February 25 2026, 08:15 
Lesbian singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile held a benefit concert in Minneapolis on Saturday that raised $600,000 for families impacted by ICE’s occupation of the city.
“Last night was something I’ll never forget,” Carlile wrote Sunday on Instagram. “Minnesota is so deeply inspiring to me and the whole country. I can’t believe I got to sing for you and WITH you last night.”
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“So many people came together to celebrate your strength and conviction,” the Grammy winner added, announcing the $600,000 raised.
“We made joyful and powerful noise!” she declared.
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Carlile has long been an activist. In 2008, she established the Looking Out Foundation, along with Tim and Phil Hanseroth. The philanthropic organization provides promotional and financial support to community nonprofits, including the Human Rights Campaign. Last March, she and Elton John released “Swing for the Fences,” an upbeat track meant to inspire queer kids to dream big.
Carlile’s recent caption was over a video of the singer performing the protest song, “It’s okay to change your mind,” during the benefit concert.
The song was written by Annie Schlaefer, a leader of the Minneapolis community song circle. It says, “It’s okay to change your mind/Show us your courage, leave this behind/It’s okay to change your mind/Then you can join us, join us here anytime.”
A clip of protestors singing the tune outside hotels where ICE and Border Patrol agents were staying went viral earlier this month.
Minneapolis residents have inspired the nation with their virulent yet peaceful opposition to the ICE occupation of their city. The intensity of the fury over the agents’ violent tactics – which resulted in the deaths of at least two peaceful protestors – has backed the administration into a corner, spurring even many Republicans to speak out against the aggressive operation.
Out MSNow host Rachel Maddow praised the Minneapolis movement as “a political shift” driven by “the people” after Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was demoted to his old job as Border Patrol sector chief in El Centro, California.
“It starts with the people,” Maddow said. “It starts with the protests that we have seen. Principled, peaceful, relentless protest – it works. That is the source of this shift: peaceful, powerful, relentless, principled protest works. It uses democratic means to save democracy. That has what has made all of this political shifting happen.”
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