Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

WA Whistles is a grassroots, community-based initiative led entirely by volunteers.

Why We Use Whistles WA Whistles is a grassroots, community-based initiative led entirely by volunteers. We are a group of individuals who saw a need for whistles and an opportunity to help. To date, our volunteers have distributed over 100,000 whistles across the state for free, all powered by donated time, materials, and expertise. We are in a moment when people need to protect each other proactively. While Rapid Response focuses on responding to harm, we focus on preventing it. Whistles serve as an immediate first line of community defense. They act as an early alert system, instantly notifying everyone within earshot that danger is imminent. Whistles call attention to abductions that otherwise happen in eerie silence. They are a real-time call to action that summons immediate help, faster than any rapid-response network can. In many situations, the sound of a whistle not only alerts the community but also calls rapid responders to address the crisis. Similar to emergency sirens, loudness serves a specific purpose. It conveys urgency, prompts action, and can potentially save lives. While loud noises can be frightening, especially when they indicate danger, our focus should be on addressing the underlying issues to alleviate the fear experienced by immigrant communities. When parents are taken away in front of their children, leaving the children all alone, it is not the loud noises that cause the trauma; it is the immigration enforcement itself. There is widespread agreement among the rapid responders and vulnerable community members in our group that having whistles is preferable to not having them. Until this consensus changes or we find evidence that whistles cause more harm than good, we continue. Beyond being an instant safety tool, whistles symbolize courage against fascism; they represent neighbors standing up for each other, and highlight how collective small actions can support a movement. Whistles show immigrant community members that their neighbors care and are there to help them. Continued in comments>

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.

Our purpose is to spread whistles throughout WA to help communities protect themselves against ICE.