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Why we marched, and what’s next

On January 21st, TakeAction board members, staff members, and leaders marched in the Women’s March in St. Paul. Take a look at why we marched, and then sign up for what’s next – action!

We’re doing weekly phone banks at TakeAction’s office in St. Paul to make sure the energy, determination, and resistance we felt at Saturday’s march continues for Trump’s first 100 days and beyond. Every Tuesday night from 6pm to 9pm we’ll put our marching feet to work on the phones, calling Minnesotans around the state and asking them to call their elected officials on the most pressing issues of the week.  To sign up for next Tuesday night’s phone bank, click here.

Amanda Otero, Arique Aquilar, Elizabeth Lienesch, TakeAction staff

We marched for renewed hope, to know that we’re not alone, and because it was a chance to be surrounded by people ready to act.

Mihiret Abrahim, TakeAction board member

My daughter, and I went because it’s bigger than pussy hats for us. I marched because I’m proud of how many people were also marching and have been engaged in this moment. But more than that, organizing and resisting is something I do because it’s not an option for me.… Continue reading »

ACTION ALERT: 5 Ways to RESIST and BELIEVE

     

 

Last week, we let you know you could expect a weekly action alert from us with ways to act. Here it is. Now is the time to RESIST the hate the Trump administration is putting forward and to build the world we BELIEVE in. Already we have seen the President’s quick action to dismantle progressive gains made at the national level and instill fear, division, and cynicism across the country. And while there will be more damaging and divisive actions to come in the next 100 days, we refuse to give in. 

You’re a part resisting and believing. And here are five ways you can act right now. 

READY TO ACT IN ST. CLOUD?

Join TakeAction at a training on direct action and powerful storytelling! As we prepare to organize and resist, we needs skills to organize effective actions and to tell our own stories powerfully to elected officials, the media, and our neighbors. This is a free training on Monday, February 13th from 6pm to 8pm.

OUR CITIES, OUR VALUES

At the Capitol, conservatives have introduced “local interference,” legislation that would stop cities in our state from adopting progressive policies have earned sick and safe time, sanctuary city policies, and higher minimum wages.

… Continue reading »

We will not comply.

Dear community,
Wow. I’m sure many of you, like me, have been reeling from the events of this past week. Attacks on immigrants on multiple fronts (#MuslimBan #BorderWall), attacks on our native communities (#NoDAPL) and our planet, dismantling the Affordable Care Act, attacks on women’s rights to their bodies.The list continues. The Trump administration is fueling the most painful parts of our country’s history with racism, xenophobia, sexism, and Islamophobia.  

 As a Latina and a woman of color who has always fought to be orgullosa de quien soy*, my blood boils to know that any of us can be told we are “less than” and denied rights simply because of who we are. And, as a member of an immigrant family who was raised on stories of how US foreign policy has tampered and hurt many in Latin America, I’m worried that as a country we will focus on these immediate actions without remembering and acknowledging that these actions are not isolated instances. These tactics are, in fact, as we would say in Spanish, “friamente calculado,” or meticulously, intentionally crafted as part of a larger strategy. 

It’s critical that in this moment we take a step back, connect the dots, and look at the big picture – especially the larger story being told in this moment. … Continue reading »

Believe. Resist: Fighting to protect the Affordable Care Act

President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a desperate cry for help. The order itself is a talking point that delivers on a talking point. It provides the appearance of acting on Day One without actually needing to have any idea what to do.  

Still, the power of the Presidency is real. And in 2017, it’s a real threat. First, the order’s coded political-speak suggests that patients in many states should expect to pay more and get less. Second, it surrenders to the demands of the insurance industry. Third, it introduces even more uncertainty into our health care system; its ‘hack first, ask questions later’ approach suggests the administration’s approach will be careless, uneven, and unpredictable.  

Seeing clearly through disinformation, word-fog, and tweet distractions has never been more important. Resistance demands clarity and focus (and a little bit of wonkiness). We’re asking you to read the details of what’s happening and to share this update with 5 friends who you know will act with you to save the Affordable Care Act. We won’t let misinformation deter us from acting. 

Here’s a quick summary:   

• In Section 1 of the Executive Order, President Trump opens the door to the deregulation of the interstate sale of insurance. 

… Continue reading »

Believe with us. Join the resistance.

We resist because we believe.  We believe, therefore, we resist.

My joy are my three great kids, Harriet, Winston, and little Joe – ages 5, 3, and 1.  They are my joy – they are also a handful.  Everyday my work to change the world starts earlier than I would like when they get me out of bed, and then when I get them ready to leave the house.  They are why on a day like today, I cannot and will not fall into despair, no matter who is President.

Today at 11:00 Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.  He is a man who fanned the flames of racism, xenophobia and misogyny to win the White House and hasn’t stopped since.  He has bragged about sexually assaulting women and mocked the disabled. He mocks science and denies climate change.  He not only plans to end health care as we now know it, he plans to take it away from tens of millions of people. His closest White House adviser is a white supremacist. Trump’s agenda is to minimize, divide, and destroy our communities and democracy, to clear the way for more money for himself and elites like him. … Continue reading »

An Open Letter to the Members of TakeAction Minnesota

TakeAction Minnesota is a people’s organization.  We are white, black, Latinx, Somali and Hmong. We are women and men and people who identify as neither. We are people without documents and people whose ancestors were placed on this land when it was created. We live in cities, on farms, and in the suburbs. Some of us have a criminal record and others have never been caught. We are union members and small business owners. Many of us are people of faith and many of us are agnostic or atheist. But we are all believers. We believe that no matter how different we are, we are all connected to each other, our fates are tied together.  We see and experience the inequity in our world, and we deeply believe that together we can change it.      

It is because of who we are and what we believe that we feel such a profound sense of fear right now.  Donald Trump won the presidency by fanning the flames of racism, xenophobia and misogyny. He brought out the worst in many of us and he won. He plans to use the power of our government against Muslims and immigrants. His pattern of behavior towards women is disgusting and something that I never want my daughter or sons exposed to.… Continue reading »

What matters to us most

We’re all wondering what will happen. To ourselves, friends, families. To our jobs, healthcare, finances. To our society, state, country. It’s more than okay to say, “I don’t know.” In fact, that’s been the answer to most of the questions I’m asked since election night. All I could really say is this is what the world has turned out to be. All I can really do is reach out to you and ask how are you feeling? Tell me the good, tell me the bad. J4A is a community that makes it easier to wake up every morning and be reminded that we still have something powerful, here.

One of the easiest reminders of how powerful you all have been this year is Erin Maye Quade being elected to the MN House of Representatives. We all had a clear stake in the history made in Apple Valley as a result of being a part of well over 2,000  Take Action election shifts this year. Be proud of that, and know that your efforts made this state more beautiful in an ugly aftermath. The Republicans are trying to kill that beauty, and so we need to double down on not only what we want to achieve, but also double down on our passions and efforts on this journey to end mass incarceration, systematic racism and gender oppression, not to mention the corporate power that generated over that last 15 years and allowed for such a bizarre election cycle and result.… Continue reading »

What’s at stake for me – #NOTokay

As Political Director, I’ve been all around the state with our endorsed candidates this year, connecting with new folks, enjoying catching up with old friends, and thinking a lot about my vision for Minnesota – what we can do, but also about who we are, and what’s at stake for me personally.   There is an increasing divide in our country between those at the very top, and the rest of us. My mom was laid off from a corporate job she held for 13 years because the company needed to save money for executive salaries and bonuses. Workers who had been with the company for years, who were so loyal to them, were redlined to save money – workers who have a pension were the first to be let go. My brother has a blood disease, which requires infusions when he’s injured, as well as constant maintenance to keep him healthy. These life-saving infusions cost upwards of $30,000 each time. Without good insurance coverage, my brother would be completely broke or worse.   But for me personally, what’s at stake is my body, my rights over it, my security in it. When the news broke that Donald Trump had groped women without their consent, I felt triggered, and I felt unsafe.… Continue reading »

WOMEN will make a difference this election

The impact women will have this election season will matter. That’s why it’s key that we VOTE, and VOTE BIG, on November 8th. 

Here’s the reason I’m voting for progressive champions: It is POWERFUL to see someone in elected office who looks like me and who faces some of the same struggles I face as a woman and as a Latina.

My whole life I haven’t seen people like me in leadership roles, I haven’t had people like me as mentors, and I haven’t seen elected officials work with my community to create solutions. I can’t wait to work with our endorsed candidates once they’re elected – progressive champions like Alberder Gillespie, Lindsey Port, and Erin Maye Quade – because I trust them to work with our communities. This year, I’m voting and talking to as many voters as I can because I truly believe that we have an opportunity to build a more inclusive and equitable Minnesota, and this election is the first step.

There’s a lot at stake for all of us this Election Day. Join me in voting, for the powerful
women candidates I named above, and for Zach Dorholt and Dan Wolgamott in St.… Continue reading »

#BadHombre

This week the Justice 4 All Program went back to work calling Formally Incarcerated and Convicted Minnesotans. We completed over 7,000 dials and have built a statewide list of eligible voters who have been through the Justice system. These voters are headed to the polls on Tuesday and we hope they will follow us to the Capitol in January to fight for voting rights restoration. Join us on Election Day by signing up to share our message on Social Media. 

The following is a reflection I wrote after brave words from a powerful young woman.

During a recent J4A political education session at one of our phone banks, an Ethiopian High School student brought up immigration as the primary system that has impacted her life. She talked about the threat of deportation and worrying about how filling out the wrong form could result in her family being torn apart. This is a big problem often seen as separate from the issue of criminal justice, but they not separate, they are the same problem.

The same prisons that detain Black and Brown folks for drug crimes are the same prisons that detain Brown and Black Immigrant folks before they are deported.… Continue reading »

VOTE. VOTE.VOTE.

There’s a lot at stake for all of us this Election Day, with candidates on the ballot who share Trump’s values and want to move us backwards. Read this, to find info on how to vote & spread the word!

Here’s what we can do. If we elect progressive champions who will fight for a stronger Minnesota for all of us — we will take back the State House, we will hold the State Senate and we will make 2017 the year we pass statewide paid sick time, restore the vote to 51,000 Minnesotans, expand affordable, quality health care and more. Here’s everything you need to make your plan!

Election Day is Nov. 8. Polls are open 7 AM–8 PM. If you’re in line at your polling location by 8 PM, you’re allowed to vote.

1. Register to Vote!: If you haven’t registered to vote yet, that’s ok! You can register the same day you vote. Click here to make sure you have what you need to register on Election Day.
2. Make sure you know where to vote: Click here to find your polling location
3. Who’s on your ballot?: Find out who’s on your ballot here.
   • And don’t forget to vote for progressive champions who share your values.

… Continue reading »

Open Door Policy

My name is Sarah Nemetz, an intern with TakeAction’s Justice 4 All Program. When I was being trained for the first door knock I would be participating in for Erin Maye Quade running for state representative in Apple Valley, I heard stories from Justice 4 All leaders, Tommy and Will, who are both men of color. Stories of rude people who would see them coming up the way and pretend not to be home, just generally be hostile, or would even spout racial slurs. They were essentially trying to mentally prepare me to be disrespected or ignored, which I readily accepted, and I set out ready to get some doors slammed in my face. When I got out there, however, I was surprised by how nice people were to me. Everyone who saw me in the doorway opened it, usually with a smile on their face. They listened to me as I talked about the candidate and thanked me for coming to talk to them.

As I walked the street, wondering why I hadn’t been pushed away yet, it made me think about representation, and the way I was perceived by these suburban households. I’m aware of what I look like: a small white girl with a young-looking face.… Continue reading »

Justice.

Last Tuesday TakeAction Minnesota hosted the Restore the Vote Coalition for a massive phone bank and door knock. We packed the office with 143 volunteers who called 3,824 formally incarcerated and convicted Minnesotans and knocked 131 doors on the East Side. Thank you to everyone who came out! We need everyone in on this fight if we are going to win in 2017. The following is a reflection I wrote after talking to victims’ rights advocate about the need for Justice. 

I often say, we don’t have a Justice System, we have a Crime and Punishment system. But what’s the difference? Crime and punishment focuses on criminals and incarceration. Justice focuses on everyone, people who cause harm, people who are harmed, people who witness harm being done. Justice requires us to act. 

Crime and punishment leaves us broken. Resources go into policing, trials and prison. But not into survivors, families and community. If we only focus on punishing people who commit crimes, we ignore everyone else. Leaving people (most often people in low income communities, people of color and women) broken and responsible to heal on their own. Justice is relational and demands that everyone including people who cause harm are included.… Continue reading »

Our Elections Work: St Cloud Update

This is Justin Lewandowski, Take Action Minnesota’s election organizer in the Saint Cloud area. It’s October, and our community is being hit with massive amounts of outside money as we get closer to Election Day.

In fact, the local race in House District 14B (former State Representative and current candidate Zachary Dorholt’s district) is once again set to be one of the most expensive races in Minnesota.

With all of the negative mailers, radio spots, and television ads, our anger and frustration with big money in local politics can easily distract us from the vision and story we want to create for our community, and why our local elections are so important in this work.

I’m angry, too. Dark money and candidates like Jim Knoblach who refuse to participate in campaign spending caps are distracting us from having meaningful conversations about our stories, experiences, and values.

I got into organizing because of the constant attacks on the LGBTQ community by candidates like Jim Knoblach and the devastating effects those political narratives have had on myself my friends and my family. I am angry that those attacks still persist, from repealing protections for LGBTQ youth in our schools to supporting the harmful practice of conversion therapy.… Continue reading »

The Women of Color Table: Setting New Ground in Elections Work

The Women of Color Table is knocking doors in the Burnsville Area to accomplish three things simultaneously: (1) get endorsed candidate Lindsey Port running in District 56B (2) with support from local people of color and personal care assistants and (3) build a relationship between Lindsey Port and our community.

This matters because these are communities that are typically left out of electoral process – at TakeAction Minnesota we believe that a person’s full identity and personhood should be fully seen and respected. One way we the way we personify this value is by knocking on doors that don’t exist in our voter’s data base; it’s called a targeted-semi blind knock.  We understand that people of color and immigrants are too often overlooked and systemically discouraged from fully participating in the election process, so that means we have to double our efforts to identify and build relationships. Our goal is to do just that. Through this series of doorknocks we plan to register people to vote, encourage them to get out to vote early and from there and after that, coordinate a community meeting.

We’re also doing it with a language justice framework. What does this look like? We’re working hard to have Spanish, Somali, and English informational literature, posters, and music and a fully translated training session. … Continue reading »

Did you watch the Presidential Debate?

If you’re the kind of person that reads a post-debate blog from us, then I think I can safely make two guesses about you. First, I bet you, like me, watched the debate last night (even if you didn’t, I know you’ve heard some chatter about it on the radio or Facebook). Second, I’m guessing that you, like me, find Donald Trump almost impossible to listen to. He’s loud, truth-deficient, insecure and hurtful. He reminds me of the bully that used to torment me in grade school, only now that bully could actually be the next President of the United States of America. Not enough people are talking about Hillary Clinton, whose strong, steady performance showed us what leadership looks like.

But what I want us to focus on is the cold, cynical, dog-eat-dog vision of our country that Donald Trump, the Republican Presidential nominee, put forward last night. According to Trump, our entire society is failing because we as people are too different and too diverse to ever get along. Based on what he says, women, people of color, immigrants, and Muslims are deficient.  His solutions aren’t so much about policy or plans, they’re about competition. At all costs. Always.… Continue reading »

Rooting for our endorsed candidate, Mary Hernandez, District 55A

Earlier this month, my wife, my son and I spent the morning door knocking with Mary Hernandez running for the MN House of Representatives in district 55A.  I have heard many people say, “this race is lost to the GOP” or “she does know that she is not going to win, right?”  This type of attitude really gets to me.  Mary has been an active leader in her community for 20 years, she’s a strong woman, an immigrant, a mother, a wife, and the type of representative her community needs.

Yet, people still don’t’ have faith that she will win, simply because the status quo tell us “this is a lost race.”  I completely disregard this notion.  Look at what happened in district 60B and in district 59A – this is clear evidence that the impossible IS possible.  We must acknowledge that our communities are changing, we are becoming very diverse across, race, ability, gender, age, and economic status. I believe, that diversity CAN be our greatest strength, but to achieve this, it will take meaningful collaboration across our differences to make this possible.  By learning from each other’s perspectives and working together, we will take action and create a stronger and more unified community.… Continue reading »

Tough Questions (Restore the Vote Block Party)

Join the Leaders of the Justice 4 All (J4A) Program Tuesday, September 27th at 5pm as we host the Restore the Vote MN Coalition for a Block Party, door knock and phone bank. We will be reaching out to formally incarcerated Minnesotans across the state to move them to action this election. 

Today, there are at least 20,000 incarcerated people across the country on strike demanding fair wages, better work conditions and humane treatment. This is the largest prison strike in the history of our country. People are risking their safety, being thrown into isolation and cut off from their family members just to make sure their voices are heard.

What are you risking to make this world more humane?

Today, many people sat glued to their phones as another unarmed Black Man was gunned down in Tulsa, Oklahoma and videotaped for all of us to watch. Another family has lost one of its own to state-sanctioned violence. Let the outcry and demand for Justice begin as another person transitions from a living man to a hashtag.

What are you demanding?

This past weekend, we saw the community of Saint Cloud, MN torn apart by an individual’s senseless acts of violence.… Continue reading »

Coming together after a tragedy – Saint Cloud

I’m Justin Lewandowski. I was born and raised in Saint Cloud. I am also a former student of Saint Cloud State, and I’m a community organizer. What happened in Crossroads, in my community, this weekend is a tragedy. I’m hurting and so is the rest of my TakeAction team. We wish the ten victims of the attack and their families healing and strength. We’re well aware of the amount of pain this nonsensical violence has put into our communities — the victims, their families, and all of the residents of Saint Cloud.

In this time of sadness and pain, I wish nothing more than for my hometown, my community, to come together to heal from this tragedy. I want us to form deeper connections with each other so that we may be able to better understand each other and in turn, better see each other’s full humanity.

I know that one of the best ways to do just that is through our stories and listening to one another. Here are two community members’ reflections. I share them with you so that we can come together and heal. So that we can better support the people directly impacted by this act of violence and their families.… Continue reading »

A Grandparents’ Day Reflection

Last Sunday was Grandparents’ Day. I’m 72, a Grandparent of 4, and in June, I moved in with my niece to help her care for her newborn – my four-month old great nephew. I’m also a member of TakeAction Minnesota’s Senior Caucus. And last Sunday, in honor of Grandparents’ Day, I did a lot of reflecting on care and caregiving.

As I reflected, I realized how much is uncertain. You might think that by my age there are fewer questions. There’s a stereotype out there about old, wise, women. And though I do consider myself wise in many ways, as I think about my own life and the lives of those around me, I was struck by how many unanswered questions I have.

There are the simple ones. “What were the words to that lullaby?” And, “what tricks did I use to soothe a fussy baby?” And, “where the heck did I put my walking stick?”

But there are also tougher questions about my own future. “What will happen when I can’t take care of myself anymore?” “Do I have enough saved?” “What living situations will make me happiest as I get older?”

And perhaps most importantly, there are some questions that I think must be asked of people who are in positions of power.… Continue reading »

Together, we won paid sick time in St. Paul

Driven by the leadership of workers and their families, we were part of an incredible coalition that won paid sick time for more than 72,000 workers in Saint Paul! Now, all workers will be able to have up to 6 days of paid sick and safe time. And you know what, every single business will need to offer this for their workers  –  no exceptions.

As a black woman that’s helped lead this campaign and who comes from a low-income community that too often lacks access to paid sick time, this means so much to me. And I know I’m not alone. Because of this, I want to let you know how this win was possible.

Towards the end of our long and hard fight for paid sick time in Minneapolis, we jumped into this campaign led by our partners at ISAIAH.

Driven by the leadership of workers, and alongside a powerful coalition of partners like –  ISAIAH, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) and many others – we worked hard to ensure that the Saint Paul City Council recognize the crisis that many, many workers in their city are living in without paid sick time.… Continue reading »

A doorknock with Erin Maye Quade

Hello, my name is Raul Noguera-McElroy, and I was an elections intern with TakeAction this summer! My last day was on August 16th. I hail from New Mexico and was connected to TakeAction through Carleton College alumni who are staff at TakeAction. The best part of my elections internship this summer was participating in what  the Trekker Door Knocks. My favorite door knock was the one I did on behalf of Erin Maye Quade, who is running to represent the Apple Valley region in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Although the entire experience was incredibly fun, I want to highlight the moments that made the door knock both fun and powerful for me.

First, I appreciated meeting Erin before knocking doors and asking how she would work on issues facing Latinos like myself. Her answer shifted the narrative for me because as a Latino I felt powerful and listened to, an event that is a rarity in today’s political world. This experience sent the message to me that for the first time, my voice and my community would be heard and represented in St. Paul. Before this experience, I had felt like Latinos and our issues never made it past the front doors of the Capitol, let alone into the minds of legislators.… Continue reading »

5 reasons TakeAction members endorsed Ilhan Omar

Want to know why our members were so excited to endorse Ilhan Omar for State Representative? Here are the top five reasons:

ONE

Ilhan Omar’s leadership reflects our values for racial, gender and economic justice. Ilhan:

• Supported the Ban the Box legislation in 2013
• Joined the strike led by nurses of the Minnesota Nurses Association fighting to keep their health care
• Currently serves as the Director of Policy Initiatives at Women Organizing Women, where she supports the civic leadership of East African women.

TWO

With support from TakeAction, MN Nurses Association, Outfront Minnesota, former Mayor R.T. Rybak, State Senator Scott Dibble, and a teeming list of community members – Ilhan has the support behind her to win. While most of the establishment assumed that everyone would automatically line up behind the incumbent, Ilhan has worked hard to prove she is the best choice for her district – and our members agreed when we resoundingly endorsed her earlier this year.

THREE

Ilhan has built a broad coalition that truly represents the diverse and beautiful communities of her district. Students, immigrants, and neighbors too often alienated by politics have joined her campaign. She has a team led by students and women of color, she has older white folks calling other seniors to talk about why its #Time4Ilhan.… Continue reading »

Changes at TakeAction

I’ve been at TakeAction Minnesota since we opened our doors more than 10 years ago, and I can tell you first-hand that this organization has never stood still, not even for a day.  Our network of powerful people and people’s organizations is always growing and changing.  And today we announce some more changes – both exciting and sad.

First the sad.  Liz Doyle, our Associate Director for almost all of these past 10 years will be leaving us.  While she will stay on our staff in a reduced role over the next couple months, she will be transitioning out of TakeAction Minnesota to seek out new opportunities.  Liz is a uniquely gifted strategic thinker, a talented and relentless organizer and coalition builder and, she is simply one of the most effective and powerful people I’ve ever known.  Period.  While she is not always in the limelight, ask anyone who has worked with Liz and they will tell you: if something good is happening, Liz Doyle is at the center of it.  From expanding health care to banning the box to passing earned sick and safe time in Minneapolis to much much more, she’s a driving force for justice in our state. … Continue reading »

A Call to Justice

We don’t have a Justice System, we have a crime and punishment system. One that protects the profits and property of the wealthy, and divides and controls the rest of us. If we do nothing, this system, steeped in racism, sexism, and built to enhance corporate power, will continue to target and dismantle our families. All over the country, people are standing up and demanding justice. Here is what the Justice 4 All program has been up to this month, and what we have coming up.

The Leaders of the Justice 4 All Program repeatedly joined BLM, AFT and allies in the streets, shutting down highways and taking arrests. We supported artists who were weary from marching and therefore decided to take their heartfelt expressions to the Minneapolis streets by painting a powerful mural. J4A Leaders continued our work on Voting Rights restoration and met with the Secretary of State’s office. Lastly, we brought our partners together for an event in North MPLS focused on fun and supporting our family members who are incarcerated.

Together with C.E.O. (Change Equals Opportunity), Mad Dads, the Office of Black Male Student Achievement, we hosted a 3 on 3  stop-the-violence basketball tournament along with our J4A Community Member Meeting.… Continue reading »

Meet Care Worker Action

Last week,  Abena wrote about two women who show us how critical it is to have more women in leadership at the state legislature. Like many of you, I am inspired by these women and our other TakeAction endorsed candidates because they give me a glimpse of hope, a vision of the future of our state.

And I also know that leadership at our state Capitol is not enough. For most of us, we learn
about the world, we shape our ideas of who we can and should be, far away from marble halls of the Capitol building. We learn and grow at home, on our neighborhood blocks, in classrooms and the living rooms of our friends and family. And so we can’t just look for leadership at the Capitol, we have to look for leadership at home.

This is what a new program of TakeAction Minnesota, Care Worker Action, is all about. Care Worker Action works to build the leadership and power of home care workers and Personal Care Assistants (PCAs) who work to provide in-home care like housekeeping, personal care, and other support to seniors and people with disabilities.

There are 55,000 home care workers in Minnesota. Overwhelmingly, these workers are women (estimated at 89%), disproportionately people of color, and the average wage is $10.80/hour with little opportunity for raises or advancement, even after decades of experience.… Continue reading »

An interview with Amanda Otero: Organizing + Elections

Hey, I’m Mary Kate Hall, Organizing Intern. I came to TakeAction this summer, expecting to gain some insight into the electoral process and eager to join in the fight to realize their bold vision for our state. I’ve been an intern for five weeks, and TakeAction has already my expectations. In a short-time, I’ve learned that nothing that much of what this organization does isn’t conventional or expected. TakeAction’s vision for the elections is no exception: We know that if we want the power to govern, we need to do more than just win these elections. We need to build powerful relationships with these candidates and continue to build a powerful base of leaders to ensure that our work with them extends far beyond November.

I sat down with my supervisor Amanda Otero (Deputy Organizing Director) to talk more about what that work looks like for our organizing team and volunteers, and how it’s different than what we’ve done in the past.

Q: How is our organizing work different during the elections?

A: All of our work is about bringing people in, developing leaders through campaigns, and making concrete changes in the lives of Minnesotans. The election work is different because this kind of campaigning might not feel like it’s making a concrete change right now, but we have a vision of electing our own people who will help us make changes in the future.… Continue reading »

Representative Rena Moran and Maria Regan Gonzalez

We’ve been witnessing heartbreaking violence on the news lately. The discussion around race has taken over – at the water cooler, at our dinner tables, and in our door knocking conversations. At TakeAction, we believe that we need people from all races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, religions, etc. to hold elected office and to be part of the discussions for us to move conversations forward, and start making some real change. We know that only 5% of the 201 legislative seats being filled by people of color is not enough. We know that 33% of the 201 legislative seats being filled by women is not enough. And for offices smaller than that level, we don’t even track statistics.

We are ready for legislators and representatives who look like and can speak for our many, diverse communities, who’re willing to fight for racial and economic justice, and that’s why we are committed to endorsing BOLD progressive candidates. We are excited to share our newest endorsements that will be powerful voices for their communities, two leaders and women of color:

Representative Rena Moran

Rena is currently the only African-American woman in the Minnesota House of Representatives. She represents district 65A, one of the most diverse districts in the state.… Continue reading »

Philando Castile

This is a statement we’ve put together as the TakeAction staff. 

This week, this month, and this year have been incredibly painful and challenging for our country. All of us here at TakeAction are grieving and shaking with rage.

We witnessed yet another set of murders of black men at the hands of the police –  Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile, a beloved father who worked with children in St. Paul Public Schools, in Falcon Heights. In that same week, four Latinos faced a similar fate. This needs to end.

In Dallas, many people joined together for a peaceful day of action and came to an abrupt stop when a lone gunman targeted 11 police officers, killing five. We mourn for the families of these officers. This is a tragedy – for all of us – and it is not a reflection of those who stand up to police misconduct. And, we can’t let it stop the conversation we’re having as a country on the rights of Black community and other people of color.

Here’s where we’re at as the TakeAction community, a historically white organization that now has a growing presence and leadership of people of color: As people of color at TakeAction, we fear for our lives and wellbeing, questioning whether or not we and our loved ones will be safe – while continuing to lead work in each of our own communities.… Continue reading »

Meet Abena and our newly endorsed slate of candidates

Hi Friends!
My name is Abena Abraham, and I just recently joined the TakeAction Minnesota family, as the Elections Coordinator. In my role, I’m going to help lead our elections programs. I’m so excited to be joining the TAMN family because the values of the organization resonate with me and the issues and ideals I stand for. I am excited to build meaningful and lifelong relationships with our endorsed candidates, so that we have friends at the Capitol when we are pushing our progressive agenda.

This year, we are endorsing our candidates in a new way – directly with our allies. We are using the People’s Agenda as a guideline for how we endorse. The People’s Agenda outlines our 2017 legislative priorities, crafted together with our friends at SEIU, OutFront, MNA, EdMN, NOC and others. We are being intentional in making sure that we are centering the voices of Minnesotans in our decisions. We are not only endorsing these candidates and assisting them in winning, but we are making sure that our members are building relationships with them. Through these relationships we want to be able to push for bolder and more progressive legislation.

A few weeks ago, we joined with our People’s Agenda allies for a joint endorsement screening (see picture above).… Continue reading »