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During the national ICE Out shutdown, we made a deliberate choice at Red Moon Wellness: to remain open and donate 100% of the day’s profits to organizations doing frontline work in defense of immigrant communities.

We want to share the reasoning behind that choice, and the groups we were honored to support.

Why we stayed open

Red Moon Wellness serves many clients who depend on consistent bodywork for their health and stability — particularly pregnant clients and people living with chronic pain. For some, missed care isn’t just an inconvenience; it can lead to pain flare-ups, sleep disruption, increased stress hormones, and sometimes a reliance on medications they are actively trying to avoid.

For us, canceling care at the last minute did not feel aligned with our values of harm reduction, accessibility, and responsibility to our clients’ care. We believe that care work is critical, especially during moments of collective fear, grief, trauma, and nervous system overload.

We’ve also heard from bodyworkers in Minneapolis that many practitioners are seeing a surge in demand — people seeking somatic support as they process stress, trauma, and uncertainty. Massage therapy is not a luxury; it is often a critical tool for regulation and resilience.

Why we donated our profits

At the same time, staying open did not mean staying neutral.

As a business, Red Moon Wellness stands firmly against ICE and the broader systems of violence and intimidation that harm immigrant families and communities. We believe that showing up for our clients and materially supporting resistance can — and should — happen together.

Rather than closing our doors, we chose to redirect our labor into direct financial support for organizations doing essential work on the ground.

Where the donations went

We donated Friday’s profits to the following organizations, each of which is responding to this moment with care, strategy, and courage:

• South Brooklyn Sanctuary – Providing free legal assistance for immigration court to individuals and families who would otherwise face the system alone.
• Indivisible Brooklyn – A key local organizer responding to ICE activity by monitoring patrols, distributing whistles, sharing real-time information with local businesses, and raising funds for impacted families.
• Tending the Soil – Collecting and distributing funds to directly support frontline organizers in Minnesota, ensuring that those doing the work of resistance and community care have tangible resources.

Care and resistance are not opposites

We don’t believe there is a single “right” way to show up during moments like this. For us, this choice reflected what we know how to do best: care for bodies while supporting the people and structures that protect our communities.

Thank you to everyone who trusted us with their care, supported our small business, and continues to engage thoughtfully and compassionately during this time.

If you’re able, we also encourage you to stay informed, support mutual aid efforts, and contact your elected representatives to demand an end to ICE funding.

Care is not neutral — and neither are we.