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2021 Impact Report

A photo of TakeAction members wearing orange safety vests at a direct action in 2021. A blue block at the bottom of the image features the TakeAction Minnesota logo and text that says "4,986 people activated... TakeActionMinnesota.org/IMPACT."

2021 was a continued time of adaptation to upheaval and change. From the pandemic to climate change, from police and state violence to attacks on our democracy, the past year made clear that if we continue to build systems that fail to protect, value, and include everyone, and that put profit over people and planet, these crises will continue.  In 2022, we will continue to build together. While there is no way to know what will come, we do know that to meet any moment – of either threat or opportunity – we need you with us.

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2021 Impact Report At TakeAction Minnesota, we believe in a future where every Minnesotan is free to live safe, joyful, stable lives that are creative and fulfilling. In a year that continued to test all of us, we stayed rooted in our vision of a democracy that works for all of us, no exception. As we face persistent crises - from the pandemic and climate change to police violence and price-gouging of housing and medicine - we know we need a strong multiracial, gender inclusive democracy. All our work in 2021, from ballot measures to the State Capitol and White House, focused on building the power and creating the systemic change we need to realize our brightest future. Here's what we accomplished.
"For me, TakeAction’s a place where I can find other progressive Minnesotans who feel called to make our state a better place and live out a politics of joy. TakeAction leads with this bold vision, talking the talk AND walking the walk!” -Erica Mauter, TakeAction Minnesota Board of Directors WE PUT PEOPLE AT THE CENTER OF OUR POLITICS WE ELECTED PROGRESSIVE CHAMPIONS In 2021, TakeAction Minnesota ran our largest municipal elections program ever. We had 13,933 conversations in the field, activated 220 volunteers, and endorsed 19 candidates for local office across the state. More than half our endorsed candidates won in very tight races. WE WON BETTER CARE TakeAction members made their voices heard and lawmakers listened. We held 1,389 conversations with supporters and activated 543 people to demand better access to health care. Together, we won! (An incredible feat in our split legislature.) Lawmakers passed legislation to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women and women of color and fixed a glitch in the MinnesotaCare language, finally allowing qualifying Minnesotans to access public healthcare, even if their spouse’s employer offers insurance. WE JOINED TOGETHER TO WIN RENT STABILIZATION In November, St. Paul voters overwhelmingly passed one of the strongest rent control laws in the country and the first in the Midwest! As part of the Keep St. Paul Home campaign, TakeAction organized people, money and narrative, contributing to this historic win. We were also proud to support Home to Stay Minneapolis in small ways and are excited about the path that ballot victory opens for future rent stabilization wins!
WE DEFENDED WORKERS’ RIGHTS TakeAction organized with CTUL, Awood Center, SEIU and Restaurant Opportunities Center to win an additional $100,000 to combat wage theft in Minneapolis. This amendment to the city’s budget will ensure that more workers receive the minimum wage and earned sick time they are owed in 2022. WE STOPPED THE ANTI-EQUITY AGENDA IN ITS TRACKS As Minnesota schools have become ground zero for right-wing campaigns against racial justice and public health, TakeAction is organizing with parents and teachers who are standing up for equity and safety. In the ROCORI school district near St. Cloud, Black students have been the targets of racial harassment, bullying, and violence, and some of the bullies tried to legitimize racism by persuading the schoolboard to hire an equity contractor with links to white supremacist organizations. We organized with outraged parents to block the extremist-backed contractor and demand a safe and supportive school environment. WE LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO CANCEL STUDENT DEBT TakeAction members across the state are struggling to make ends meet for many reasons, and one of them is overwhelming student debt. Five leaders stepped up with us to launch a campaign to cancel student debt. Together they built a statewide team of activists, shared their personal stories, and took their campaign public – organizing more than 740 supporters in 48 Minnesota counties to take public action.
WE MADE MORE POSSIBLE FOR CARE-CENTERED PUBLIC SAFETY TakeAction members and allies continued our work to imagine, build and deliver public safety systems that reflect our values. In 2021, we worked with partners to launch Yes 4 Minneapolis – a Black-led, multiracial coalition campaign to create a Department of Public Safety in Minneapolis. We gathered signatures to place a charter amendment on the ballot, defeated two lawsuits, and had thousands of conversations with neighbors moving them to support Question 2 at a 56% rate. We faced unprecedented headwinds and while Minneapolis City Question 2 didn’t pass, there is no doubt we made more possible in Minneapolis. Today, most Minneapolis residents – as well as neighbors across the state – want more tools for public safety, not just an armed police response. The mayor and majorities on the City Council support our position that we should remove staffing minimums from the City Charter and invest in non-police responses to build a safer, more caring Minneapolis. Our campaign also had tangible results: we kept our work moving forward after November and we won $3.75 million for the Minneapolis Office of Violence Prevention.
409 NEW MEMBERS 4,986 PEOPLE ACTIVATED 444 VOLUNTEERS 18,577 CONVERSATIONS WITH MINNESOTANS 136 BLOGS PUBLISHED 46 MEDIA STORIES 1,891,971 PEOPLE REACHED ONLINE 7 TAKEACTION MEMBERS ELECTED TO OFFICE $1 of $10 RAISED REGRANTED TO THE MOVEMENT 158 ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERED WITH WE HELD MORE AND DEEPER CONVERSATIONS After using deep canvassing for our 2020 and 2021 elections work, we noticed a lasting shift in deep-seated prejudices and attitudes. Deep canvassing is a conversation between a volunteer and a voter that invites vulnerability and is fueled by curiosity and honesty. These conversations are focused on sharing stories instead of facts and arguments. This method continues to be a valuable tool to grow and deepen our ability to talk to Minnesotans in an authentic way. These deeper, unscripted, values and story-based conversations put people back in the center of our politics while bringing them along on our journey to do politics differently. In 2021, we held 5,554 deep canvass conversations on public safety and climate change, and our innovative methods earned attention from national audiences including The New York Times. “Holding deep canvass conversations has been an amazing experience. These conversations tap into people’s imaginations and help people get out of the box that tells them, ‘this is the way it has always been.’ I think the conversations remove barriers and let us see new ways of being.” -Lindsey Walz, TakeAction Minnesota Deep Canvass Volunteer
Together, we accomplished a lot in 2021 - your support and memberhship was an essential part of making it all happen. Thank you for building people power with us! TakeAction Minnesota 705 Raymond Ave Ste. #100 St. Paul, MN 55114 Stay connected: TakeActionMinnesota.org / @TakeActionMN

As a member of TakeAction Minnesota, you support a people-powered movement building a more just and joyful world. Renew your commitment to a democracy that works for all Minnesotans with a contribution. 

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