The pineapple juice, Pama liqueur, rum and lime No Raids Just Rum cocktail at the Speakeasy comes with a pinch of nutmeg in a hurricane glass; the non-alcoholic version has muddled raspberries. The spot has also featured the ginger and prosecco Sanctuary Spritz, as well as the gin and violet liqueur-tinted Burn the ICE drinks since its Jan. 13 announcement that the entire month’s profits would go to funding pro-immigrant organizations in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Immigration attorney, artist and Speakeasy owner Karina Estrada, who opened the Opera Alley bar Nov. 11, 2011, says the fundraiser is a natural move. “Throughout the bar’s existence, I’ve often made an effort to be more civic-minded and give back to the community when we can,” she says over the phone. That’s included, among other things, collaborating with Planned Parenthood to raise cash. She says, “I’m really proud to be from Humboldt and I want to invest in the community.”
During Trump’s first campaign in 2015, Estrada was moved to do something and applied to law school “when I was mad one night,” she says. A self-described Chicana, she recalls, “The things he was saying about Latinos and Mexicans especially were making me feel very reactive.” She studied law at the University of Minnesota and has been in Minneapolis since 2020, a tumultuous period for the city during which police murdered George Floyd, spurring nationwide protests, and on Jan. 7, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good amid mass raids and protests.
Seeing what’s happening in Minneapolis — in general and with her clients — has made Estrada want to do something beyond the scope of her work. She figures people here in Humboldt watching from afar might feel the same but may be frustrated by barriers like the need to vet programs before donating. To simplify things, she looked at grassroots organizations working on direct actions to fulfill needs in immigrant communities. DHH Church (Dios Habla Hoy) in South Minneapolis, for example, has been distributing food to some 20,000 families, among them people who are unable to leave their homes for fear of being pulled off the street by ICE. Some of the money will go to a group of artists and businesses feeding protesters and making signs and printing shirts for rallies, as well as the nonprofit Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota where Estrada works giving free assistance to low-income clients. And as the original post notes, she’s open to suggestions.
Kathleen, who sat at the Speakeasy’s bar facing a sign about the fundraiser with “FUCK ICE” at the top Sunday evening, is a regular. “I was taken aback,” she says, since it was such a strong political stance and a whole month of profits seemed bold. A former bartender herself, she notes, “What are the two things you don’t talk about in a bar? Politics and religion.” Nonetheless, she says, “I’m all for it.”
“We’ve had a lot of people come in because of this,” says bartender Penny Nausin as she writes the lineup of beers on tap on a chalkboard sign. Only one man, she says, swung by while she was out front to tell her to “Fuck off,” for hosting the fundraising month. She shrugs and says the response has been positive overall.
Before posting the announcement, Estrada says she sent out a mass text to the Speakeasy’s staff in case anyone had concerns about safety. But she says she can’t see the people of Humboldt making safety an issue. There have been some negative comments online and people who’ve unfollowed the bar on social media, and the business’ Facebook page was briefly suspended “for violating community standards,” according to a post. Still, she says, “We’ve got more support than blowback,” with people responding positively and sharing posts about the fundraising month.
Estrada says she knows not everyone will agree with her politics or her putting the Speakeasy’s profits where her mouth is, but objecting to feeding hungry people might mean it’s time to check in with yourself. The injustice should be obvious, “If you’re complying with everything the government is saying and they won’t tell you … where you’re going or what they’re charging you with,” and having people sign documents to self-deport in order to be reunited with their children.
Spending time thinking about losing social media followers doesn’t make sense, says Estrada. “I was at the detention center all day trying to get my client out. … I have more important things to take care of.”
She doesn’t expect the Speakeasy to raise a tremendous amount of money this month, but she hopes it motivates people. “It’s not a political issue, it’s a human rights issue.”
Jennifer Fumiko Cahill (she/her) is the managing editor at the Journal. Reach her at (707) 442-1400 ext. 106 or jennifer@northcoastjournal.com. Follow her on Bluesky and Instagram @JFumikoCahill.