Community Vigil

Oppose ICE Detention

When:

October 11, 2:00pm

Where:

Civic Center Grounds
Appleton, MN

Trina Swanson — Let's Fix It Tour

Comes to Biwabik

When:

October 14, 5:30–7:30pm

Where:

Biwabik Pavilon

What's not working in Biwabik and the surrounding communities? Healthcare that costs too much? Jobs that don't pay enough? Housing that's getting harder to find? Every community has its own challenges, and the people who live there know better than anyone where we need to start.

That's why Trina Swanson is bringing the LET'S FIX IT! Tour to Biwabik.

This isn't a rally or a long political speech. It's a chance to sit down, talk with Trina, and tell her what's working, what isn't, and what you want your representative in Congress to understand about life in your community.

Democrat, Republican, Independent or somewhere in between, you're welcome. Trina believes a representative works for everyone, whether you voted for them or not. Her campaign describes the tour's broader approach as focused on listening to people across Minnesota's 8th District and on issues including affordability, healthcare, jobs, and community stability.

Bring a friend. Bring your questions. Bring your ideas about what you think needs fixing.

Trina's complete tour:

Itasca County Data Center Panel Discussion with Q & A

When:

October 14, 6:00–8:00pm

Where:

Marcell Family Center
Marcell, MN

The Northern Itasca Electric Cooperative is having a meeting to discuss a data center. The Northern Itasca Electric Cooperative is also part of Great River Energy.

No Kings National Day of Action —
Vote Early

No Kings started with sending a message. Now it's about showing what that power can do.

When:

October 17

Where:

At the ballot box

This time, the mobilization moves to the ballot box.

In Minnesota, absentee ballots are already available, and the state’s new in-person Early Voting period begins 18 days before Election Day. (sos.mn.gov⁠)

SHOW THE POWER.
ORGANIZE THE POWER.
EXERCISE THE POWER.

Three times in less than a year, millions of Americans took to the streets to say something unmistakable: we are here, we are paying attention, and we will not be silent.

Minnesota became one of the clearest examples of that power on display. We filled the streets in St. Paul. We turned out again across the state. And in March, Minnesota became the national flagship for No Kings.

That was showing power.

Then Minnesota faced a different test.

When Operation Metro Surge brought thousands of federal officers into the Twin Cities, the response moved beyond the streets. Neighbors shared information. Lawyers provided know-your-rights education. Churches, community organizations and others helped people navigate an extraordinary situation. And people who had never worked together before began building networks that could act together.

That was organizing power.

And that distinction matters.

A demonstration can show how many people are willing to act. An organized network can turn that willingness into sustained civic action.

That is the next step for No Kings.

Not away from protest. Not instead of organizing. From showing power to exercising it.

Because elections are one of the places where organized people actually exercise political power. The people elected in November will make decisions about legislation, budgets, oversight and the direction of government.

And No Kings is now explicitly making that connection. The national coalition describes October 17 as a nonpartisan day of voter participation and calls No Kings: Vote Early “the next step” after a year of mass mobilization.

A Note from Aaron Kania

"Are you new to the community? Does your town vote by mail, but you’d prefer to drop off your ballot in person? You have options!

"Absentee voting starts September 18th. Find your ballot drop-off location, register to vote, and make a plan to vote today!"

Potluck People's Party

hosted by Good Trouble Club of Aitkin County

When:

October 19, 5:00–7:00pm

Where:

Sampaguita
204 Minnesota Ave N
Aitkin, MN

A monthly potluck meal and sharing circle hosted by Good Trouble Club of Aitkin County directly following their weekly stoplight rally. All are welcome! This month there's music from dz Harper (Jim & dz) and Eoin Small with friends! You can contact us at: GoodTroubleAitkinCounty@gmail.com.

Crow Wing County 287(g) Forum

hosted by ACLU of Minnesota and Brainerd Lakes Area Indivisible

When:

October 22, 6:30–8:00pm

Where:

Brainerd (RSVP for exact location)

Minnesota needs your help to resist the harmful deportation pipeline. Join the ACLU of Minnesota and Brainerd Lakes Area Indivisible for a community forum on 287(g) agreements - including an open forum Q&A with Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang who has unilaterally signed 287(g) agreements with ICE that deputizes local law enforcement officers to carry out ICE tasks on the local taxpayers' dime.

Northwoods Sharing Circle

Free Community Meal & Gathering

When:

October 25, 1:00–3:00pm

Where:

Cook Community Center
Cook, MN

Who:

Everyone — families welcome!

What:

Free taco bar & sharing circle

We have some exciting news! The Cook Area Neighbors Network (CANN) will be hosting the Northwoods Sharing Circle, a free community gathering on Sunday, October 25, with a taco bar lunch for everyone in the greater Cook area. Whether you've lived here for decades or recently moved to the area, whatever your background, you're welcome at the table.

Registration is requested but not required. Attendees are asked to email cookareaneighborsnetwork@gmail.com to ensure we have enough food for everyone.

Come for the food, stay for the conversation — we'll be sharing stories about what we love about our community, and starting to map out ways neighbors can support one another, from lending a hand to sharing what we grow and make. No agenda, no pressure — just good food and good company.

Democracy Observer Trainings

from MN Voice

When:

Every Tuesday & Sunday, 6:00–8:00pm

Where:

Online

Why take a Democracy Observer training? You will gain:

• Key knowledge about MN elections law and voter protections
• Skills to identify, assess, and report unconstitutional activity related to elections (ex. Voter Intimidation)
• A framework for practicing community care in support of safe elections in your precinct

Neighbor2Neighbor — Get out the Vote

from Indivisible

This election is all about winning affordability for working people and accountability for a corrupt regime. To win, we need to look beyond partisan politics and reach our communities – which is exactly what Indivisibles have been doing for years.

Our Neighbor2Neighbor program is our tool for having impactful conversations with voters near you. Instead of getting dozens of doors in someone else’s community, Neighbor2Neighbor provides you with 10 neighbors who need to be turned out to vote this year. You’ll get a short list of addresses, a simple script, some best practices, and a printable handout – it’s that easy! There’s no app to download, and you can have these conversations on your own time. Sign up to receive the next ten closest doors when you’re done!

In MN, we are getting Neighbor2Neighbor for the whole state.

National support for Trina Swanson

MN08 is a House Target for the National Organization. What do they get?

• N2N script will have additional information supporting Trina Swanson
• National Phone Bank into MN08, open to all of us to join

Hands Off Our Vote Trainings

from Indivisible

Calling all Indivisibles who are ready to demand Hands Off Our Vote! This is the first of two trainings on 2026 election protection: the actions you and those around you can take to ensure every eligible voter can vote, every vote is counted, and the results are honored and the winners seated. This training includes a step-by-step of basic election protection steps that you can scale to how much time and energy you have, as well as a messaging special with Anat Shenker-Osorio and assorted FAQ.

MinnTac & Toxic Mercury

from Water Legacy

Downstream of MinnTac’s tailings basin, Minnesota Department of Health testing of walleye in Lake Vermilion showed that every fish tested had more mercury than the Minnesota limit (0.2 mg/kg). Fish longer than 18 inches had mercury above the 0.95 ppm “DO NOT EAT” level that applies to infants, children, and women who are or may become pregnant.

Debate between Swanson & Stauber

Watch the recording

Minnesota's 8th District race heats up as Republican Pete Stauber defends his seat against Democrat Trina Swanson. WDIO hosted a live one-hour debate on Tuesday, October 6

Holding On

North Star Lane — Episode #5

with host Michael Goldberg

We spend our lives learning to hold on, and learning to let go. Two personal stories this week on North Star Lane: program host Michael Goldberg holds onto his sister as long as he can. And Grand Rapids community activist Kathleen Blake tells how she faced life and death with her young son.

Storytime

As is our habit, my friend Mino and i went to the park today. My friend Marilyn and her pup, Bella, were gone; they left for the season to go back to their lives in the Cities. Perhaps they will return next year, then again, maybe not. While i have looked forward to having the lake and the forest to ourselves, relishing the quiet and peace of autumn, winter, and spring and the return of the animals to that little corner once the humans have left, but today i feel unusually sad. i will miss Marilyn & Bella.

Out in my field, i have a cemetery that holds the remains of my animal family members who have come and gone during my time here. It is marked by a circle of eight cedar poles with ribbons on them; their places have granite markers with their names and dates on them. Spanned across two other posts are cedar planks that are fading and weathered that i had wood-burned the names of all the important people in my life who were ferried across the river in a canoe to claim their star. i quit doing that some years ago, now, because they became too much...there were so many.

As i stood on the fishing pier at that pensive, melancholy part of a grey autumn afternoon, i added to the volume of the lake one tear drop at a time. It feels as if too much has been taken lately. Yet, in my old age, i know that this is the cycle of life and living...that one of the lessons i have had to learn revolves around learning to let go, to breathe through it, to come to an acceptance of what is and what will be, that so many things are beyond my control. When my friend was done skittering her stick of the dock, retrieving it with broad strokes through the water, then beginning the process again, i looked out on the water to see one fisherman in his dingy, then looked about to see the chartreuse and golden leaves with smatterings of red maples against white pines and cedars. The colours pop on days like these. This is a new season, one i hold images of in my mind to get through tougher times. And as we made our way back to the car, leaves that had fallen cracking beneath our feet, i knew that this is how it is, how it supposed to be, that this is real, too, as the phrase of Mother Jones echoed in my cranium...'Pray for the dead (and the missing) and fight like hell for the living.'

Mi'iw
— jester

"I Am a Citizen"

Watch Nikki Giovanni Read Her Poem "Vote" on the Power of the Ballot

from Democracy Now!

"Acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni has a new collection of poems called 'Make Me Rain,' a celebration of her Black heritage, as well as an exploration of racism and white nationalism. In the poem “Vote,” Giovanni offers her thoughts on the importance of voting. It was filmed by The Meteor, a feminist collective of activists, journalists and creators, part of a daily Instagram series focusing on voting rights."

On Election Day

612-255-3112

Election issue triage center

Immigrant Defense Network in collaboration from many state-wide groups will be in hosting a hotline number / response center. They can connect you to assistance for voting rights, translation, information, incident reporting & so much more. If you need to remember one number — this is it.

MN Secretary of State

877-600-8683

Information available in multiple languages

Common Cause Election Protection

866-OUR-VOTE

We will place thousands of volunteers on the ground, and recruit a team of legal experts to staff the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.

• English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 866-687-8683
• Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
• Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
• Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese): 1-888-API-VOTE / 1-888-274-8683

Vote 411

218-213-5009

League of Women Voters

Election Day Problems? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)

DFL Voter Protection Hotline

833-355-8683

Call if election judge is not handling situations to satisfaction.

MN Safe at Home Program

866-723-3035

MN Relay Service: 711

Minnesota’s address confidentiality program

Call for Storytellers

"Humans evolved opposable thumbs to be able to hold on. We evolved Story to know what to hold on to."

What’s your story? We’re celebrating the art of oral storytelling — the every day way we all communicate with each other. For our new podcast, 'North Star Lane', we’re collecting personal stories about connections — to place, to the past, to each other. Stories should be 3–10 minutes in length, and can range in tone from funny incident to elegy and everything in between. Michael Goldberg is collecting the stories. Send audio to him — or a note to arrange a phone call or zoom — at goldberg.actionmedia@gmail.com.

Michael also produces live storytelling shows in Grand Rapids and elsewhere in the region. Let him know if you’d like more information about those.

North Star Lane is produced by Michael Goldberg, who lives in the woods of northern Minnesota and collects stories from his friends and neighbors. They tell stories about their connections – to place, to the past, to each other – and about things that are important to them. We think a lot of the same things are important to us all.

Letters from Minnesota

An invitation from Writers for Democratic Action Minnesota

Last month WDA MN launched a new feature, Letters From Minnesota.

We invite you to contribute your Minnesota Letter to be featured in the Writers for Democratic Action Minnesota newsletter. We are seeking writers from all over the state of Minnesota. We are looking for flash essays or stories or poems. Here are some suggestions or writing prompts:

• What are the concerns in your area?
• What are the ways the community is dealing with that concern?
• What is happening in your community to strengthen democracy?
• Tell a story that is connected to your particular landscape

Letters From Minnesota is an opportunity to connect with and learn about Minnesota writers and their locale. WDA-MN is a non-partisan organization. Writers of all kinds have a unique ability to harness the written and spoken word for good, for truth, for justice and equality, and for the rights of all. WDA–MN aims to advocate for writers and for the written word as well as to empower writers to join the fight to protect our democracy. We support independent journalism, libraries, and indie bookstores. We believe in participatory democracy. Voting is important, but we can have more impact if we take action in our communities in word and deed.

Writers for Democratic Action Minnesota has arranged public poetry & writers' events, hosted a table at the Rain Taxi Minnesota Book Festival, published monthly newsletters that offer resources, opportunities, and curated news reports. The national WDA organization also has a Substack and invites writers anywhere in the US to send in essays for publication.

Send us your contributions at hello@writersfordemocraticaction.org.

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