Connecting Our Stories — Emily
Emily Terrell is a Leader with the Justice 4 All Program at TakeAction Minnesota. As a
photographer she aims to document the progressive movement and as a counselor she 
works with young women in the Juvenile Justice System leading restorative practices. See her work on display this Wednesday, Feb 17th at an event sponsored by the MPLS NAACP.
I believe that stories are powerful. Spending time with people, hearing their stories, and collectively finding meaning within them is what I do, and it is my life’s work.
It is why I was excited to partner with Justice 4 All on the Restore the Vote project. Because there are 47,000 stories in Minnesota that are not being heard by our body politic. 47,000 faces, names, histories, experiences, hurts, successes and perspectives that are excluded from the decision-making process.
Through the Restore the Vote project, I wanted to capture some of those faces, some of those perspectives, and make sure that the stories were told, even if they can’t do it at the ballot box, yet.
Justice 4 All and their community partners engaged the state of Minnesota in a rigorous campaign last session. I was invited to the Restore the Vote Panel and Exhibit hosted by the Minneapolis NAACP to share photography that highlights the stories of real people, people who are not able to have a voice in their democracy and who’re still fighting to change this, with the support of many allies, because we still haven’t won.
I recently heard that yes, stories are powerful, but only if we believe they are true. When we believe, we validate, when we validate, we invite. When we invite, we welcome. I want to these stories to be heard, validated and believed so that can be a powerful force to win the fight to Restore the Vote. I want them to be invited so that we can say to 47,000 of our community members —welcome to your democracy.
We’d love to see you this Wednesday, Feb, 17th at an exciting Restore the Vote Exhibit where Emily will be sharing some of the photos she took during the campaign last year. There will be an amazing group of panel discussion, and artist dedicated to shifting the narrative. Please RSVP at: www3.thedatabank.com/…g/256/personal2.asp
