When Kissy Coakley was denied a job at Target Corporation after a criminal background check, she didn’t give up. Instead, she decided to take on the massive corporation and fight for equitable policies.
She worked to Ban the Box at Target Corporation in 2012, becoming an active leader in TakeAction Minnesota’s Justice 4 All program. Together, we won that campaign.
It was that same determination and organizing that Kissy brought to the campaign trail when she decided to run for Minnetonka City Council. We knew Kissy had the grassroots game needed to mobilize Minnetonka voters, one door at a time. And that’s exactly what she did.
TakeAction Minnesota members and community leaders reflect on what Kissy’s campaign has meant to them.
I met Kissy over three years ago when we both worked with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault at a local nonprofit organization. I saw her leadership firsthand and over the years watched as she fought for survivors in courtrooms and helped them navigate the system to attain housing and other necessities to rebuild their lives.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=180697686431305&set=a.131459971355077&type=3&theaterOne of the challenging aspects of that work was working with prosecutors to prevent victims from being criminalized in the criminal justice system.… Continue reading »
On Tuesday, November 5, we made history.
I grew up never thinking people who looked like me could be in political office. St. Paul City Council has never had a Hmong woman elected. City Councilmember Dai Tho was the first elected I met in person who shared my Hmong identity. That in and of itself broke a lot of narratives for me. Meeting Dai, I remember thinking to myself, “If he can do it, I can do it, too.”
Despite the lack of representation, as an organizer with TakeAction Minnesota, I began to really envision myself in office. I experienced the pushback as we were fighting for the most basic things—dignified wages, paid time to care, the right for people with records to vote, the ability to make decisions about our bodies and future, access to public health care. Basic necessities that our government is responsible for making sure each one of us has.
If I was the one sitting in office, I knew that I would put the lives of people first. That’s why I decided to run.
I had many experiences on the campaign trail that solidified why I was running for office, but one moment really sticks out.… Continue reading »
When I testified on behalf of the renter’s rights ordinance in City Hall back in August, I wasn’t planning on mentioning my criminal record. I showed up because I just believed people deserve to have a place to stay. They deserve a place to call home.
But when one landlord mentioned that people with multiple felony convictions wouldn’t be good renters, I thought, “That’s not true.” And it just came out. I said—I’m one of those people.
The last place I rented, I paid $54,000 in rent. I was a tenant for 54 months. I never paid my rent late and I never had any problems. When I finally left that apartment, it was to buy my own home.
When I heard that the city had agreed to pass the renter’s rights ordinance, I thought, “Wow, this is awesome.” It’s a step. Hopefully one day it won’t be necessary to do a background check, period.
Housing has nothing in my mind to do with a person’s criminal background. Housing is a necessity that should be available to everyone.
… Continue reading »Most people who are in prison will come back to our community. We have to ask ourselves: How do we want them to come home?
Contact: Kenza Hadj-Moussa, TakeAction Minnesota
612-386-9556 | kenza@takeactionminnesota.org
October 10, 2019
NEWS RELEASE
Mayor Frey, Local Elected Officials Reaffirm that Minneapolis Stands United for All of Our Residents
Local elected officials and leaders say Minnesotans want good government that’s of, by, and for the people
MINNEAPOLIS–All eyes are on Minnesota as President Trump prepares to hold his first campaign rally since being under impeachment inquiry at the Minneapolis Target Center.
Today, local elected officials reaffirmed that Minneapolis stands united for all its residents. City and state elected officials converged at Minneapolis City Hall for a press conference this morning organized by TakeAction Minnesota, a grassroots organization.
“We have a tradition of ethical politics,” said Elianne Farhat, executive director of TakeAction Minnesota. “It’s very simple. Minnesotans want elected officials who lead with integrity, and who respect and work for all of us. Minnesotans believe in a government that is of, by, and for the people.”
Minneapolis City Councilor Jeremiah Ellison of Ward 5 reinforced the message.
“Anyone who grew up on comics, as I did, will tell you that ‘with great power, comes great responsibility.’ Spider-Man learned it from Uncle Ben, but I learned it best from my mother, who taught me early that the best way to lead is by example,” Ellison said.… Continue reading »
When Sen. Paul Wellstone died 17 years ago this month, many of the up-and-coming progressive politicos coming into the arena were in elementary school.
But he’d probably admire what they’re up to.
After the 2016 election, progressive groups such as TakeAction, Faith in Minnesota and more familiar labor and environmental groups set up a training academy for activists and potential candidates called “Movement Political Leadership Program.”
This year they’ve trained 25 activists, including state Rep. Hunter Cantrell, DFL-Savage, and Chauntyll Allen, a candidate for the St. Paul school board.
What’s different is that they’re focused as much on governance as they are on winning elections, according to a memo from TakeAction spokeswoman Kenza Hadj-Moussa.
“This is not about winning elections. It’s about winning the day,” she said.
[…]
Traditionally in Hmong culture, dinner is an art. To be more specific, Hmong women work to make dinner an art. While guests experience delicious scoop after scoop of white rice, pork ribs, mustard greens, and papaya salad, there is a team of women working to make the entire dinner seamless.
Women coordinating the menu. Waking up early to do the prep work. Chopping the ingredients. Sharing information while they julienne, mix, stir, sauté, and bake. Training younger women as they wash and dry the dishes. Timing the food just so, each dish followed by the next. Kids running in and out, women managing the childcare while coordinating the entire event behind-the-scenes.
It’s tradition. One that many Hmong women do, not out of obligation, but out of a deep love and commitment to family, healing, care, and community.
Instead of—or in addition to—cooking a meal, Hmong American women in the Twin Cities are taking the leadership they learned from their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, and channeling it into politics.
Many young Hmong American women in the Twin Cities have watched and participated in this tradition over and over again. Only now instead of—or in addition to—cooking a meal, Hmong American women in the Twin Cities are taking the leadership they learned from their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, and channeling it into politics.
That’s the inspiration that TakeAction Minnesota staff LyLy Vang-Yang and Cindy Yang drew from, anyway, when they dreamt up Hmong Women // Disrupt, a group for Hmong American women and femmes committed to disrupting sexism, disrupting racism, and disrupting politics-as-usual. … Continue reading »
[…]
While the Iowa People’s Presidential Forum is intended to result in an endorsement from CCI Action, many attendees stressed that they were even more focused on building interconnected movements. Roughly 500 of the attendees were members of partner organizations in eight nearby states, including People’s Lobby, TakeAction Minnesota, and Hoosier Action. More than one speaker declared something to the effect of “No president can save us.”
[…]
By: Ashley Northey
The only abortion clinic in Northern Minnesota, WE Health Clinic, is situated in downtown Duluth. The unassuming stone building is distinguished only by the large words on the front: “Building for Women.”
WE Health Clinic has provided reproductive health care since 1981, co-founded by Tina Welsh and Dr. Jane Hodgson. Jane was one of the first and only doctors in the country to be convicted for providing an abortion in a hospital in 1970. Tina has been a leader in Duluth feminism for decades and still fights for gender equity in the Twin Ports today. Together, Jane and Tina decided to open the Building for Women in 1993, with WE Health Clinic as one of the tenants.
Reproductive health care. Abortion services. Sexual assault aid. Domestic and intimate partner violence support. LGBTQ advocacy. Building for Women is more than a building—it’s a home for feminist organizations and providers.
It’s here, outside this historic building rich with feminist activism, that “40 Days for Life” gathers every fall to host a 24/7 vigil to oppose abortion. And where, for the past three years, I have helped organize counter protests to affirm peoples’ right to safe and legal abortion.
We were and are a family of folks showing up with love, care, and joy for abortion access.
I remember going to my first Party on the Plaza—the kickoff to our counter protest “40 Days of Choice.” … Continue reading »
Once upon a time on St. Paul’s East Side, an abandoned railroad line surrounded by junkyards and mounds of asphalt covered what is now a busy commercial corridor, Phalen Boulevard. Few businesses could keep their doors open east of Hwy. 61 and most residents lived in single-family homes.
[…]
One of those who’ve been campaigning for months is Nelsie Yang, a second-generation Hmong-American who grew up in North Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park before her parents moved to Frogtown. At Minnesota State University, Mankato, Yang began dabbling in politics; on breaks from school, she volunteered for current Ward 1 St. Paul Council Member Dai Thao, who represents Frogtown and Summit-University, and later worked on campaigns for DFL state and congressional candidates. She also rallied support for St. Paul’s minimum wage increase and criminal justice reform with TakeAction Minnesota, and chairs an advocacy nonprofit called Hmong Americans for Justice.
[…]
The Vendetta Vixens and Nakita’s Kittens have joined forces for a St. Cloud Pride burlesque show benefiting TakeAction Minnesota. We believe sexual freedom, LGBTQ rights, and reproductive justice are interconnected. We asked a few of Nakita’s Kittens why, as burlesque performers, reproductive justice is important to them. Read their responses.
“As the producer of the Vendetta Vixens and Nakita’s Kittens, I encourage all my performers to express their own individuality not only on stage, but also in everyday life. Women should be able to live their lives freely and do what they want with their body, however they please. Reproductive justice to me means taking my body back, embracing my perfections and imperfections, and being able to strongly make my own decisions.”
Nakita Kat
Photo Credit: Annie Meyer
“In the burlesque community, we accept all forms of the human body, and we express ourselves physically through dance and artistic expression. We don’t want limitations placed on our bodies, and this includes reproductive rights. The LGBTQ community still has to fight for the right to bodily autonomy. Reproductive justice means safe and accessible clinics for anybody who needs them, and we must ease the legal and financial barriers to medical care.… Continue reading »
By: Performer Justin Uranus
My name is Andy, but my stage name is Justin Uranus. I have been a performer for my whole life, but my burlesque journey started out as a drag king in the St. Cloud community. Eventually I found my way to burlesque as I worked to find my comfort zone when it comes to gender.
DEFINING GENDER ON MY TERMS
As a king I saw others do gender-bending performances and it gave me permission to feel more comfortable messing with the binary.
Photo credit: Nakita’s Kittens/ B. Sens Photography
When I first started burlesque, I was trying to balance femininity as a nonbinary trans man. When I started living as a man, there were a lot of expectations for me to be hyper masculine—and I knew that wasn’t who I was.
As a king I saw others do gender-bending performances and it gave me permission to feel more comfortable messing with the binary. Seeing other people being their beautiful nonbinary selves, especially in St. Cloud, helped me recognize, “Oh, there is nothing stopping me from also doing that.”
That is why reproductive justice is so powerful to me, because it helps me navigate the boxes society has put me in and decide what is best for me.… Continue reading »
Nelsie Yang (center) stands at a Planned Parenthood Day of Solidarity Rally.
At a young age, I recognized how the systems we live in limit the choices we have about our bodies. I grew up believing the implicit (and sometimes explicit) messages telling me that I had no decision over my body and sexuality. In general, society made those decisions for me. I was told what I could and could not do, what I could and could not believe. Like many others, I learned from an early age that sex and pregnancy were not okay—especially before marriage.
I was told what happened to women and women’s bodies was our fault, and that we had to deal with the consequences on our own. The result was young women in my community — specifically my Hmong community — grow up with a lot of shame.
I found myself stuck between the abstinence-only and anti-choice messages I was surrounded by and my own values of care, community, and agency. Then, when I was 14, my friend got pregnant.
In that moment, I had to decide who and what I believed in.
My friend was scared and nervous. She confided in me, and, as her friend, I responded by supporting her the way she needed to be supported.… Continue reading »
Kenza Hadj-Moussa, a spokeswoman for the progressive group TakeAction Minnesota, told me last week that no decisions have been made about recruiting challengers to take on veteran DFL lawmakers in the 2020 election, especially in the Senate.
Still, she offered a less-than-subtle hint: “If I were an incumbent, I would be looking out for progressive challengers,” she said.
None of the longstanding metro DFL lawmakers on the potential target list stray far from progressive orthodoxy. But that’s not the point.
“We’re close to taking back the [state] Senate, but if the Senate is not going to be bold in its approach, then we’re not making much progress,” she said.
[…]
July 25, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota introduced the Zero Waste Act to Congress. The bill would create a federal grant program to help local cities invest in zero waste initiatives. These funds could go toward recycling infrastructure or the creation of partnerships with local businesses aimed at reducing waste in their operations, according to a news release from Omar’s office.
[…]
The city of Minneapolis, Eureka Recycling of Minneapolis, Zero Waste Washington, Texas Campaign for the Environment & TCE Fund, U.S. Composting Council, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Climate Generation, Surfrider Foundation, TakeAction Minnesota and Minnesota Composting Council have endorsed the bill.
[…]
Elianne Farhat, the executive director of a statewide racial equity organizing group called Take Action Minnesota, said she was “very heartened” by the widespread condemnation across the state of Trump’s comments about Omar. But she hoped, she said, that the support would extend beyond condemning the president in moments of explicit racism.
“Moments like the one we just went through make it clear that people are operating in a racist, xenophobic way,” she said. “So it’s important, also, when it is less clear, to take the time to see the racism operating, and to say that is wrong.”
“Donald Trump and the people around him are actively using all different contours — identities, race, immigrant status, gender, religion — to divide us, and we have to be clear that is happening,” Farhat said. “We all need to get clearer faster when we’re getting played. Those are the hardest moments.”
[…]
Hundreds of people turned out last week when Representative Ilhan Omar arrived at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport, the terminal erupting into chants of “Welcome home” as the legislator walked through the door.
Even more people showed up for the event Rep. Omar was in town for—a Medicare for All community conversation with Rep. Pramila Jayapal. The room of reportedly 500 people gave a standing ovation when Rep. Omar walked to the stage to introduce the panelists: Rose Roach, Executive Director of the Minnesota Nurses Association, Erin Murphy, Former Minnesota House of Representatives Majority Leader, Minnesota Senator Melisa Franzen, and Dave Dvorak, M.D.
So proud to Introduce my friend, my colleague, my sister Rep. @IlhanMN at her townhall @SabathaniMN Community Center pic.twitter.com/DPAuoKTAVp
— Andrea Jenkins (@annapoetic) July 19, 2019
“I know that there are a lot of people who are trying to distract us now. But I want all of you to know: We are not going to let them,” Rep. Omar kicked off her introduction to the room.
You can watch the whole livestream here. No time? That’s okay! Keep scrolling and we’ll fill you in.
Photo from Rep. Jayapal Campaign Website
Medicare for All is a simple health care system that reflects our values:
By: Dexter Hanson (they/them)
In 2017 I chose to move to St. Cloud from Brookings, South Dakota. I moved for new opportunities–the chance to have the freedom to be who I am as a proud member of the genderqueer community.
From quite a young age, I knew that I didn’t fit into the boxes of stereotypical “male” or “female.” I thought of myself as a strong mix of both, thus identifying as “half-a”. To me, this meant that I was equal parts male and equal parts female. It wasn’t until much later that I knew there was an actual term for this.
It took me some time to find my place here in St. Cloud. The resources and information about the queer community were not easily found via social media or general internet searches. I finally found my breakthrough at our local Pride, which exposed me to a whole new world.
I found a community of diversity in gender and sexual identity inclusion, the kind of community I was struggling to find before.
Much to my surprise, St. Cloud has a diverse community hidden from the public eye. While getting to know more and more about the community around me, I was fortunate enough to run into groups such as the Queer Peers group here in Downtown St.… Continue reading »
fter nearly a week of constant criticism from President Donald Trump and his supporters, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s supporters planned to welcome her home to Minnesota.
Thursday’s event was set to take place at the baggage claim area of Terminal One at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, just in time for Omar’s expected arrival. Almost 300 people responded on Facebook that they would attend and an additional 2,200 said they were interested.
Hosted by several organizations, including WOW Network, TakeAction Minnesota and Out-front Minnesota, the event page encouraged local supporters to welcome Omar home after Trump’s controversial “go back” tweet and the ensuing political storm.
[…]
[…]
In her Minneapolis district, a group of supporters led the welcome rally for Omar at the airport. Omar was scheduled to attend a local Medicare town hall later in the evening.
“It (the chant) made me feel sick in my stomach,” said Kenza Hadj-Moussa, a spokeswoman for the group TakeAction Minnesota, who attended the rally. “This is bigger than just the president attacking our congresswoman. This is about all of us as Minnesotans, the values that we share, and direction that we can go in our country.”
[…]
After Trump supporters shouted “send her back” at a rally in North Carolina, Rep. Ilhan Omar was met with a new chant upon her arrival in Minnesota: “Welcome home Ilhan.”
The Democratic congresswoman returned to the Twin Cities on Thursday evening, as crowds of supporters gathered at baggage claim to welcome her home. Nearly 400 members of Minnesota’s 5th congressional district expressed they were going to the event, per a Facebook page hosted by local community groups, but it’s unclear how many actually attended
“Donald Trump told Ilhan Omar to ‘Go Back Home’ well she lands in Minnesota at 5pm. So let’s welcome her back to her home Minnesota’s 5th congressional district,” the event’s description reads.
[…]
July 18, 2019
NEWS STATEMENT
TakeAction Minnesota Stands with Congresswoman Omar and Calls for Unbreakable Solidarity as the President Continues to Stoke Division
NEWS STATEMENT
Contact: Kenza Hadj-Moussa, 612-386-9556
St. Paul, Minn.— Supporters at a President Trump rally targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-5) Wednesday night with a chilling chant to “send her back,” fanning the flames of white nationalism.
TakeAction Minnesota released the following statement:
“As Minnesotans, we believe every person has inherent worth and dignity, no exception. We are inextricably linked to one another. When the President of the United States of America attacks and scapegoats immigrants, Congresswomen of color, or any group of people, it hurts all of us.
A leader that divides its nation weakens the whole. Minnesotans know the President’s campaign playbook and we’re not falling for it. We know that attacks and threats against Congresswoman Omar are going to continue. And every time, Minnesotans get clearer about our choice for the future.
Either we stand together with unbreakable solidarity across race, class, gender and geography, and rise up to meet the challenges we all face. Or we allow hatred and cruelty to win the day.
Silence isn’t an option. We choose love, courage, and solidarity.… Continue reading »
No matter our race or gender, we are tied together. In these political times, we are choosing to imagine a future where everyone is not only safe, but free to live with joy and pleasure. This is part of our Pride month series where TakeAction Minnesota members share how their activism and politics has been shaped by queerness.
By: Erin O’Daniel
I was recently asked, “What’s it like to be queer in Duluth? Will you write about it?” Hmmmm… a delicious and dastardly task, especially during Pride month when all kinds of queer are visible to the naked eye.
Greedy little queer that I am, I want it all, the queerest and sexiest experiences possible. I want the best of queer in my pocket/pants all the time – and especially as delicious, warm, lilac-ed up, sexswimmingkiss filled summer rolls into town.
In general, I answer “Being queer is Bliss.”
Being queer! is like finding the most ravishing, fresh, colorful, surprising salad bar ever. A little of this! A little of that! A million flavors exploding in my mouth, perfectly mixed together. Being queer is the end of day exhaustion after hours of frivolous and full body outdoor fun. Being queer is the art in a museum that washes away doubt and confusion from the soul.… Continue reading »
The 2019 legislative session ended early Saturday morning – just a few days late – after many sleepless nights. The bills haven’t been signed by the Governor yet (there are many pages to read for typos and poison pills), but I’m going to write this blog anyway.
First, I should say that every story is a matter of perspective. News headlines will tell session stories about political gridlock, “compromise,” and winners and losers.
That is not the story we care to tell.
Our story is about using our political imaginations and dreaming about what will be possible down the road in our state. Remember, the GOP state Senate only has a two-seat majority— and everyone is up for reelection next year. In the words of First Lady Gwen Walz, “We are coming for you.”
This year is only the beginning of a longer journey toward progress and liberation. The decisions made this session will greatly impact people’s lives, and it doesn’t end here.
Thank you to everyone activists, leaders, elected officials, and staff for your heart, effort, and commitment to dignity and justice.
Cierra Brown, a leader on TakeAction’s care team, shares the importance of MinnesotaCare and mental health care at the #CareNotCuts rally.… Continue reading » When I saw a training to become an abortion doula through SPIRAL Collective, I mostly went out of curiosity. A doula is a companion that provides information, physical, and emotional support. Doulas have been around since ancient times across all cultures. There are birth doulas, postpartum doulas, abortion doulas, even death doulas. They manifest as our grandmothers, aunties, and sisters—wizened from knowledge and experience.
The abortion doula training introduced me to reproductive justice—the idea that all people should have the means necessary to access the information, resources, and emotional, physical, social, and political support they need, to be who they are and create and sustain the types of families and communities they desire.
The values my parents rooted in me— honoring and trusting my agency, recognizing the abundance within community, and a responsibility to care for others—were made real in the framework of reproductive justice.
I’m proud of the care I provide as an abortion doula. It honors the values imparted on me by my parents in ways I could never imagine.
My mother and father (my father has since passed) are immigrants and political refugees. They came to America after the Secret War. My mother tells the story of how my grandmother came here with a jar of Vaseline (she was obsessed, apparently) and crossed mountains, jungles, and rivers with it.… Continue reading »
