Evan Rachel Wood, the 30-year-old actress and Jewish mom, took action over the weekend after visiting immigrant families in Texas shelters.
In a video posted on Instagram, Wood explained, “Ever since I heard about everything happening in our country and the separation policy, I’ve been wondering what I can do. So, I’ve flown to Texas and I’m gonna be on the front lines for the next couple days to find out what I can do to help and what we can do to help, so if you want to follow along with the hashtag #EvanInTX to find out what’s going on here and how we can all get involved.”
As the Westworld star told People, “[I wanted] to put faces with the stories [and] to actually be there and hug the children and play with them, see how sweet and loving they are but to see how tired and in pain they are — and see the fear in their parents’ eyes.”
Wood, mom to a 5-year-old, explained how she bought things to donate that she’s bought for her own son. As she told People, “I broke down when I picked up a pair of shoes that I’ve bought for him because it made it so personal.”
On Sunday, she joined the “Break Bread Not Families” campaign. Its mission: to fast for “24 hours, for 24 days, in honor of the 2,400 children separated from their families.” She joins a long list of prominent individuals who are participating in this fast. Wood said of the 24-day chain of 24-hour fasts, “it’s a small price to pay considering what families are going through.”
In a tweet, Wood explained her decision to fast:
Fasting is a form of non violent protest and I was happy to be a part of their ceremony in Texas this morning and carry the strike another 24 hours before it is passed to the next person. https://t.co/pMDC8LUaEB
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) June 25, 2018
As she told ABC News, “I didn’t want people to think that because of a slight policy [change] that everything was fixed. We still have to reunite families. Don’t lose momentum because the fight is not over. Let’s not lose hope.”
Header Image via Evan Rachel Wood on Instagram. Taken by Erica Summers.
