Six easy steps to getting politically involved in Minnesota
The Legislative Session is happening now. At the most basic level, it’s the time when the House and the Senate are making decisions on laws and budgets. It’s also the time to remind your representatives what you want. Below are actions you can take to get started:
Find out who your reps are online.
Follow your reps on social media and comment on their posts.
Send emails to your legislators to tell them how you want to represent your interests.
Find out if they have town halls coming up and attend them in person or online. Same with city council, school board or other local policymakers. To find city council members, check your city website; for school board members, locate your school district name and search for its website.
Follow bills that interest you. You will get an email when relevant actions or meetings happen. Tell the people around you what's going on. Knowledge is power!
Attend events, such as rallies at the Minnesota Capitol, to stand with others to show the reps what you want. These are powerful and uplifting events. We track them on the WMM calendar. (If you see an item to add, please let us know at admin@womensmarchmn.com.
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Contact Your Senator Now to Protect Reproductive Rights: Support PRO Act!
The Minnesota Senate will be voting on the PRO Act (Protect Reproductive Options) on Friday. It will protect Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term and the right to abortion – free from interference by anti-abortion politicians who seek to enact or defend medically unnecessary barriers to comprehensive reproductive health care. We have heard that a few senators are getting bombarded with messages (bordering harassment) from anti-abortion activists in advance of the Senate vote on the PRO Act, which is scheduled for this Friday. In addition to sending a note to your own Senator, please send or call with a message of support to these 5 DFL Senators and encourage them to stay strong, remind them that we have their backs, and that the majority of Minnesotans want to protect the right to make their own choices about reproductive healthcare, including access to abortion. Minnesotans want to make their own personal decisions about when and whether to have a family. We cannot allow the anti-abortion extremists to drown out that message.
These are the 5 Senators who need to hear from us now (and please share with your groups):
Here is a sample message (but of course, please you can write your own):
"Senator xxx, I want to thank you so much for your work supporting women's healthcare decisions. It is so important to me to be able to talk privately with my healthcare team to make the best decisions for myself around my reproductive health care. I have heard that you have been receiving some pretty hateful messages from people who are trying to restrict women's rights to bodily autonomy. I know how vitriolic the speech can get and I'm sorry you have to endure that. I stand with you and support you as you vote Yes for the Pro Act on Friday morning."
These are the 5 Senators who need to hear from us now (and please share with your groups):
Here is a sample message (but of course, please you can write your own):
"Senator xxx, I want to thank you so much for your work supporting women's healthcare decisions. It is so important to me to be able to talk privately with my healthcare team to make the best decisions for myself around my reproductive health care. I have heard that you have been receiving some pretty hateful messages from people who are trying to restrict women's rights to bodily autonomy. I know how vitriolic the speech can get and I'm sorry you have to endure that. I stand with you and support you as you vote Yes for the Pro Act on Friday morning."
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EVENT Nov 14: Zoom to learn more about Ongoing Rallies in Solidarity with the Iranian People: Saturdays 4-6pm in Minneapolis
The Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran (MCSDI) is hosting a rally every Saturdays from 4-6pm starting at Orchestra Hall on Nicollet Mall and 11th Street. The rally is to support the first female led Revolution of our time called “Zan Zendegi Azadi “ which means “Woman Life Freedom”.
Iranian Women, despite brutal crackdown and the shutting down of the internet, have not back down. MN protests are happening at the same time as other protests around the world and and have had hundreds of people to match. All are welcome.
We are going to talk to the planners of the event on November 14 to learn more about what is happening and what it means to the people in Iran and to those of us outside the country. We will hear from:
Afsaneh Motameni who worked as a consultant and System Architect for Fortune 500 Companies including Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, ING and holds two Master’s degrees and a certification in Executive Program Artificial Intelligence from MIT. She was the co-founder of Visible Customer, software which was sold to MN Automobile Dealers Association. She is the visionary behind the new startup Body Zoom, a software using advance Artificial Intelligence for exercise rehabilitation programs to decrease health care and workers comp cost
Christopher Behnam who is the founder of Help Free Iran and United Airlines 777Captain and proud recipient of the 2018 Superior Airmanship Award. He was born in Iran and is a passionate Iranian human rights advocate and motivational speaker. His book, The Flying Lion, is due to release early next year.
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Weekend of Action: Oct 7-9 - find an event!
We're so excited about our upcoming Weekend of Action (Oct7-9)! Join us to remind people that Reproductive Freedom is on the ballot this November. Join us to Get Out the Vote for Pro-Choice candidates in the Midterms. It’s going to take all of us!
Attend an event hosted by Women’s March MN:
10/8
- Doorknock with WMM to help Flip the MN Senate Join us at the Day of 2,000 Doors for Judy Seeberger (SD41) 1:30-4pm. Cottage Grove. Register here
- Postcard Party to help Flip the Senate Join us in an important part of our #FlipTheMNSenate effort as we write postcards to support pro-choice candidates. 3-5 pm Bear Cave Brewing, Hopkins. Register here
10/9
- Pro-Choice Sign Brigade 10am-noon. Join friends from Women's March Minnesota, Edina Indivisible and Indivisible St. Paul for a "bridge brigade" to encourage drivers with our pro-choice voting messages. We will be standing on three bridges strategically in the path of drivers heading toward downtown Minneapolis for the Vikings game. Register here
- Island of Deserted Women Get Out the Vote table Visit Women’s March MN at the Island of Discarded Women show at the Minneapolis Women’s Club, 410 OakGrove St., Minneapolis. We’ll be in the lobby before and after the show helping people get registered and/or hearing more about the upcoming midterm elections. Show is at 5.30-8.30pm and tickets are available online.
10/7 - 10/9
Adopt a Clinic Join us all weekend as we support a women’s clinic in Duluth and help them reach their goal of providing sexual and reproductive health care for all. Donate directly or purchase items on their We Health Amazon wish list.
Other Weekend of Action Events NOT hosted by Women’s March MN:
Two weeks ago, we put out the call for you to host Weekend of Action events. You responded. Here are the events that we know of so far. Let us know if you’ve heard of more. Please find one near you and support it.
10/8
- Rally in Lindstrom for Women’s Rights 9am-12noon. Oberstar Plaza, 12650 Lake Blvd, Lindstrom, MN, 55045
.- Doorknock for Jen Schultz and Kate Malchow 10am and 1pm. Central ParkPavilion, 6250 Main Street, North Branch.
- Sign Holding in Coon Rapids 11am-1pm. Join Sign Holding event in high traffic area - Highway 10 overpass on Main Street in Coon Rapids. 3045 Main Street, Coon Rapids, MN.
- Women’s Wave MN 12 noon, MN State Capitol, St Paul. Register here.
10/9
Doorknock for Jen Schultz and Katie Malchow. 11am. Goodview Park Pavilion, Goodview Ave South of 262nd St., Wyoming, MN.
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Weekend of Action: Donate to Women’s Clinic in Duluth
Join us in supporting the Women’s Health Clinic in Duluth. Abortion Clinics are under attack and we need to support them, especially since they provide services to individuals who can’t access care in their own state. Please consider donating to them directly or through their wish list on Amazon. You can also consider sending them gift cards to Duluth area restaurants to provide meals for staff.
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EVENT Oct 9: Island of Discarded Women
Visit Women’s March MN at the Island of Discarded Women. We’ll be in the lobby before and after the show helping people get registered and/or get informed about the upcoming Mid Term Elections.
It’s a special night of a live broadcast of a podcast that lifts of women. Sue Scott and her guests share powerful stories, original music and inspiring conversation! + Food & drink!
The special guest is Marcie Rendon. Marcie is a member of the White Earth Nation and an author, playwright, poet and community arts activist. She is an award-winning author of a fresh new murder mystery series and will share with us excerpts from a new powerful play she is writing that shines a light on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Musical guest will be Jaspar Lepak, with new music that is sure to inspire action.
Tickets for the show: $20
Doors open at 5:30 to purchase Food + Drink at your table (service continues during show!)
Show time: 7:00 to 8:30pm
At the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis!
410 Oak Grove St. Minneapolis, MN 55403
https://www.islandofdiscardedwomen.com/
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OPPORTUNITY September 10: Volunteer with Women's March at Open Streets West Broadway
Come visit us and/or volunteer at the WMM booth on West Broadway at Open Streets on September 10!
Volunteers Needed!
We are looking for volunteers to help us at the WMM booth. If you've been looking for an easy fun way to get involved - this is it! Shifts will be:
· 10:00am-12:30pm
· 12:00pm-2:30pm
· 2:30pm-5:00pm
You can work one shift or more. Any necessary training will be provided. Please contact us at admin@womensmarchmn.com if you are interested and let us know which shift works best for you. Thank you!
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July 17: Our Future: March for Abortion Access
Join us to demand that Minnesota be a leader in securing reproductive freedom with a day of action on Sunday, July 17 starting at 11:00 am at St. Paul College with a march to the Capitol at noon.
Our Future: March for Abortion Access is an action for everyone to show our leaders and our country what Minnesotans really stand for in this historic moment. Join us!
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