Blog

It hurts us all

My name is Ben Whalen. I’m a white guy who grew up middle class from the suburbs. I’ve lived a fairly privilege life.  For a long time, I was ignorant of the systemic injustices present in our justice system. I bought into the dominant narrative that only “bad guys” go to jail and get what they deserve for the crimes they committed. It wasn’t until I moved to the Twin Cities after college and got involved in advocacy and community organizing groups that I started to question that narrative. I now have multiple friends with criminal records who’ve told me about the challenges they face  to find housing and jobs long after they’ve served their time. I’ve listened to the stories from my friends who are people of color about how police arrested them, beat them, and assumed they were criminals because they “fit the description.” I’ve had friends who were exercising their right to protest, advocating for police accountability, who’ve been met with similar treatment from the police. I’ve now read about and listened to experts on mass incarceration explain how it perpetuates systemic racism. After all of this, I cannot remain silent.

In college, I had the opportunity to visit South Africa and learn about its history and culture.… Continue reading »

The First Earned Sick Time Win in Minnesota

We did it! Driven by the leadership of workers, we won earned sick and safe time in Minneapolis for more than 123,000 people. From now on, all workers will be able to earn up to 6 days of paid sick and safe time. And they will be able to use them without being penalized for it. Join all of us in celebrating this victory by sharing this image! We’ve got to let the whole city know about it.

Minneapolis has joined 25 other cities across the country that’ve passed a similar policy and it’s the very first city in the Midwest to do so. Let’s revisit the work that happened to make this possible.

Last August, with workers in the front lines, we launched #MPLSWorks – an effort to raise standards for working families by passing policies like fair workweek, earned sick time, wage theft protections, and $15 an hour minimum wage.

The Workplace Partnership Group was established in October of 2015 and tasked to create recommendations for an earned sick and safe time ordinance. Liz Doyle, TakeAction Minnesota’s Associate Director, served as Chair and the Group made strong recommendations after hearing from thousands of workers and business owners. Because of a lot of grassroots organizing those recommendations are the backbone of the policy the City Council passed today!… Continue reading »

Session is Over…

Session is over, and for the past nine weeks, J4A Leaders set out to change who decides and who benefits. We put in hours of volunteer work, we told our stories boldly and came together in powerful and meaningful ways. We repeatedly proclaimed that we believe in a Minnesota where people have the power to make the decisions that affect our communities, our lives and our futures. Here is a sample of what we did together.

We Won Some Stuff: Shoulder to shoulder with allies, we supported a modest sentencing reform package that will reduce the prison population significantly over the next five years. We continued our fight for the restoration of voting rights and while it did not pass as a law, due to a variety of dynamic and strategic work done by allies, the bill did advance in the Senate for the 3rd time. Finally, we fought side by side with allies to prevent a privet prison from opening in Appleton MN and were successful.

We Built: This Session, J4A Leaders connected our work to Minnesotans across the state. We started out the year at Lino Lakes Prison building with our partners at Voices for Racial Justice and the brave men incarcerated at Lino Lakes Correctional Facility.… Continue reading »

Advocates for paid sick leave press Duluth city leaders

Duluth officials continue to hear from groups that would have the city bring paid sick leave to greater numbers of people who work in the city.

With Minneapolis about to rule on sick leave reform for its workers, and St. Paul possible to follow, Duluth finds itself in the eye of a special interest campaign aimed at policy change at the city government level.

On Tuesday, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and TakeAction Minnesota of Duluth released data analysis that showed while more than half of the workers in Duluth benefit from paid sick leave, nearly 20,000 workers (46 percent) are without the added benefit. Even Duluth’s 54 percent of workers with paid sick leave would fall short of a 2015 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that found 65 percent of American workers received paid sick leave.

“We are aware of the interest for a citywide ordinance,” said Mayor Emily Larson in a statement released to the News Tribune on Tuesday. “This is an important communitywide issue needing a broader community conversation, and I welcome that opportunity in the coming months.”

While men and women in Duluth benefitted at the same 54 percent rate of access to paid sick benefits, low-income and part-time workers were the most likely to go unprotected, said the new report.… Continue reading »

“If they come for me in the morning…”

Angela Davis said “If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you at night.” A reminder that none of us are safe from systems steeped in ideas of racial, gender and economic oppression. Not white folks, black folks, not other people of color, not men, women or transgender folks. Not poor or middle class, we all stand to lose from a crime and punishment system designed to protect the profits and property of the wealthy and divide and control the rest of us, so we better come together. The only way to create the change we seek is to build a statewide multiracial movement.

The Justice 4 All Program (J4A) has been working on building our part of the movement during the month of April.

We started things out at Saint Cloud State University. J4A Leaders led a powerful discussion on the impact of the Justice System, and students left ready to take this work to the streets. Much more to come in Saint Cloud.

Three times this month we publicly debated Republicans on the issue of Justice Reform. We were live on MPR with GOP Rep. Tim Miller, author of the proposal to reopen a prison in Appleton MN.… Continue reading »

Hope and Unity

Ana Lozano
My understanding and interest in politics has been vague until this year. I never truly understood the power of my vote until I attended the DFL convention for district 60B as a delegate. My only motive for wanting to become a delegate was simply to have a better understanding of the process. That all changed when I heard Ilhan Omar speak at my caucus, I was automatically intrigued by her humble and genuine nature which is hard to find in today’s legislatures. I was also excited to have a representative that would understand the struggles of an immigrant family in the U.S.

My mother an asylee from El Salvador’s civil war will finally be receiving her U.S citizenship after 26 years in this country! We have struggled to find our voice and place in this country because with no representation for immigrant families our issues go unheard and unnoticed. I entered the DFL convention early Saturday bursting with excitement, energy and hope to finally elect a representative that understands the challenges that communities of color face.

The convention started slow but I remained hopeful. I grew more and more impatient in my seat. I started questioning the process, “why am I here” I thought to myself.… Continue reading »

Women leading at TakeAction

We’re growing and changing at TakeAction, and we want to get you caught up! We have three great organizers who are taking on lead roles in our organization. We want you to get to know them and learn a little bit about the vision they have for their new roles.

Amanda Otero and Jessica English have been with TakeAction for sometime, and have recently taken on new roles. Cacje Henderson is brand new to the TAMN team. Keep reading to learn about them!

Amanda Otero, Deputy Organizing Director

I organize because I am pushed every day to live into the truth that I am enough. As a woman and as a light-skin Latina, I have been told time and again that I’m not enough, and because of this, I’ve lived a lot of my life out of a place of shame. Organizing has given me the opportunity to say ya basta, to affirm who I am, to develop a vision for myself.

As TakeAction’s Deputy Organizing Director, I am excited to work more closely with our organizers and leaders to model the kind of organizing we want to see in our state – one where we can take on bold changes, where dismantling structural oppression in our own lives and in our communities is a priority, where we know when to listen and follow the lead of people directly impacted by the issues we’re fighting against.… Continue reading »

Are you in to fight climate chaos?

I’ve got some big news, and I want to hear what you think about it.

I want you to join other TakeAction Minnesota members in tackling the biggest challenge we have ever taken on — dangerous climate change and the systems of injustice that drive it.

We want you to shape this work to make a just and livable future for everyone from the start. Raise your hand if you’re with us, and tell us what you’d be most excited to fight for.

Members like you have talked to us for years about the importance of taking on climate justice and we heard you. The proposal to get to work passed with a unanimous, enthusiastic vote at the recent TakeAction Annual Meeting.

Here’s the very personal reason I hope you will raise your hand to take part in this fight:

Last summer my wife and I welcomed our third child into the world, baby Joseph.

As we were home with him and reminding ourselves of how much caring and fun a baby requires, I started reading This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein. This challenging book starts with a thoroughly-documented explanation of the science of chaotic climate change: Carbon emissions from our predatory, capitalist system are right on the edge of triggering a series of catastrophes that scientists say we can neither predict or control.… Continue reading »

A call to action

James Badue is a member of the Justice 4 All Program at TakeAction Minnesota. He is helping to lead the fight to remove barriers to employment, housing and democracy for Minnesotans impacted by the Justice System. As J4A members gear up to take on new fights, James offers this powerful reflection on the announcement from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman that there will be no indictment in the shooting of Jamar Clark.

As I sat at the table of Muddy Waters in South side MPLS with Tommy Franklin (Justice 4 All Organizer), Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman’s announcement played live on his laptop. The aggravation of knowing the results before he announced it sat in my chest as I recalled the murder of a friend of mine who was shot and killed by the police on his graduation day. Then Trayvon, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, and all the other unknown brothers and sisters who have been murdered by the police with no justice.

In this city, there is no justice, it is just “us”.

Having recently been freed from the walls of imprisonment in 2014, I, like many of us, know what being held accountable for our actions means.… Continue reading »

Voting is only one way to be a part of the political process

My name is Nicole Riegert. I am a nineteen-year-old student at the University of Minnesota and have recently started as an intern for the political team here at TakeAction MN. As a college student, I spend much of my time evaluating what is important to me and envisioning my future. My opportunities to build a life I find personally meaningful and positively impactful within my community can be limited or enriched by individuals who hold power. It is important to me that the officials making decisions that will influence my life and the lives of others in my community share our bold, progressive values. This November, I want to elect leaders who will challenge the status quo to ensure our voices are represented.

Thus, I ran to be a delegate to the Senate District Convention this April and support the candidates endorsed by TakeAction. At the convention, delegates elected on March 1st present issues, debate, and choose House and Senate candidates for their party. To better understand the process, I sat down with Mary and Quinn. Mary, who has been elected a delegate to the State Convention, tells us why being a delegate matters to her. See her video here.… Continue reading »

Changing the face of politics: Ruben Vazquez & Mary Kunesh-Podein

It’s a BIG election year. We’ve got the presidential elections taking over every headline in the major news outlet across the country. Countless rallies and speeches are happening in every state during their local caucuses and conventions. In the midst of all this BIG campaigning, it’s easy to lose sight of the races that are happening now in our own neighborhoods, right here. 

These are people who will make decisions that impact us each and every day. People who come from our communities, who are most accountable to us, their constituents. We’ve endorsed candidates in targeted local races who are ready to fight to arm in arm with us to create a Minnesota where everyone can thrive. To make sure our endorsed candidates make it to the Capitol, we have the goal of raising $1,000 per candidate in April.

Can you help us meet this critical goal by making a contribution of $5 TODAY? Your contribution means more door knocks, community forums, phonebanks, and outreach online — everything it takes to make sure they make it to the Capitol.

Today I want to introduce you to Ruben Vazquez, who’s running for State Representative in 41A , and Mary Kunesh-Podein, who’s running for State Representative in 41B, TWO candidates who will co-govern with us, and who will not only change the face of the Capitol but are also ready to make a huge impact.… Continue reading »

We are fearless…

As a new father, I have learned many tricks for getting my son to fall asleep in the middle of the night. Littering his crib with pacifiers so when he loses one, he can grab another one. Setting the mood with lavender scent and turning on his Ninja Turtle night light that shines stars on the ceiling. Finally, I rock him slowly in my arms, his chest covering my heart, his head on my shoulder, and sing freedom songs.

“We are the children of the ones who did not die.”
“We are the children of a people who can fly!”
“We are fearless, we are strong, we are ready to carry on.”

The last thing my son hears before he falls asleep are the words “We are fearless, we are strong, we are ready to carry on.” My hope is that he learns to always push and fight to help make this world a lil better for all of us. Just like the Leaders of the Justice 4 All Program.

These past few weeks have been busy for the Justice 4 All program. We kicked off the Legislative Session by joining forces with the MPLS NAACP and RTVMN Coalition on Twitter.… Continue reading »

Join us on March 15: Bring Back the Voices of 47,000 Minnesotans

The Minnesota Second Chance Coalition is holding the Second Chance Day on the Hill, annual rally on March 15th, at 10:00 am, at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill.  Join Leaders from the Justice 4 All Program as we rally with our allies and show state lawmakers how important justice reform is to Minnesota. The following statement is from the Co-Chair of the Second Chance Coalition, Josh Esmay.

My name is Josh Esmay; I am the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the Council on Crime and Justice, and co-chair of the Second Chance Coalition.

The issue at the heart of the Coalition’s mission- the collateral consequences of criminal records- is one of the most important problems facing our society.  In the last 30 years we’ve seen a massive increase in the scope of our criminal justice system.  As a result, in Minnesota alone, today an estimated 1 in 4 people have a criminal record.  And now, changes in technology have made people’s records incredibly easy to access, causing stigma to permeate nearly every aspect of one’s life, from employment, to housing, to civil engagement and personal relationships. As an attorney, practicing both in the public defender system and at Council on Crime and Justice, I’ve had the privilege of working with many good people whose lives have been devastated by their involvement in the criminal justice system. … Continue reading »

Get out to caucus!

BE PART OF THE PRECINCT CAUCUSES AND CONVENTIONS.

WE’LL BE THERE AND WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US. WHY? 

We participate in the party process, even when we operate as an independent political alignment, because we believe that in order to build this statewide alignment and political power – we need to support our candidates on their path toward winning elections. To do this, we fill the rooms with our progressive voices. We support and uphold our progressive champions. We make sure our communities are led by people who look like us and understand our needs.

Without engaging in the process it will continue to be closed, confusing, and power will be isolated – held by a precious few who know the rules. We need to be informed and we need to act powerfully by acting together.

NOW LET’S GET TO IT, IT’S CAUCUS TIME

Precinct Caucuses: Tuesday, March 1st from 6:30 – 8:00PM. Find your location here!

1. Support TakeAction endorsed and/or your local candidates by becoming a delegate – March 1st is the night to ensure you are chosen.
2. Make your voice heard within the party by carrying a resolution – this lifts up the issues most important to us and building our movement.

A Way Home

At TakeAction Minnesota’s Justice 4 All Program, I have found a home. Since being convicted of a felony more than a decade ago, I have long felt like an orphan to American society. And like many orphans, I ran away. I may not have always been conscious of it, but I was running. By running, I was postponing my truth. Joining the fight as the new Justice 4 All Organizer has allowed me to give my truth a makeover.

Trying to overcome the stain of your criminal background is like being sequestered in a deep sea submarine, with no clear idea of when you’ll resurface. Or, it’s as if you’re climbing a mountain, and you’re clever enough to find the least treacherous path to the top, only to discover that your entry to the top is not granted, because you left something at the bottom of the mountain. You’re then told that you must go back down the mountain, pick up your criminal record, and climb back up the most difficult route-the nearly impossible route-and if you do that, only then will you barely be considered being let all the way to the top. Now, it is very likely that, we, the formerly incarcerated, left with no other choice, will assess that alternative plan and deem it unworthy, that there is little to no opportunity or incentive to reroute and climb the mountain all over again.… Continue reading »

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.… Continue reading »

“Is it too much for me to ask for my receipt?”

Last week the Justice 4 All Program was supportive of an event at Lino Lakes led by a group of incarcerated men called the B.R.I.D.G.E Trust. This group is led by Kevin Reese who, even though he is incarcerated, has organized not just the men at the prison, but several community partners, the MN Dept. of Corrections (DOC) and the Governor’s office to take note of the powerful work they are leading to advance prison reform.

It is my pleasure to share Kevin Reese’s wisdom on the issue of Voting Rights Restoration with you. Please share with your people.   

My name is Kevin Reese, and I’m 28 and I’ve been in prison since I was 18. I take full responsibility for my actions that led me here. The state of Minnesota sentenced me to 22 years to pay my debt to society, and paying my debt is what I’ve been doing. I’ve completed every mandate that the judge placed in front of me, and tapped into every resource the prison can offer.

Now I want to pose the question: after I pay my debt is it too much for me to ask for my receipt? And on that receipt can we acknowledge that, jobs, community, and family are the cornerstones to keeping people from ending up back in prison?… Continue reading »

Caregiving Resources – My Experience

When we first started talking to Willmar and area residents about care and care-giving for the elderly, several adult children said they were sometimes at a loss in dealing with issues of their aging parents.

We all know that as Minnesotans live longer lives they become exposed to various disabilities that require some help so they can remain in their own homes.

Just how adult children without a background in health care can deal with issues facing the elderly got me looking into some of the available resources.

One, with an emphasis on health care, is free training offered by the Minnesota Human Services Department. That agency offers online training in personal care of the elderly and disabled. While it leads to certification as a personal care assistant (PCA) after passing a test, the material it covers gives the average person a good grounding in topics ranging from responding to medical and non-medical emergencies to controlling infection to dealing with stress. That’s good training for all of us.

The nine-part online PCA course can be taken whenever it’s convenient; there is no deadline. At the end of the training those who register to take the final exam, which, like the course, is free, can earn PCA certification.… Continue reading »

Changing the Story

2015 has been a full year.  Personally, the biggest moment was August 22nd when my wife Teresa and I welcomed our third child into the world, baby Joseph.  I’m now the father of three children under the age of 5, and my life is fuller – and my work for social change is more urgent – than ever before. 

When I think back on the year, I have a lot of memories and lessons learned.  I remember traveling around the Leech Lake Reservation with TakeAction member Christina Bowstring and hearing the heartbreaking and courageous stories of tribal members fighting against sex trafficking, drug abuse and poverty.

I remember a perfect fall day, looking out over Lake Superior while walking from one door to the next, as I and other volunteers got out the vote in Duluth.

I remember the frustration of seeing a golden opportunity to restore voting rights to 47,000 people slip away in the final days of legislative session, and the hope and emotion I felt a few months later when the teenage son of Kevin Reese, an inmate at Lino Lakes prison, presented Gov. Dayton with letters from his father and 100 other inmates, asking that voting rights be restored.… Continue reading »

Nicole: Fighting for #RestoreTheVoteMN

My name is Nicole, and I’m a working mother of two who wants the best for my family and all others who’ve been impacted by the criminal justice system. That’s why I decided to connect with the Justice For All Program at TakeAction as soon as I found out about it.

On Election Day, I was invited to participate in the #RestoreTheVoteMn Twitter storm led by Jason Sole. The goal was to help raise awareness of disenfranchisement laws in Minnesota. As someone who has been through the justice system, I was more than happy to join forces with others like myself and community advocates who all fully understand the scope of this problem.

Currently in Minnesota, there are at least 47,000 men and women who are denied the right to vote, even after completing their time in prison. That’s 47,000 of our fellow Minnesotans who remain voiceless during our democratic process. I strongly believe that disenfranchisement laws in this state are wrong and serve no purpose other than the continued oppression of a sect of people who are told to rehabilitate themselves yet, continue to face obstacles at every turn.

I’m reminded of this every day, as I work hard to live with dignity alongside my family.… Continue reading »

TakeAction’s Justice 4 All: We Dare to Struggle

Two years ago last week in front of an audience of 300 people, Target announced their support for Ban the Box and the adoption of the policy for their company. Justice for All (J4A) leaders and our allies fought long and hard to make that happen and earlier this week we had another victory with President Obama.

On Monday, Nov 2nd, 2015, President Obama issued an Executive Order to Ban the Box for all Federal jobs. This is something we have been working on with allies for months. Last week we had the opportunity to tell Senior Advisor to the President Valarie Jarrett the Target story and backed it up with 100,030 pettition signatures and letters from men incarcerated at Lino Lakes.

Fred Hampton once said “Those who dare to struggle, dare to win. Those who dare not struggle… Don’t deserve to win.” I am proud to say, that in J4A we dare to struggle and that is why we win.

Why do we take on BIG fights (Target, the White House, Restoration of Voting Rights)? We dare to struggle because anything else would be submission to a Justice System that targets our families for profit and demolition.

We dare to struggle because even when we win we know there is more work to do.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Meet the TakeAction Senior Caucus

You have either been a caregiver, You are a caregiver, You will be a caregiver, Or someone will care for you. – Rosalynn Carter 

In early September, members of TakeAction Minnesota’s senior caucus – a group of older TakeAction leaders who have been working together on organizing, issues, and politics for a little over a year – went to Willmar, Minnesota to talk to seniors about care and caregiving. You can read an article about the event from the West Central Tribune by clicking here.

The Senior Caucus, inspired in part by Ai-jen Poo’s book “The Age of Dignity,” has decided
to do work around care and caregiving – recognizing that this issue is meaningful, touches everyone in one way or another, and is critically important as our state ages.  

The meeting in Willmar was a listening conversation, a chance to hear people’s stories and experiences, and to explore what is working well and what needs to change. It was also an opportunity to build relationships with people who’re just as concerned and passionate about the work of care and caregiving. The team will be going back to Willmar in the middle of November to talk more about how we can begin to improve the experience of care and caregivers in the Willmar area and across Minnesota.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Vivian

At our Aging Together event in Willmar, the Senior Caucus heard over and over again about how caring for family members can become a regular part of our lives, often at unexpected times. Here’s Vivian’s caregiving story:

In 2000, Vivian’s mother-in-law had a stroke, just 7 days after Vivian’s own mother passed away. The stroke left her left mother-in-law’s arm and hand compromised, and she also suffered a fall requiring a rod in the bone. This was an extremely stressful time for all of them.

Her mother-in-law went from assisted living to independent living in Willmar, where she has been for five years. At age 90, she is “determined and spunky”. When she decided to move to an apartment closer to the elevator, people told her that it was a bad idea because she would hear the noisy elevator. But this social woman just said, “I’ve decided to like it, and I will.”

Vivian and her husband live in Willmar and the rest of the family is scattered, although they receive some caregiving help from other family members. There are also times when Vivian and her husband need to get away for a while, and the rest of the family helps.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: Meet Todd and Kent

For this pair of brothers – Todd who’s fifty five, living in rural Grove City and Kent who’s sixty one, living in rural Atwater – it started as “keeping an eye on mom” as she got older. Soon it evolved into the practice of caregiving as their mother edges closer to 90 years of age. Both brothers are now semi-retired due to their own health issues, but they still make time to visit their mother regularly. They helped her relocate to a senior citizen complex in Grove City, where she has her own room.

At her new home, their mother benefits from hot meals at noon and communal dining, as well as the sociability of being part of a community where residents look after each other and offer companionship. Their mother also receives bi-weekly occupational therapy and physical therapy sessions after a hospital stay when she had difficulty breathing.

Todd and Kent are present in their mother life and they’re starting to understand the instrumental role they play in her life at this stage, the same way she did for them when they were children. They work hard to care for her, creating a schedule so that one of them visits her nearly every day.… Continue reading »

Care Worker Story Series: A Daughter Caring for her Parents

As an only child I spent much of my growing up years with adults.  I enjoyed their company and encouragement.  So it was natural that when my father was diagnosed with dementia, possibly Alzheimer’s, I knew it my responsibility was to assist my mother in his care at home.  It wasn’t requested by either of my parents.  This was what I wanted to do.  I was less sure of my ability to do it.

Two weeks before my father’s diagnosis by a neurologist in Minneapolis, my husband and I had moved into our home in the Twin City area – two and a half hours from my parent’s home in Pennock.  The doctor told my dad to continue doing the activities he enjoyed but to avoid starting anything new. It was fall of 1987. At this time I was employed part time.  Not knowing what would happen next, I decided to resign my position.  I knew I needed to be available on short notice to aid my mother.

The next years were filled with many large and small emergencies, including hospitalization, and a brief stay in a nursing home. My husband and I drove to my parent’s home with ever increasing frequency.… Continue reading »

Governor’s Task Force on Health Care Financing: Health Care or Health Insurance?

As a MN citizen and taxpayer; retired public health nurse; a health care reform advocate; and, someone who needs health care, I care deeply about people and how health care policy and financing affects them.  Decisions made at the state level about health care directly impact me, my family, and my community.

I realized how complicated and unaffordable health insurance is when my husband and I retired early and were forced to purchase private insurance. We couldn’t find affordable coverage, and ended up being uninsured for a while and then paying way too much for our insurance. Now, we’re grateful to be on Medicare.

I’ve also volunteered in my community as a Navigator, helping folks get connected to new coverage options under the ACA. I’ve worked with countless families who struggle with the cost of coverage, while observing how insurance companies continue to make astronomical profits, even off of our public health care programs.

During the last legislative session, conservative legislators attacked public health programs such as MinnesotaCare and the MNsure exchange.  Governor Dayton, recognizing the work that needs to be done to address these issues, initiated a Health Care Financing Task Force (TF). Made up of 29 members, there are 8 legislators and a variety of people representing categories of non-profit organizations, health care providers, the insurance industry, and others.… Continue reading »

Vision Duluth Launches!

For the last year we’ve been working hard at TakeAction and with other organizations to put together a shared vision for Duluth rooted in equity and democracy. Personally, I’ve participated in hundreds of conversations with people who’s voices are too often invisible and unheard. And I am so inspired by what has come out of these conversations and how it has created a clear path for our work at TakeAction.  After hearing from hundreds of people, and sharing with thousands more, we are finally ready to bring this vision to the larger community. On October 19th we’re launching Vision Duluth!

What is Vision Duluth?

It began as nine organizations thinking together about how to strengthen our capacity to move forward policies that advance equity across our city. It moved into hundreds of conversations across our city where people began to imagine what a new vision for Duluth could be. It’s about working together, across organizations and with individuals, to address disparities by moving equitable solutions at a city level. Vision Duluth is rooted in the belief that together we are stronger, solutions must be shaped by those living experiences of injustice, and that we do so by being in deep, accountable, and transformative relationships with our elected officials.… Continue reading »

TAKING THE BAN THE BOX FIGHT NATIONAL

Last week Justice 4 All leaders and our partners had to be clear with Senator Cory Booker’s staff – politics is personal.  Senator Booker is moving bipartisan legislation called the #FairChanceAct. At first glance, this sounds like a great thing for families impacted by the Justice System. But in a room with people that collectively had over 300 years of prison time, it became clear that the #FairChanceAct is more about Republicans and Democrats playing nice together than real structural reform. We took that very personal.

One of our partners from All of Us or None had to remind Sen. Booker’s staff that slavery was a policy with bipartisan support. Jim Crow had bipartisan support and yes, mass incarceration had bipartisan support. The United States of America did not end up with 25% of the world’s prison population by accident. Lawmakers in partnership with corporate profiteers intentionally took us down this path.

Together, our coalition shared this message with both Sen. Booker’s staff and White House Staff.  And we shared our message to the stage at the Million Man March. Our message was featured on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah. John Legend joined our fight by advancing our petition from the Color of Change.… Continue reading »

Fighting for Earned Sick and Safe Time in Minneapolis

My name is Angelo Love. I am a leader on the Organizing a New Economy Team at TakeAction MN working to ensure that every worker in Minnesota earns paid sick and safe time.

I believe this is a critical issue for our community – working families in Minneapolis and our state – because workers who don’t have any paid sick leave are forced to work sick. This can lead to their conditions worsening, and they can unintentionally get other workers sick, workers who also may not have earned sick time, and the cycle repeats itself. Workers should be able to take time off to get better and to care for their loved ones if they’re sick. I have paid sick leave, but I’ve also had times when I haven’t gathered enough hours to take time off. I know what it’s like to get up for work when you don’t feel well and to feel like the only option you have is to go in. And I know I’m not alone. That reality, is just not right.

It’s why I’m part of the local workers movement – composed of mothers, community leaders, students, fathers, and organizations like TakeAction – who are fighting to get earned sick & safe time passed at the municipal level and then the state level.… Continue reading »

A Crisis Demands Solutions

Did you see the Star Tribune’s article last week reporting that income for Black families had plummeted from its already dismal level? If you didn’t, pause right now and read it. Everyone should.

According to the US Census Bureau, from 2013 to 2014, Black households lost $4,500 of their annual median income, lowering it to $27,000. That’s a drop of 14%. White median income is $64,800. For Asian families, $68,000. Latino families sit at $42,000.  The poverty rate in our state held steady at 11%, which is unacceptable.  But for blacks, the poverty rate increased to 38%. Let me repeat: for Black households in Minnesota, more than 1 in 3 are living in poverty.  This is truly damning. Everyone in our state should be outraged, embarrassed, and most of all, motivated to take action against this persistent pattern of injustice.

As I read more and the facts began to sink in, here’s what became clear to me. 
First, racism is baked into each and every system, structure, and institution in our state. Second, the elite consensus that has governed Minnesota for decades has deliberately avoided any conversation about racial disparities and the harm felt by all of us.  Third, when we fail to confront this stark and painful reality, it slowly becomes accepted. … Continue reading »