Warm Up Boston

@warmupboston.bsky.social

1092 Followers 94 Following

A radical survival program serving the unhoused community on occupied Massachusett and Wampanoag land. ✉️ join@warmupboston.org linktr.ee/warmupboston

Large text reads "State and Revolution, V.I. Lenin” in the middle left of the graphic. Above this text is the quote written in white: "The supersession of the bourgeois state by the proletarian state is impossible without a violent revolution." A cut-out image of the books laid out on a coffee table with refreshments, from when our members met up to read, is on the right. A filtered image of warmup volunteers is on the bottom left of the graphic.
Large red text reads “Combat Liberalism Mao Zedong”. Below is a picture of the printed out readings with a filtered image of warmup volunteers overlaid at the bottom of the slide. The quote “Liberalism is extremely harmful in a revolutionary collective. It is a corrosive which eats away unity, undermines cohesion, causes apathy and creates dissension.” is in the center of the graphic.
Large red text reads “Mass Work, Communist Party of the Philippines”. Below the text is a picture of the printed readings with a black silhouetted and filtered image of warmup volunteers overlaid. The quote “The fundamental teaching of mass line is for us to have complete trust and reliance on the masses. It opposes pinning one’s hope on a handful of leaders, geniuses, heroes or saviors. It upholds the view that the masses, and only the masses, are the makers of history.” in white text is at the bottom of the graphic.
Large red text reads “ON PRACTICE, Mao Zedong”. Below the text is a picture of printed out readings with the book "Affected Works of Mao Zendong" on top of them. Overlaid is a black silhouetted filtered image of warmup volunteers. The quote “In order to have a real grasp of Marxism, one must learn it not only from books, but mainly through class struggle, through practical work and close contact with the masses” in white text is at the bottom of the slide.
At the top of the slide, the 5 heads of Marxism (the heads of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao) with an all-black filter. The background is bright red. Overlaid on the 5 heads is the quote “If you want knowledge, you must take part in the practice of changing reality" in white text. Below is the red text “Warm Up Boston Marxist Reading Group Recap”. The text is in between a white Hammer and Sickle symbol and the Warm Up Boston logo. A silhouetted and filtered picture of warmup volunteers on a distro is on the bottom. Below the volunteers white text reads: "Swipe to see what we've been reading" with a right-pointing arrow.
Overall landscape of the encampment, including a rocky base path, some camping chairs, and black plastic bags of belongings. Text overlay reads: “LOOKING TO HELP? We appreciate any spare change you’re willing to provide. These contributions go towards purchasing tents and other critical survival supplies for our neighbors. We accept Venmo @warmupboston or via the ko-fi in our linktree”
A pile of belongings gathered into plastic bags and bins, including cooking supplies, tents, and hygiene items, which all had to be moved due to the sweep or else risked getting thrown out. This pile comprises the entirety of a person’s belongings. Text overlay reads: “We are a working class organization that fights to reduce the harms of capitalism being faced by the most oppressed members of our class. An attack on the unhoused is an attack on everyone that works for their bread. We’re able to continue this level of support through mutual aid, a survival tactic that the working class has been forced to utilize since wage labor emerged.”
Belongings in plastic bags are scattered across the ground. Text overlay reads: “Just a week & a half after that first sweep, our neighbors were displaced AGAIN, this time by BU Police and WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. This aggressive sweep started at 6 AM on a Friday morning, upending residents’ living spaces just as they had started to replace their necessities and regain some sense of peace. Cops told residents to pack up everything in 5 MINUTES or risk it bring thrown out. Could you pack up all your essentials in 5 minutes, after being woken up before sunrise by armed men yelling at you?” A quote from a resident: “We’re Human People, we’re Human Beings”
Group of 4 policemen talking only to themselves on the grounds of the encampment. Text overlay reads: “The State wields power through the police and military. This is seen when 5 men armed with guns and 60+ rounds of ammunition each come to force our neighbors to move while destroying their homes. Are guns and handcuffs a public health intervention?”
A Warm Up Boston volunteer pulling a large steel trunk on wheels as they help move vital belongings during the sweep. Text overlay reads: “Warm Up Boston was able to physically help residents move their most needed survival supplies and deescalate cops’ verbal attacks on residents. We provided 20 burritos, cases of water, and other small measures for comfort.”
Video of a police officer threatening folks to either move or else be arrested “for trespassing” and “have the dumpster take everything”.
Three cop cars as well as a truck for taking away belongings. Text overlay reads: “This sweep happened the first week of September. Residents were forced to stay awake for 3 DAYS in order to keep their belongings while being threatened by the police. The “choices” presented were: Leave (to where?), or Be arrested and have all your belongings thrown out.”
A bulldozer and removal personnel with shovels clearing away belongings from our unhoused neighbor’s homes. Text overlay reads: “Another month of state violence: This past month, the State spent $40,000+ destroying everything that our poorest neighbors need to live: tents, stoves, beds, IDs, phones, all...“
Very dark grey, almost black, background color. Red title text reads: "References". White text list reads: "[1] Shira Hassan; Saving Our Own Lives [2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24374889/ [3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38128362/ [4]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29934549/ [5]https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01859.x[ [6]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38335867/". Beneath the text, a sketchy dark grey hand holding a bubble pipe peeks out from the bottom left of the slide.
Very dark grey, almost black, background color. Sparse red paint splatters adorn the border. Yellow title text reads: "Policies that divest from harm reduction and invest in the prison system are policies of systemic, mass murder." White paragraph text reads: "Mayor Wu’s War on Drugs, Josh Kraft’s even worse “Mass and Cass Plan”, and Trump’s new executive order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” will, without a doubt, kill people who use drugs. It will disproportionately kill poor people and people of color."
Very dark grey, almost black, background color. Yellow title text, with white subtext, reads: "Harm Reduction Works! (some of the many successes)". White text bullet points read: "- Syringe Service Programs reduce transmission of HIV and blood borne infections among people who inject drugs [2] -Injection alternatives (sniffing, smoking, boofing) reduce injection related overdose, illnesses, and injuries [3] - Medication-Assisted Treatment (like methadone and buprenorphine) reduce opioid overdoses and other causes of death [4]".
Very dark grey, almost black, background color. Another gray sketchy hand peeks in from the top right side; it holds a needle. Three thin yellow squiggle lines "come out of" the fingers. White paragraph text reads: "Harm reduction is a set of evidence-based practices that empower us to reduce the negative consequences that result from criminalized and stigmatized behaviors, life experiences, and survival strategies."
Gray background color with distressed, concrete-like texture. Sparse red paint splatters adorn the border. A sketchy dark grey hand holding a syringe and needle peeks out from the top left of the slide. Black text reads: "Harm Reduction is a Threat to Fascism. And it isn't Going Anywhere."
Text overlay on top of original poster image reads: "EVENT CANCELLED - Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be postponing this and all future kit packaging events for the rest of this summer. We will be back in the fall!"
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. This is the references page. Black text reads: "Much of the knowledge referenced in this post comes from the lived experience of encampment residents and Warm Up volunteers. For claims that come from other sources, we provide references below. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17474916/ [2] https://www.aclusocal.org/sites/default/files/aclu_socal_oc_shelters_report.pdf [3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31228636/ [4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254362874_Safer_Outside_A_Qualitative_Exploration_of_Homeless_People%27s_Resistance_to_Homeless_Shelters [5] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1473325010369025 [6] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10612-024-09775-3 [7] https://denverite.com/2023/07/30/denver-trash-service-for-some-sidewalk-encampments-and-a-sweep/ [ 8] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23891220-2023-hand-trash-services-survey-1-data-analysis/ [9] https://clanfear.github.io/Camps Policing/presentations/nuffield_22/slides.html#46 [10] https://homelesslaw.org/criminalization/police-brutality-statement/ [11] https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/the-crime-and-safety-blindspot-do-homeless-populations-pose-an-increased-risk-to-public-safety/ [12] https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NHCHC-encampment-sweeps-issue-brief-12-22.pdf [13] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9585118/ [14] https://www.apha.org/policy-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-briefs/policy-database/2024/01/16/displacement-of-encampments [15] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321522000269"
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""Encampments are the solution to homelessness.""
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""With enough sweeps and policing, people will eventually be convinced to go to a shelter or leave the area permanently.""
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""If you love homeless people so much, why not let them camp on your property?""
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""Encampments are full of trash.""
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""Crime runs rampant in encampments.""
Mustard yellow background color with a small WUB logo in the bottom right corner. Black text reads: ""People in encampments should just stay in shelters.""
Mustard yellow background color with black accents. The Warm Up Boston logo is depicted in the top middle of the slide. There are lines of minimalist tent designs along the vertical sides of the slide. Title text reads: "Common misconceptions about encampments, dispelled." Below the text is a right facing arrow, encouraging the reader to move on to the next slide.
To afford this year's supply of kits we'd need to raise $2,000. That's why we're looking to you to raise funds -- and your cash can go further by buying bulk! You can venmo us @WarmUpBoston or donate via the link in our bio. However, if you prefer to donate in-kind, visit our Amazon wish list for the full list of supplies, or email us at contact@warmupboston.org to coordinate a supply donation. bit.ly/WUBlist
$0.17 ...the cost per 5mL bullet of saline Saline is used for cleansing wounds when mild soap and water is not available. It helps rinse debris and bacteria out of wounds. We provide four bullets per kit which adds up fast!
We operate in Boston, a major city with some of the best access to healthcare in the world. Unhoused communities have access to clinics and street outreach, making medical care very accessible. However, there is still a need for medical supplies among the unhoused: - relationships with healthcare providers are impacted by encampment sweeps and policing - people with chronic wounds may not have access to the amount of supplies they need - people with wounds that appear minor may not seek care until they are already infected or necrotic - stigma against people who use drugs and the unhoused can make it hard to seek care
Help raise $2000 to purchase supplies for our wound care kits
A group of WUB members in three rows pose for a photo against an overcast sky in an open area. Some are wearing rain gear.
A canvas tote with the Warm Up Boston logo in black holding a bouquet of flowers. The circular logo reads “WARM UP BOSTON” in an arch under a stylized illustration of tents that look like a W.
A pigeon poses in front of a large pile of reusable grocery bags full of distribution supplies.
Two members with ghost emojis covering their faces intimidate a goose and mime argumentative body language.
WUB members take a selfie walking down the street on a sunny day in downtown Boston. They are carrying reusable and insulated grocery bags full of food, toiletries, and other supplies.
Close up image of chicken and broccoli alfredo in black plastic takeout containers.
Canned goods, snacks, and oranges are aesthetically stacked together in small towers in a grid on a picnic table.
A WUB member with their back to the camera and a goose emoji covering their head placed their hands on their hips and stands off with a goose next to a bench.
Warm up volunteers gathered and posing in the afternoon sun. Many wear red shirts in honor of May Day. Their faces are covered with sun and solidarity fist emojis
Warm up volunteers walking through the rainy streets of downtown, toting bags and a cart of items. Their faces are covered by rain cloud emojis
Tote grocery bags full of items to be distributed: snacks, sandwiches, etc.
Warm up volunteers walking through the rainy streets of downtown while carrying and toting items for distribution. Their faces are covered by umbrella emojis
Warm up volunteers gathered in the rainy streets of downtown. Their faces are covered with yellow rainboot emojis
Warm up's table at a local community event. Merch, sign up sheets, and various resources adorn the red table cloth
Warm up volunteers walking in the rainy streets of downtown. Their faces are covered with raincloud emojis
5 people are sitting around a dining room table intentionally covering their faces with Mariame Kaba’s book “We Do This Till We Free Us” a dark blue paperback with yellow and white lettering and a moon shining on water. The surface of the table is covered in bowls, plates, food, water bottles, and a laptop. On the top of the image, text in yellow with a dark blue background reads: “WE DO THIS TILL WE FREE US by Mariame Kaba” at the bottom of the image is the Warm Up Boston logo in yellow and the words “our reading group book of the month”.
WUB members pose for a photo in a line on a rainy path surrounded by trees, some are holding up peace signs. They are wearing jackets and rain gear and their faces are covered by globe emojis. They are holding grocery bags of supplies.
2 SIMPLE ACTIONS YOU CAN DO TODAY SWIPE TO SEE EMAIL AND PHONE SCRIPTS or visit warmupboston.org/advocacy
Remember back in November of 2023 when Boston City Council passed Wu’s tent ban so they could clear up the encampment on Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue? As advocates predicted at the time, the breakup of the Atkinson St. encampment and the over-policing of Mass and Cass has not solved homelessness or reduced drug consumption in the city. Instead, it displaced people throughout the Greater Boston area. People who were no longer able to use without being forced to move or threatened with arrest every 5 minutes in the Mass and Cass area found other spots to do this, leading to frustration from business leaders and homeowners.
This “addiction first” model, as the city is calling it, lacks any foundation in evidence-based practice and is a blatant continuation of the War on Drugs, a strategy that has done nothing but increase poverty, lock up millions, break up families, and destabilize black and brown communities. Boston’s new plan will: incarcerate people who use drugs make it harder to house and stabilize people displace people from crucial services raise the risk of needle reuse, contributing to higher disease transmission increase overdose deaths Like the rest of the War on Drugs, this policy will not work to change people’s relationships with substances or get them connected with the services they need.
Under the new plan, anyone caught using criminalized substances in groups of two or more will be approached by the police and CRT. They will be given the “option” of forced treatment or a citation. For those who have no means to pay a citation, this will lead to a warrant and arrest. For those who already have warrants, this will lead to their immediate arrest. Additionally, Recovery Services will no longer be allowed to hand out harm reduction supplies on the street.
Boston Mayor Wu’s War on drugs is bullsh*t
A mid sized dog with its face covered by the dog emoji standing on the sidewalk in downtown Boston, his owner is slightly out of frame.
Candid shot of 3 WUB members walking through downtown Boston. They all have winter coats, hats, gloves, and carry reusable grocery bags. They are facing away from the camera.
Candid shot of 2 WUB members walking on a path through the snow in downtown Boston on a sunny afternoon. One member has a reusable grocery bag, another has a backpack and a grocery cart full of clothes and other bags. Both wear winter gear and their backs are facing the camera.
3 reusable bags of food on the ground in a prep area. The bags contain sandwiches labeled PB&F and Uncrustables.
A large group of WUB members with faces covered by burger emojis gather near a busy intersection on a sunny day in downtown Boston. Various people are carrying reusable grocery bags or attending to grocery carts with more bags and supplies.
Candid shot of 5 WUB members with faces covered by sandwich emojis walking down the street on a sunny day in downtown Boston. They are dressed for winter weather with gloves and coats. They are carrying reusable grocery bags with food, clothing, and other supplies.
A flyer that reads stop the sweeps, venue. We are very excited to be supporting NAICOB, the oldest center for Indigenous people in Boston, via our venue fee. Their diverse programming includes advocacy, food assistance, youth and worker trainings, and cultural education.