Elianne Farhat, the executive director of a statewide racial equity organizing group called Take Action Minnesota, said she was “very heartened” by the widespread condemnation across the state of Trump’s comments about Omar. But she hoped, she said, that the support would extend beyond condemning the president in moments of explicit racism.

“Moments like the one we just went through make it clear that people are operating in a racist, xenophobic way,” she said. “So it’s important, also, when it is less clear, to take the time to see the racism operating, and to say that is wrong.”

Our fates are tied together. When elected officials attack our neighbors and intentionally spread misinformation in our communities, it hurts all of us. Leaders who divide our state and country weaken the whole.

Stoking division is part of the President’s campaign playbook. As Rep. Drazkowski attempts to carryout Trump’s hate-filled strategy in our state, we’re calling for unbreakable solidarity across race, class, gender, and geography. In Minnesota, we recognize our interconnection and interdependence and care for each other.