THANK YOU! Women’s March Minnesota deeply appreciates the support of the many individuals, communities, and organizations who join in our purpose of harnessing the power of women and their communities to create transformative social change. And when we say women we mean and include—black women, Indigenous women, trans women, LGBQ+ women, immigrant women, Muslim women, women with disabilities, Deaf women, Jewish women, Latinx women, Asian and Pacific Islander women, women of low socioeconomic status—all women and gender non-conforming people from a multitude of backgrounds, identities, ages, faiths, statuses, and abilities.

The important work of educating, amplifying, and activating to improve and support the lives of women, girls, and gender nonconforming folks requires thoughtful and intentional intersectional activism. This means first recognizing that justice and liberation for all requires everyone to work together against the underlying current of all forms of oppression – white supremacy and toxic masculinity. Ending oppression is a long-term process that can only be achieved through collaborative action. We are dedicated to this movement and hope you are with us, too. We appreciate the trust of YOU, our community members, activists, and leaders as we chart a new course into what 2019 and beyond looks like for Women’s March Minnesota.

We came together SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, in unity to fight all forms of oppression and injustice, because when we are together we are UNSTOPPABLE! It was an opportunity to both learn and educate, celebrate and activate, become grounded and grow. We marched to send a message and rally before leaders and activists from around the state, who shared their stories and amplified social justice issues in Minnesota and across the country. We celebrated progress and raised hope. Together, we stood against racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, xenophobia, ableism, anti-Semitism, classism, ageism, and oppression in all forms. We marched for the planet, for justice, for equity, for the future. And today our work continues, because we are more than a march.

Here are four actions you can take now:

1. Support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Fundraiser and show up on Thursday, February 14, 2019 for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons March in Minneapolis. There are also sister marches in Duluth and Bemidji.

2. Join us to get the Equal Rights Amendment in the Minnesota Constitution at the January 24 bill hearing, February 2 fundraiser, and March 8 International Women’s Day at the Capitol. Learn more at ERA MN.

3. Learn how to become a new or more effective activist—register for MNxMN2019: Beyond the Vote, a one-day civic activism conference on February 24 in St. Paul.

4. Attend the “Restore the Vote” Rally at the Capitol March 7. Stay updated with RestoreTheVoteMN.

Longer term, support the following legislation this session, some of which we just discussed:

• Equal Rights Amendment (HF13/SF200 and HF71/SF208): With ERA Minnesota, to add overdue gender-based protections to the Minnesota Constitution: “Equality under the law shall not be abridged or denied on account of gender.”

• MN African American Families Preservation Act: With NAACP Minneapolis and others to protect black children and families and stop the devastating impact of racial disparities in MN’s child protection system.

• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Act (HF70): With a strong coalition of indigenous women’s organizations and all 11 of Minnesota’s tribes, this task force will address and finally collect data on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

• Restore the Vote (HF40): With Restore the Vote Coalition, support the re-enfranchisement of individuals with past felony convictions. Restoring voting rights means a more equitable, healthy, and active community.

• Driver's Licenses for All: With Freedom to Drive MN, to allow MN drivers to obtain a driver’s license regardless of their immigration status and live full lives without fear of criminal justice system interaction.

• Legislation to protect the environment, mitigate climate change, and advance environmental justice.

• Legislation to advance and/or protect reproductive rights and healthcare access/coverage, election fairness and healthy democracy, affordable housing, gun control, economic justice for disadvantaged communities, LGBTQ+ rights (including bans on conversion therapy).

• Legislation introduced to protect women, girls, and people across the gender spectrum from all forms of violence of any kind against our bodies.

And finally, don’t wait—text RESISTER to 22828 now to keep up with Women’s March MN! You can also sign up for our listserv at WomensMarchMN.com and find us on various social media @WomensMarchMN, where we alert people about actions that need to be taken to support these pieces of legislation, and other community actions!