The Whistles

The New Symbol of Power

4 Months ago the ICE Surge in Minneapolis was at its height after Alex Pretti had just been murdered on Nicollet Ave, that part better known as “Eat Street.” From December until February I found myself out in some way protesting what was happening here. Mostly it was daily ‘Rapid Response’ here in South Minneapolis where I live, a matter of some city blocks from where Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and George Floyd were all murdered. To say that this particular zone of the city has been through a lot is an understatement. ALL communities are suffering. Six years to the day after the murder of George Floyd, and four months since Alex Pretti was gunned down ought to tell you something about injustice.

During the ICE Surge I also took time to document what I could. As a result I have terrabytes of video that document abductions, protests, violence, and an incredbile over- abundance of abusive power. When I came home each night from the Whipple Federal Building I often would just do a quick video diary to document the day. I had no intention of showing it to anyone, but this one in particular had special meaning. I was thinking about the whistle and how that high pitched sound has now embedded itself in our psyche like an arrow through a heart. It carries so much more than just an offensive tactic, or an alert to others to let them know ICE is in the area. It is the story of the handler blowing that forceful breath through it making it scream out their own emotional traumas from past and present. All echoing throughout the streets letting us know that our country is on the precipce of collapse. That familes were being torn apart, kids being taken from their parents, protesters being beaten, some costing their lives.

I don’t recall doing this but apparently that night I talked about it and put together a little haunting composition aptly named “The Whistles.” The video here are my thoughts on the day followed by the composition put to some scenes from that day. The recording of the whistle was also from this site on Nicollet Ave, Jan 24th 2026.

So with that I’ll leave you to the video. All of these times; the pandemic, George Floyd, the ICE Surge all played a part in the emotion of this album that I am releasing this September. Subscribe if you want to see more of the stories in this form.

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The Weight of the Sky arrives September 18, 2026.

Album release show: September 19, 2026.

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