To all my neighbors in Minnesota,

You are all very good helpers.

“Look for the helpers.
You will always find people who are helping.”
~Mr. Rogers

Check on your peeps in Minnesota.
Especially the sensitive souls.

Call us. Text us. Tell us you love us. Remind us how strong we are and that this too shall pass.

We are not okay.

We Minnesotans are okay not being okay. We’re good at it. We survive winter and ice every year.

This is different.

We are all doing what Minnesota does with our snow-blowers, tator-tot hot-dishes, and good neighbor vibes. We’ve had to turn up the volume on our neighbornesses these last weeks.

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Helper #1: The “Animal” Agitators

These are the helpers who come hand-in-hand with Anger and Rage. They put themselves on the front lines, asking for a fight. They believe that if they can cause a disturbance long enough– screaming “take me instead” –then those they protect can get to safety. They sometimes make things worse, making their opponents more angry and inciting more violence all around.

This is Animal.

Animal, the drummer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, is Mayham in fur. He’s wild-eyed, shaggy, permanently vibrating with impulse, and powered almost entirely by rhythm, appetite, and enthusiasm. He speaks in bursts, shouts more than he converses, and treats “inside voice” as a myth invented by weaker species. His whole personality is “MORE!” and his heart lives right there in the noise.

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Helper #2: The “Gonzo” Go-Livers

I’m not entirely sure the Gonzos (or the Animals for that matter) are Minnesotans. I suspect most of them are independent journalists and social media masters who have flown in from out of state to be part of the action. They parachute in for the dramatic moment. They have tenderness under the bravado, but many of them are turning this crisis into a stage. Most Minnesotans are too humble for this kind of energy.

This is Gonzo.

Gonzo is the Muppet who treats life like a circus he’s both starring in and inventing as he goes. He’s a fearless oddball with a flair for the dramatic, always chasing the next stunt, the next impossible dream, the next moment that makes people gasp and laugh at the same time. He leans hard into being different—sometimes proudly, sometimes tenderly—like he decided long ago that “weird” is a homeland. (btw Gonzo, our MN Governor was the one who called the 2024 election just plain “weird”) Under the daredevil bravado, he’s surprisingly soft, romantic, and sincere, which makes his chaos feel less like recklessness and more like a longing to be seen exactly as he is, confetti and all.

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Helper #3: The “Miss Piggy” Noise-Makers

These are the whistle-blowers and the horn-honkers. Their helping intention is to noisefully alert the more vulnerable that danger is near, so that they can stay hidden or find safety. They walk side-by-side with the Animals and Gonzos, but when danger gets real, they are the first to retreat, unwilling to put themselves in harm’s way because if they are arrested or detained they won’t be able to be good helpers anymore.

This is Miss Piggy.

Miss Piggy enters like she owns the air, chin lifted, lashes loaded, and confidence on full volume. She is dramatic and demanding, with a fierce inner code: loyalty, self-respect, and protection for the ones she loves. She can be tender and dreamy one second, then whip-fast and formidable the next, because she refuses to shrink when a moment calls for power. She holds a perfectly timed “oh HELL no” energy when something crosses a line.

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Helper #4: The “Kermit” Peaceful Protestors

These are the peaceful protestors. The ministers and pastors, the schoolteachers and nurses, the Native American dancers and chanters. These are the people who built Renee Good’s memorial, the high school students walking from school to the state capitol carrying signs and singing, the Heart of the Beast puppet theater marching 20-foot puppets through the throng of peaceful protestors.

This is Kermit.

Kermit is the steady one who somehow keeps the whole chaotic cast moving in the same direction. He’s thoughtful, soft-spoken, and quietly funny, with a face that always looks like he’s balancing sincerity and mild panic at the exact same time. He tries to do right by people. He listens. He holds the tone. He doesn’t need to dominate the room to guide it—he just keeps showing up, keeps caring, keeps choosing decency even when everything around him gets loud. And when it matters, his calm feels contagious.

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Helper #5: The “Scooter” Legal Observers

A legal observer has gone through a training in observing, documenting, staying neutral, and de-escalation techniques. They come dressed in bright colors, keep their hands to their sides, and take detailed notes. They do not chant and do not perform and do not escalate. They hold space, bear witness, and keep receipts. . . for someday.

This is Scooter.

Scooter is the Muppet world’s ultimate behind-the-scenes operator—the one with the headset, the clipboard, the schedule, and the quietly heroic competence. He’s quick, practical, and calm under pressure, always moving with purpose like he’s got three errands in his pocket and a plan in his brain. He doesn’t crave attention, and he rarely wastes words. He knows what’s happening, when it’s happening, who’s supposed to be where, and what to do when everything starts going sideways. He stays steady when the air gets chaotic because evidence needs calm hands. He is not here to be seen. He is here so what happened cannot be erased.

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Helper #6: The “Big Bird” Grassroots Organizers

These are the ones coordinating support with a phone pressed to their ear and a list in their lap. They’re setting up and managing GoFundMe campaigns, collecting & distributing supplies and food and money for people who cannot go to work. They’re taking in the pets and the kids left behind by those being detained. They are the soft net under families so they can breathe.

This is Big Bird.

Big Bird is a walking tenderness in bright yellow feathers. Carrying what need to be carried, he’s the social worker who is wide-eyed, earnest, and emotionally honest in a way that makes everyone soften no matter how hard things feel. He asks common sense questions that go straight to the heart, worries out loud, and gets the whole neighborhood to rally together in quiet action to make everyone be okay. There’s a sweetness to him that feels childlike, and there’s also a quiet courage in how he shows up with his whole heart when the world feels just wrong.

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Mr. Rogers said to look for the helpers.

Minnesota is full of helpers who leave tator-tot hotdish and a twenty-dollar bill at your doorstep while playing a game of ding-dong-ditch.

I hope we can all go back to playing duck-duck-grey duck sooner than later. Cuz here in Minnesota, we welcome the pink ducks, the red ducks, the polka-dot ducks, the plaid ducks, the paisley ducks, and the rainbow ducks right along with the grey ducks.