of people around the world have gone to the streets to protest against police brutality and the injustice in the police department system in the USA. Being a person of color and one of the only people of color that works in the Semperoper, I feel a great responsibility to create awareness and find a way to use my voice about an issue that not just affects me as a black man, but an issue that affects all of us. What is happening in America is not a black people's problem but rather a problem for the entire human race. The issue at hand goes further than police brutality. We live in a world today where people are still targeted and discriminated against solely on the basis of the color of their skin. I can imagine that for some of you this information and recent events can be very hard to comprehend. I want to reassure you that these are real problems that are happening all around the world, even in Germany.

For all of you who wish to help but feel so far away from the epicenter, I've decided along with my fellow colleagues of the Semperoper, to organize a small initiative to raise money as the artists and workers of Germany. The page is titled Artist of Germany but is truly an initiative for all who wish to support this cause and end racism. All money raised will be donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund which helps pay bail for protesters who have been arrested for exercising their 1st amendment.  All donations will automatically be sent to the Minnesota Freedom Fund.

Your support toward this cause means the world to me. If you have any questions regarding anything, please feel free to contact me.

Houston Thomas


For further information or ways to help the cause, please refer to these links:

https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/ 

https://www.blacklivesmatterberlin.de/georgefloyd-and-actionable/

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit theMinnesota Freedom Fund, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about Minnesota Freedom Fund: We work to end cash bail. 70% of people incarcerated are not convicted of a crime. We bail low income people out of jail while also pushing for system change

Along with a donation of at least $10, you will also be entered in for one of my shoes from my collection. Unfortunately, I know this will not be enough to make a systematic change in our country, but I wanted to at least do something to honor the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and many more that have lost their lives because of the injustices that the black community face each and every day.

"The Minnesota Freedom Fund pays criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing."

Musician on a Mission will match all donations made on this page.

Join me in supporting the Minnesota Freedom Fund as we help post bail for people detained by ICE and folks jailed in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. I hope that the Covid-19 virus doesn't affect people in detention, but they — and the people who care for them — are at significant risk.  The Minnesota Freedom Fund  pays criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford, seeking to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing. Counties and judges around the country have stopped the practice of pre-trial incarceration and most instances of cash bail in an attempt to respond to the pending crisis in a humane and forward-thinking manner. In the absence of a similar commitment from state and county officials, we can support MNFF in their efforts.  All donations will be matched by a generous donor, up to $1,000. All funds will be directed to posting bail for people currently in jail or ICE detention, and after these folks attend their court hearing, the money will return to MNFF.