Who is Cocoa Butta Futures?
Cocoa Butta Futures (CBF), is a collective of queer, trans Black, Indigenous, people of color, committed to radical redistribution through healing practices and mutual aid.
Well, that sounds hella lofty, how do you do that?
We are truly nascent in that, while some of us have known each other for years, others are new to each other. So we are learning as we grow. Right now our commitments take shape in 3 ways:
Our first major donation was from another Black Trans group in the Twin Cities, since then our monies, herbs, and foods have come from a myriad of individuals as well as small, local, Black, IPOC, and/or Women-owned businesses, farms, and collectives. We’re not here for the money so we don’t typically give folks shine for loving on each other. If you’d like to donate, please do so here. We offer tax-exempt forms not clout.
Why are you doing this?
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, on May 27th 2020, this collective began in response to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the 2020 uprisings for Black liberation and abolition.
Inspired by the legacies of the Black Panther Party, the EZLN, Act Up, the Queer Liberation movements, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason, Cocoa Butta Futures moves in the radical traditions of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities who have historically and continuously practice mutual aid and resource sharing as a means of not only survival, but to strengthen ties within and between communities and networks. Our rapid response work is a powerful way to help people sustain their daily lives while nourishing their spirits. The need was already here, we’re just meeting it the best we can.
How long will you do this?
From these movements and our elders, we have learned that to sustain our struggle requires the courage that comes from being in community. We know that we are not alone and that our rapid response work is part of the sustenance our communities need. We know that the relationships cultivated by our mutual aid work are the same relationships and networks needed to fuel our global historic uprising for abolition and liberation.
Since these efforts are in solidarity with Black liberatory community organizations throughout the Twin Cities, the US, and across the world, we will do it until we can’t fund it anymore or until we have to leave our physical spaces.
Cocoa Butta Futures (CBF), is a collective of queer, trans Black, Indigenous, people of color, committed to radical redistribution through healing practices and mutual aid.
Well, that sounds hella lofty, how do you do that?
We are truly nascent in that, while some of us have known each other for years, others are new to each other. So we are learning as we grow. Right now our commitments take shape in 3 ways:
- UR PPLS 2 Fund: The You Are People's Too Fund (URPPLS2), offers direct financial assistance to Minnesota-based QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and BIPOC single parent/fam/guardian/caretaker of vulnerable adults and/or child(ren). At this time we are only able to fund people for a one-time/year offering of up to $500 per person. This fund is not need based & we don’t ask folks to prove their needs because how you spend your money is not our business. We just want people to have access to support themselves under capitalism. Dream big and spend hard.
- Radical Apothecary & Care Kits: The radical apothecary, invites community herbalists & healing practitioners to come together, make medicines and care kits to be distributed to the broader community. It also allows for BIPOC street medics and healers to connect with members of Cocoa Butta Futures to collect and disperse medical and healing supplies they might need for sustaining communities. During the active uprisings in the Twin Cities, we distributed care kits directly to frontline activists & their families.
- Ricardo Levins Morales/Peace Coffee Community Pantry: In solidarity and community with the historic uprising, the Ricardo Morales Levins art studio and Peace Coffee responded to one of our co-organizers asks to create healing and restorative space for the local community, activists, and healers. In addition to the radical apothecary held in this space, we also offer a community pantry that provides canned food, fresh vegetables, household items, medical supplies, clothes and baby formula and diapers, free of charge, Tuesday & Friday.
Our first major donation was from another Black Trans group in the Twin Cities, since then our monies, herbs, and foods have come from a myriad of individuals as well as small, local, Black, IPOC, and/or Women-owned businesses, farms, and collectives. We’re not here for the money so we don’t typically give folks shine for loving on each other. If you’d like to donate, please do so here. We offer tax-exempt forms not clout.
Why are you doing this?
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, on May 27th 2020, this collective began in response to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the 2020 uprisings for Black liberation and abolition.
Inspired by the legacies of the Black Panther Party, the EZLN, Act Up, the Queer Liberation movements, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason, Cocoa Butta Futures moves in the radical traditions of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities who have historically and continuously practice mutual aid and resource sharing as a means of not only survival, but to strengthen ties within and between communities and networks. Our rapid response work is a powerful way to help people sustain their daily lives while nourishing their spirits. The need was already here, we’re just meeting it the best we can.
How long will you do this?
From these movements and our elders, we have learned that to sustain our struggle requires the courage that comes from being in community. We know that we are not alone and that our rapid response work is part of the sustenance our communities need. We know that the relationships cultivated by our mutual aid work are the same relationships and networks needed to fuel our global historic uprising for abolition and liberation.
Since these efforts are in solidarity with Black liberatory community organizations throughout the Twin Cities, the US, and across the world, we will do it until we can’t fund it anymore or until we have to leave our physical spaces.
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