January 30, 2026

Jan. 30 in Minneapolis, in a Local Parent’s Words→

January 30, 2026/ Matt Halvorson

Rise Up for Students stands in solidarity with the people of Minnesota as they are besieged by violent ICE stormtroopers and a violent ideology. We stand with immigrants and refugees, and with all people resisting oppression around the world. Today we heed the call from Minneapolis for a National Shutdown. Here’s an audio clip of ICY horrors, and an interview with an organizer in Minneapolis. All power to the people.

Donate to support mutual aid in Minnesota: StandWithMinnesota.org.

January 23, 2026

Resources for Resisting ICE in Seattle / Washington / PNW (or wherever you might be)

January 23, 2026/ Matt Halvorson

The time is NOW to prepare and organize. Connect with the people and organizations in your area who are already doing the work. Check on your friends and neighbors. Get a whistle. Download the Signal app. Be as ready as you can be!

February 02, 2024

Black History Today 2024: DeRay Mckesson, reminding us that a revolutionary life is an act of love

February 02, 2024/ Marcus Harden

Black History Today, created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and recognizes the people among us who are boldly shaping the future. The 2024 installment marks the sixth Black History Today series published on Rise Up for Students since 2018.

August 24, 2019

To my educator friends: Considering the different ways we worship can help us understand culturally-responsive instruction and equity in the classroom

August 24, 2019/ Erin Jones

I had a revelation this week in Texas about how to think differently about culturally-responsive instruction and equity...

January 22, 2018

Am I just acting like a sad-sack Vikings fan by not yanking my kids out of Seattle Public Schools?

January 22, 2018/ Matt Halvorson

This isn’t easy to admit right now, so I’m just going to come out and say it:

I’m a Vikings fan.

It’s true.

I’ve loved the Vikings all my life. When I was in 8th grade, I wore a Cris Carter jersey to school every Monday and Thursday pretty much all year long. I would have worn it even more if I wasn’t so sure that the wrong people would notice and harass me for wearing the same shirt every day.

I found that purple No. 80 jersey in a box in my parents’ basement in Iowa when we visited after Christmas a few weeks back, and I brought it home to Seattle along with my “lucky” purple Vikings socks. I was wearing the full ensemble yesterday for the first time in almost 20 years as I watched the Vikes get blown out by the Eagles 38-7 in the NFC Championship Game.

It was a genuine heartbreaker.