Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, March 31, more than 100 community members rallied outside of the Walker Library on Trans Day of Visibility to protest national policies targeting the rights of trans people.

The rally was called by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee in response to anti-trans measures, including the Trump administration’s executive orders E14168 and E14187, which have been used as templates to remove access to healthcare for adults and minors, remove protections against rape for trans prisoners in jails and immigration detention centers, and expose trans prisoners and detainees to conversion therapy, which is considered by the United Nations to be a form of torture. Earlier in the day the U.S. Supreme Court announced a decision that would overturn the right of states to ban conversion therapy.

Yann Chen, an organizer for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, spoke about how the U.S. government is not only forcing trans prisoners to endure conversion therapy, but also withholding medications from over 2000 trans people. In addition to these attacks on transgender people by the federal administration, legislators across the U.S. have been proposing and passing state laws targeting trans peoples’ ability to change or maintain their legal documents, or even to use the bathroom safely. In February, the state of Kansas revoked the drivers licenses of around 1700 trans people. 27 states across the U.S. have now imposed some kind of ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.

These repressive laws and policies have led to a mass migration of trans people to trans refuge states like Minnesota, where the Minnesota Human Rights Act enshrines trans rights as human rights. Lizzie Palmer, an organizer with Communities Against Transphobia, pointed out that trans people now make up 1% of Minnesota’s population, and received an audible positive response when she asked the crowd to applaud if they had moved to Minnesota from another state. However, organizers at Tuesday night’s rally argued that, in order to become a genuine refuge for trans rights, Minnesota must also ensure the ability to live with dignity.

Natalie Berger, an organizer with the Minnesota Abortion Access Committee, listed three demands as part of the group’s campaign for trans rights. The first was to make Minnesota a real trans refuge, with local agencies creating and advertising structures of support for trans refugees like housing and job placement, as well as assistance with navigating the healthcare system. The second demand was to make the name change process cheaper, non-invasive, and private, with Berger pointing out that name changes cost $322 on average in Minnesota and are matters of public record, meaning that trans people’s deadnames, or names given at birth, are accessible by public records requests. The third demand was to fund gender-affirming care at the state level. “It's one thing to say trans people are welcome here. It's another thing to mean it and practice that solidarity,” she said.

Michelle Hanlon, an organizer with Minnesota 50501, spoke about the experience of working as a healthcare provider for trans people, reminding the crowd of the importance of real support for trans people in an era when trans people are under attack more than ever.

“Visibility without support makes you a target,” Hanlon said, pointing out that Children’s Minnesota, a vital children’s hospital within the Twin Cities area, had been forced to end their gender-affirming care program due to politically motivated attacks against their organization.

Jae Yates, a member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, the Taking Back Pride Coalition, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “I see the same choice before us now. Will we submit, or will we resist? Will we hide, or fight? Will we accept a life where we are second-class citizens, afraid to take a damn piss in public, or will we demand the same respect, dignity and privacy that many cis people take for granted?”

The mood then turned solemn in remembrance of Sam Nordquist, a Black trans man from Minnesota who was tortured and murdered by a group of people in upstate New York in 2025 after he moved away from his support network in Minnesota.

Khrys Wetzel, a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, read a speech written by Kayla Nordquist, Sam’s sister, who asked that protesters remember her brother as more than what happened to him. “Being seen should never come at the cost of someone’s life,” Nordquist wrote. “No one should have to choose between being themselves and being safe. Sam deserved to be seen. He deserved to be respected. He deserved to live a full, long life, without fear.”

Rae Rowe, the cofounder of the Paper Lantern Project, spoke about the organization’s work providing mutual aid and name-change clinics for Asian American and Pacific Islander trans people

Rowe stated, “They’re afraid of a love that shows ways to exist beyond capitalism, beyond tyranny, beyond the powers that be. And the last few months, we have seen what happens when we are powered by love instead of hate.”

As the rally came to a close, the protesters lined the streets with signs calling for the protection of trans youth and for justice for Sam Nordquist. Drivers honked in support as organizers led the crowd in chants of “No hate! No fear! Trans people are welcome here!” and “We’re not here to compromise! Hands off trans lives!”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC

St. Paul, MN – On January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) held a rally for reproductive justice near the Minnesota State Capitol. Pro-abortion, pro-bodily autonomy activists and community members gathered to renew their commitment to fighting for true reproductive justice beyond Roe.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade represents a loss to the reproductive justice movement. MNAAC activists explained that Roe itself was never enough. Although some abortions were made legal by the passage of Roe, it still allowed for gestational age restrictions, waiting periods, disinformation counseling sessions, and other restrictions.

MNAAC member Kristen Bledsoe described that the high cost of healthcare in America itself presents a barrier. “[Roe] still allowed for people to pay exorbitant amounts for this essential health care,” Kristen Bledsoe explained, “[Roe] still allowed for employers to choose whether they wanted insurance plans to cover abortion care, and to choose whether they’d allow sick leave to cover their employees’ appointments and recovery times. Even before the Dobbs decision, there were endless roadblocks for so many people who were trying to access abortion.”

Other groups organizing to enhance abortion access were in attendance. Omi Ifemi, a director at Our Justice, the country’s oldest abortion fund, explained that “Roe was the floor and not the ceiling.” Our Justice provides direct financial and logistical support for people seeking abortion care.

Alissa Washington of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council of Minnesota stated, “This is where we move from listening to action. Fight for people locked away in cages, targeted by ICE, or arrested for protesting. Freedom that excludes the most vulnerable is not freedom at all.”

Hayley Peterson, a board member at Pro-Choice Minnesota said, “Bodily autonomy of course includes access to abortion, but it also includes the ability to go to shops, work, places of worship, and anywhere else without fear of abduction.” Other speakers detailed the reproductive health effects of chemical weapons used by police and ICE to control crowds and the ways that ICE routinely denies access to menstrual health products for detained people.

Zara Anderson, a member of MNAAC, declared that “when we say reproductive justice, we mean the right and ability to have a child, to not have a child, and to parent our children in safe and healthy communities. That’s why we’re fighting to defend and expand women’s and reproductive rights, including full abortion access for all, and that’s why we’re here to demand ICE out of Minnesota.”

Manny Pascual, an organizer with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and a nurse by trade, demanded an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life.

Manny Pascual stated, “Reproductive justice and immigrant justice are connected. You can’t have bodily autonomy if people cannot walk into a hospital without fear. You cannot talk about choice if people are hunted for who they are or where they come from. A world where women and queer people are free must be a world where all bodies and people are respected.”

MNAAC is a grassroots, all-volunteer reproductive justice organization that fights for reproductive and trans rights including abortion access, bodily autonomy, and gender-affirming care. Originally formed as a coalition of groups after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, MNAAC maintains that any attempts to limit, ban, or prevent access to abortions are fundamentally attacks on bodily autonomy.

MNAAC organizes to disrupt groups like Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, which claims to be “Minnesota’s largest pro-life organization.” Historically, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life has taken January 22nd as a “day of mourning” due to the passage of Roe v. Wade. MNAAC reclaimed this day as a day of action and renewed commitment to fight for reproductive justice and bodily autonomy for all.

MNAAC continues to organize around abortion access, trans liberation and bodily autonomy for all, including incarcerated people and immigrants. Their next action is planned for March 8, International Women’s Day, where they will take to the streets to demand women’s and reproductive rights. You can follow MNAAC’s work on Instagram and Facebook.

Dan Michael Fielding is a member of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

#StPaulMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #RoeVWade

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 13, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (UMN SDS) organized an “Abortion is Freedom” protest against an anti-abortion event on campus.

Kristan Hawkins, founder and president of the so-called “pro-life” organization Students for Life, visited the University of Minnesota (UMN) as a part of her Abortion is Oppression Campus Tour.

MNAAC is a grassroots,s reproductive justice organization that fights for abortion access and bodily autonomy. Also committed to reproductive justice, students of UMN SDS previously led a campaign requesting an on-campus abortion clinic and routinely join protests against crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). Both groups shared concern over the objectives of Hawkins’ visit, which were to dissuade young people from having abortions and to mobilize students, such as those involved with UMN’s Students for Life chapter, by spouting misinformation.

Protest speakers brought attention to Hawkins’ false claims about abortions – including that they are extremely dangerous for pregnant people, cause infertility, and contaminate drinking water. Hawkins has also incorrectly stated that abortion restrictions have not led to maternal mortality. During her speech, Kara Cowell, a public health student who specializes in reproductive healthcare, cited that maternal morbidity and mortality is in fact higher in states with abortion restrictions. Cowell referenced reputable sources on health outcomes including the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists and World Health Organization.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #Abortion #MNAAC #ReproductiveRights #SDS #StudentMovement

Edina, MN – On Monday, June 23, a crowd of Minnesotans gathered to join the People’s Action Coalition Against Trump (PACAT) for a press conference and rally against right-wing violence, held in front of the Republican Party of Minnesota Office located in Edina.

In light of the targeted assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and wife, Yvette Hoffman, PACAT organized the press conference and rally to condemn the rise in violent right-wing extremism, fanned by the reactionary agenda of the Republican Party and President Donald Trump.

PACAT is a coalition composed of various grassroots organizations within the Twin Cities, working together to organize a fighting movement against Donald Trump and the reactionary rhetoric of the Republican Party.

The press conference was grounded in a tone of mourning and anger, as Olivia Crull, speaking on behalf of PACAT, said, “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and our thoughts are with John and Yvette Hoffman in their journey to recovery. In the wake of this great loss to Minnesota’s fight for progressive change, what we will do is continue to organize in the hopes of making our communities better, safer, and free from reactionary violence.”

As more information surfaces from the tragedy on Saturday, June 14, it has become clear that both legislators, as well as the other individuals and organizations named on the shooter’s list of targets, were singled out because of their advocacy for reproductive rights and other progressive issues.

PACAT views the actions of the killer, Vance Boelter, not as an anomaly, but as part of the long history of anti-abortion violence in this country.

While addressing the crowd, Kristen Bledsoe of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee said, “Rhetoric that propagates the idea of ‘fetal personhood’ and equates abortion with murder, that dehumanizes abortion providers and people who have had abortions, will always lead to the kind of violence that killed Melissa and Mark Hortman. As much as they want to deny responsibility, the Republican Party knows this.”

Right-wing media accounts initially promoted the theory that the shooter was an immigrant or supporter of immigrant rights, given the recent cuts to MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults by the state legislature. Once the motives of the targeted attacks were revealed, the Republican party and conservative media have attempted to distance themselves from this political violence.

Yann Chen of the Minnesota Immigrant Action Committee spoke about this anti-immigrant rhetoric, saying, “Trump’s campaign against undocumented immigrants, against Black and brown people, against trans people, against women, against working-class folks of every background are not new. These platforms of hate have been promoted and associated with the Republican party for over 60 years.”

While some have praised the police response last week, activists against police brutality have pointed out the flaws in their response that led to Boelter getting away, as well as the double standard of how law enforcement treats oppressed nationalities.

Jae Yates of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice posed a question to Republicans, asking, “Will you racially profile white men who drive vehicles that are too similar to police cars or arrest them at nine times the rate of other racial groups? Of course not. Because none of you are willing to name the actual threat in the room, and none of you are willing to be honest about the fact that your enthusiastic embrace of white nationalism has fostered the environment for this horrific crime.”

On the day of the shootings, tens of thousands of Minnesotans protested at the Capitol as part of the national No Kings day of action. Drew Harmon of Minnesota 50501 referenced this moment, saying, “On the morning of June 14, we turned our sorrow into collective action as tens of thousands of Minnesotans came out in cities across the state, not just in Saint Paul, to highlight how sick and tired we are of this hateful rhetoric. But it will require continuous action, this is not something that can be fixed in one day. So, this is a call for everyone to continue the fight.”

#EdinaMN #MN #PeoplesStruggles #TCC4j #RightWingViolence #PACAT #MNAAC #MIRAC

Saint Paul, MN – With Governor Tim Walz and legislators huddled behind closed doors making deals for a looming legislative special session, around 50 people from the immigrant rights movement protested May 27 at Walz’s office in the State Capitol. The protest was in response to Governor Walz and legislative leaders announcing that they intend to pass a budget that takes away access to health care from adult immigrants in the state.

In the hallway outside Governor Walz’s office, four speakers talked powerfully about the human and social costs of denying health care access to immigrants. Then the group marched around the capitol rotunda with chants like, “Fight, fight, fight! Healthcare is a human right!” echoing throughout the capitol. The group then went into Walz’s office to ask for a meeting. When the receptionist said no, they stayed in the office, leading more chants.

Robyn Harbison of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) said, “We call on the legislature to reject any budget agreement that would take away health care from immigrants. And if they pass it, we call on Governor Walz to veto it. Immigrants should not be pawns in budget negotiations! To deny health care to any segment of the population is inhumane and wrong. Denying health care to some Minnesota residents will negatively impact all residents.”

Since his vice-presidential run, Governor Walz has positioned himself as a champion of health care on the national level, even arguing that Democrats need to stop tinkering on the edges of the Affordable Care Act and enact universal health care.

But in Minnesota, Walz, along with Democratic Party state legislative leaders are proposing to take health care access away from thousands of Minnesota residents. As the protesters left Governor Walz’s office, they declared they would be back.

Legislators continue to meet behind closed doors to try to hammer out a budget deal, but they keep missing their own self-imposed deadlines. As long as they continue to meet, protest organizers are asking Minnesotans to call their state legislators and Governor Walz to demand that they stop trying to take health care access away from immigrants.

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, Minnesota Immigrant Movement, 50501 Minnesota, and the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee.

#StPaulMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #MIRAC #ADC #MIM #MNAAC #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, May 10, Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) protested a fundraiser hosted by Abria Pregnancy Resources, a Twin Cities anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center. Pro-abortion activists and community members alike lined a stretch of Lake Harriet Parkway while anti-abortion participants were participating in Abria’s ninth annual “Life is Wonderful 10K, 5K, Walk & Fun Run.”

The well-attended protest amplified community members’ objections towards Abria’s presence and invited curious passersby to learn about the dangers of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs).

MNAAC is a grassroots, reproductive justice organization that fights for reproductive rights, including abortion access, bodily autonomy and gender-affirming care. Much of their work consists of educating community members about the dangers of CPCs and organizing protests against them.

Crisis pregnancy centers are anti-abortion organizations that pose as health centers and purport to offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare, but instead use medical misinformation, religious shame tactics, and social pressure to dissuade people from accessing abortions.

Abria’s Minneapolis and Saint Paul locations are two of Minnesota’s 73 CPCs, a number far outweighing the state’s nine in-person abortion clinics. Despite that discrepancy, reproductive rights organizations celebrate the number of CPS dropping down from 90 in recent years.

Abria scheduled its fundraiser on Mother’s Day weekend – collecting registration fees and monetary donations for “life affirming medical care, maternal resources and compassionate support to women and couples facing unexpected pregnancies.” They listed rewards for various fundraising thresholds and cited that raising $1000 represented “the cost to provide women what she needs to choose life.”

Lake Harriet neighbor and Pro-Choice Minnesota member Jill Lock called out Abria’s misleading messages of supporting mothers. Esther Crotser (MNAAC) and fellow protester Michael Wood surprised and disrupted Abria’s participants by running alongside them with pro-abortion banners while chanting “Abortion is healthcare, abortion is essential!” Various community members along the lake paused to observe the disruption and various protest speakers.

One MNAAC member recalls, “Countless people stopped on the lake path and asked about our protest. Many seemed to initially think Abria’s run/walk was in honor of Mother’s Day or to broadly support reproductive healthcare, and wondered why we were protesting the event since our speakers, signs and chants seemed aligned. Once we explained that the fundraiser was hosted by the CPC Abria Pregnancy Resources – and for some, introduced them to the goals and tactics of these anti-abortion organizations – they voiced support for our programming and concern about Abria.”

Kristen Blesdoe, a member of MNAAC, stated, “Abria Pregnancy Resources will try to tell you that they do give people information about abortions – they even have a whole page about it on their website! However, if you visit that page, you’ll see that it talks about abortion only in stigmatizing terms as ‘serious’ and ‘invasive’, implies that it might not even work. It’s not until the bottom of the page that you finally see this sentence: Abria offers support at no cost to you regarding your decisions but does not refer for or perform abortions. Does this sound like a ‘safe, non-judgmental place’ to you?”

In addition to Abria Pregnancy Resources, MNAAC has organized protests of other Twin Cities CPCs including Birthright, First Care and Tandem. The grassroots organization supports organizations aligned with reproductive justice including Minnesota’s abortion fund (Our Justice) and Community Aid Network of Minnesota (CANMN).

Sarah Berlin is a member of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC)

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #Abortion #ReproductiveRights #MNAAC

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, March 28, 200 protesters gathered outside of Walker Library to rally against escalating attacks targeting the trans community.

Protesters demanded an end to the compliance with Trump’s transphobic executive orders and policies, and an end to the barriers to HRT access in the state, for Minneapolis to become a sanctuary city for trans people, and for Minneapolis Public Schools to expand protections for trans youth. Protesters also demanded justice for Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota killed in a racist and transphobic hate crime.

This year, Trans Day of Visibility falls amid particularly intense political violence and widespread campaigns for the dehumanization of trans people. However, the large showing of support both from attendees and those passing by during a busy rush hour illustrated that despite the attacks, trans people are building power and fighting back.

“We have to be the ones to protect us. If we are going to fight our way out of this, we have to be able to rely on each other and not state actors to protect us from state violence,” said Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

“I encourage you all to become vested in your communities. Continue going to rallies like this, show up for your neighbors in times of need, join an organization fighting for human rights, because after all, trans rights are human rights,” said Lestat Clemmer, an organizer with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

The Twin Cities have become a hotbed of trans organizing, and in Minnesota, a thriving trans community has been built despite the political attacks across much of the country. Many trans people fleeing violence in their home states have relocated to Minnesota in recent years. Minnesota Transplants, an organization that supports trans people that have fled to Minnesota was founded a year ago and has already grown to 600 members.

“We have to fight to keep Minnesota safe for everybody who has left everything behind,” said a founder of Minnesota Transplants. “Find your people. Find people who can support you and keep you strong through all of this. It’s hard to fight this alone and you shouldn’t have to do that.”

The protest’s turnout, and the voices of trans leaders from so many different movement spaces across the Twin Cities, demonstrates just how expansive the movement for trans liberation is. That movement will only continue to grow as trans people continue to fight back.

This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) in cooperation with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and the Taking Back Pride Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfVisibility #MNAAC #TCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – 100 people came out of the cold of Minnesota’s winter and jumped into the fires of the struggle on Friday, March 7. Beginning at 6 p.m., the hall of the Lucy Parson’s Center was packed for an event to mark International Women’s Day.

Key points of discussion centered on the origin of gender oppression, and the role of women as both workers in their workplaces, but also those who have the brunt of work in the home forced upon them. Olivia Crull of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and a founding member of MN Abortion Action Committee, put it concisely: “If we want to understand where gender oppression comes from, we first have to talk about reproductive labor and the family. Reproductive labor is exactly what it sounds like: it reproduces our health and energy outside of work. It includes things like cooking, cleaning, entertaining, childbearing and rearing.”

Crull noted, “Historically and currently, women perform the bulk of this labor so that when their husbands return to work, having been fed and cared for, they’re able to continue producing for their capitalist bosses.” Crull also noted the important role that women play in that reserved group of unemployed workers, being drawn on by the billionaire class to expand workforces in growing industries, and on the other hand being pushed out at the first sign of economic downturn.

Expanding from this discussion, speakers touched on the role of women and the impact of gender oppression in each of their particular struggles. Robynne Johnson, speaking for MNAAC, discussed the importance of the struggle for women’s and reproductive rights to all struggles, stating, “To support reproductive freedom is to support working-class women and gender oppressed people everywhere.”

Johnson continued, “When Roe was overturned in 2022, states across the country began rolling out abortion bans and stealing the right to bodily autonomy from women, and recently we’ve seen legislators introduce dozens of bills aimed at limiting trans people from receiving gender-affirming care. These laws are direct attacks on working and oppressed people. When the ruling class institutes bans against our bodies, they are stealing our autonomy away from us, just like they steal all the wealth that we create.”

Attendees listened with great interest to the words of speakers and after that were invited to participate in a Q&A portion to get deeper into the matter of each of the speakers’ issues, and how the fight for women’s rights and an end to gender oppression connects to other struggles. At the closing of the event, attendees were invited to take part in a march the following day, March 8, to mark the working class holiday of International Women’s Day itself.

The event was spearheaded by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Twin Cities District and included speakers from FRSO as well as: the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA – CWA), the MN Anti War Committee (AWC), and the MN Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #InternationalWomensDay #FRSO #TCC4J #MIRAC #MNAAC #AWC #AFACWA

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, March 8, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and its partners hosted a protest and march on International Women’s Day. The Minneapolis protest drew over 1200 people across generations and justice movements. They filled Mayday Plaza and lined Cedar Avenue, holding signs in support of reproductive, trans rights and immigrant rights. Other signs included slogans critical of President Trump, Elon Musk, and the current U.S. government.

The protest’s goal was to uplift the women of the working class, protect reproductive rights, defend the trans community, and stand with Minnesota’s immigrant communities under attack.

International Women’s Day is a global holiday fueled by the collective efforts of women around the world. It identifies the many struggles that working women face, from low wages and discrimination to sexual violence and restrictions on bodily autonomy, bringing people together to resist. Every year since its formation, MNAAC has participated in local events for International Women’s Day, but this is the first year that the organization brought people into the streets for a march.

Emcees Siobhan Moore and Natalie Berger kept the crowd energized in between speakers by leading chants, garnering supportive honks from cars passing by the plaza. Cheers and chants called out for reproductive rights, labor rights, immigrant rights, trans rights and more

This was echoed in a speech by Dieu Do, a member of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) who began by highlighting several women who had fought for liberation, including Marsha P. Johnson, Amanda Wing and Roxanne O’Brien.

Do stated, “All of their stories are different, but all the fights are the same because we all know that our collective liberation is rooted in each other. We know when we talk about Black rights, we’re talking about trans liberation. When we’re talking about trans liberation, we’re talking about reproductive rights. When we’re talking about reproductive rights, we’re talking about immigrant rights and human rights.”

Jess Sundin spoke on behalf of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) about the interwoven struggle for women’s rights and labor rights, stating, “Before capitalism, those who bore children did more ‘reproductive labor,’ but it never meant that women only did that, or that this work was less valued, or that men didn’t help.” Sundin continued, “Women and LGBTQ people held places of honor in many cultures. But capitalists changed the rules, and reproductive labor was redefined as ‘not work.’”

Monique Cullars-Doty of Black Lives Matter Minnesota and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice stated, “I think about the solidarity and the collective pain that we have seen here in America. Indigenous or Mexican brothers and sisters being families are being separated at the border from their families. It is American history. We are now experiencing what it means to have your white privilege taken from you because you are not the wealthiest of the world. So, it is a time of awakening where we can realize we have more in common than we do different.”

Cullars-Doty ended her speech, “If someone wants to do whatever they want to do and it’s not affecting you, mind your business, she said. “No human is illegal. Mind your businesses. And when I say mind your business, I mean the business of liberation as one. That is our business. Liberation and equality for all.”

Representing the Minnesota Federation of Teachers was their president, Marcia Howard. She began her speech noting that over half of the U.S. population is women. Howard stated, “Black liberation is for the liberation of everybody. I’ve been at George Floyd Square for five years and I will jump over my cis-sister for a trans sister any day because I know they’re coming for them first. I want you to think about that now. They’re going to pick on the most vulnerable sisters first. I need you to remember that. And if you ever get even tempted to ignore that – don’t you ever think you aren’t next in line.”

After a series of speeches, the group marched down Riverside Avenue and back, pausing near Augsburg University and the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center – West Bank. There, they heard from additional speakers including MNAAC’s own Lily Winslow.

“Our government has always laid claim to what we can do with our bodies – which borders our bodies can cross, which essential care our bodies can receive, which bodies are entitled to environmental and economic security – the list goes on,” Winslow said. “In spite of these attacks, we breathe, move, and fight in these bodies.”

Winslow honored the women whose lives were lost to abortion bans: Amber Nicole Thurman, Candi Miller, Josseli Barnica and Neveah Crain. And they invited the crowd to join them in a fight for liberation and also for love.

This rally and march on International Women's Day was organized by MNAAC, with endorsement from Teamsters 638 and speakers from the following organizations: Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Students for a Democratic Society, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Families Against Military Madness, Women Against Military Madness, Women’s March Minnesota, Taking Back Pride Coalition, and the MN Anti-War Committee. Rank-and-file members of the Minnesota Nurses Association, Unite Here Local 17, Association of Flight Attendants and the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 12 also spoke at the rally.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #InternationalWomensDay #MNAAC

St. Paul, MN – On the afternoon of Saturday, December 14, Twin Cities community members came together to protest outside the offices of Pro-Life Action Ministries, an anti-abortion Christian organization. The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee held a vigil to remember those who have passed away due to restrictions on abortion care, then transitioned into a rally to show that the community does not welcome Pro-Life Action Ministries and its hateful rhetoric.

The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee hosted the vigil to honor and remember victims of abortion bans by holding a banner bearing the names and ages of those that have passed and commemorating the many others who have gone unnamed. Among those honored were Amber Nicole Thurman, Candi Miller, Nevaeh Crain, Josseli Barnica and Porsha Ngumezi, all women who have died since the overturn of Roe v. Wade after being denied abortion care. Attendees placed flowers and candles around portraits of the deceased to offer a heartfelt tribute to those women.

After an emotional vigil, the action transitioned into a rally against Pro-Life Action Ministries, an organization known for organizing “sidewalk counselors” to harass people seeking care at Planned Parenthood locations. Pro-Life Action Ministries also supports and funds “crisis pregnancy centers.”

June Gromis of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee talked about how pro-life organizations like Pro-Life Action Ministries are using the guise of religion to further their agendas and expressed that her own faith is rooted in love for all. Gromis sang the song Amazing Grace and the crowd joined in, honoring “everyone who has endured suffering as a result of anti-abortion legislation.”

In a similar vein, a member of Women Against Military Madness, spoke of her own story of ending pregnancies in the past and how “she is at peace with this.” She spoke about her mother, a devoted Christian, who taught her to be pro-choice, and affirmed that her dedication to the fight to “respect people’s choice!”

Michael Wood of the Climate Justice Committee connected the struggle to save the climate with the movement for abortion rights and emphasized the fact that pro-life organizations are not for the people. He spoke about his experience of growing up Catholic, but resisting the anti-abortion beliefs of the church. Wood said that instead, he now stands for reproductive justice for all, which includes “fighting for clean water and air for our children to breathe in!”

A member of the Anti-War Committee spoke about how the fight for reproductive freedoms is connected with the liberation of Palestine, touching on the fact that movements need to be connected. “We cannot be pro-choice here at home, while turning a blind eye to the horror the U.S. and Israel impose on Palestinians and their reproductive rights!” she said.

The emcees ended the rally with a reaffirmation of their commitment to the fight against anti-abortion laws and rhetoric, encouraging the community to keep up the struggle for bodily autonomy in memory of the dead and in honor of all of us still living.

#StPaulMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #WAMM #CJC

Minneapolis, MN – Around 50 people rallied for reproductive rights outside Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office on the brisk afternoon of Sunday, November 24. The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) organized the protest, which came at a pivotal time given the re-election of Donald Trump, whose first-term Supreme Court appointees voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Since the election, organizers with MNAAC have emphasized the need to take action against a familiar administration, one which promises to further do away with abortion rights. Addressing the situation in Minnesota, MNAAC member Maggie Moynihan told the crowd, “Clinics that offer real help and healthcare are few and far between in Minnesota, but the people who need their services are many.”

Organizers chose Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office as the location for the rally to draw attention to the bipartisan failures of politicians to codify abortion and to end the genocide in Palestine. While Klobuchar has a commendable track record speaking in favor of reproductive rights, she has failed to meaningfully pursue her campaign promise of “reinstating Roe.” She has also failed to uphold human rights at large, voting to continue military aid to Israel as recently as November 20.

Other groups at the protest included the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Climate Justice Committee and Anti-War Committee, as well as many supporters in the movement for women’s and reproductive rights.

While the rally primarily focused on the right to safe access to abortion, speakers also drew connections to the fight for a free Palestine. Crista Ocampo of the Anti-War Committee phrased this solidarity well, stating “The politicians who are sending bombs and military aid to uphold apartheid occupation are the same politicians who are stripping our rights away here in the states.” Ocampo went on to say, “It doesn’t matter if it’s here in the U.S. or in Gaza or the West Bank, when our rights are under attack, we will use everything we have to fight back.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #Trump #MNAAC

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 14 over 50 protesters gathered together on Indigenous People’s Day to tell Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance that he is not welcome in Minneapolis. Vance attended a private fundraiser in Minneapolis the same day, and held a press conference at the burned down Minneapolis former 3rd Precinct police station.

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) as part of a national week of action called by the Legalization for All Network to stand with Haitian immigrants in the fight for legalization for all, in the face of the intensely racist anti-immigrant rhetoric spewed by right-wing politicians at every turn.

Vance and the Trump administration continuously dehumanize immigrants to fuel their campaign that champions racist inequality above all else. Vance has been a major player in spreading disgusting lies about Haitian immigrants consuming pets in Springfield, Ohio. Since these lies have been popularized, threats and vandalism targeting Springfield immigrants have forced families to shelter at home, many too afraid to send their children to school.

The protest began with chants of “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” as the crowd prepared to listen to speeches and hold banners and signs to the honks of supportive cars driving by.

A speaker from the Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota called out the anti-immigrant lie Vance has been spewing that Haitian immigrants eat dogs and cats. “It was like watching a horror show because we know that it’s a lie.”

She continued: “The empty rhetoric that Trump and JD Vance are pushing regarding Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio is false propaganda due to a lack of sound plans to address serious and difficult issues such as global warming, homelessness, inflation, health care costs, and so forth. Without migrants the economy would be in a dire situation. The hospitality industry, the construction industry, and the agricultural industry rely heavily on the labor of immigrants.”

Alfreda Daniels, a Liberian immigrant and co-founder of the Black Immigrant Collective also spoke to the despicable use of immigrants as scapegoats to the country’s issues and how immigrants must be welcome regardless of how they came here, stating, “When I hear people like Vance and Trump say that people need to come in the right way, tell me, what is the right way? There is no ‘right way.’”

Protesters also heard from Noah Schumacher with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) about the connections between struggles against oppression around the world and the fight for community control of the police, as, little did the crowd know, JD Vance was telling racist lies in his meeting with the Minneapolis Police Department outside of the former 3rd Precinct around the same time.

Schumacher stated, “Many of us here in the U.S. are so indoctrinated with the myths of how great the American Revolution is, we are never taught about the revolution that was a real leap forward for humanity: the Haitian Revolution. In Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, we see how the struggles for Haiti, Palestine, and across the globe are connected to our struggles here to get community control of the police.”

The protest concluded with a passionate speech from Mari Mansfield with MIRAC in support of legalization for all: “We have to stand up and fight back. We have to fight for immigrants, for the people who walked across the earth to be here, for the people who carried their children on their backs to be here. And to do that, we need legalization for all!”

The protest was led by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and featured speakers from the Black Immigrant Collective, Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota, Black Lives Matter, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee and the MN Anti-War Committee.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #Haiti #MIRAC #HJCMN #BLM #MNAAC #MNAWC #TCC4J #Vance #Trump #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – On September 10, 40 people rallied to protest predatory anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy center” First Care. This marks the fifth protest of a First Care facility organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) as part of their campaign to expose the deceptive and manipulative practices of these facilities.

During the protest, Jay Belsito, a member of UnRestrict MN and Gender Justice, recalled their experience with an anti-abortion center as a pregnant teenager in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were misled about how far along they were in their pregnancy and given fake ultrasound images, a common tactic used to prevent people from making informed choices about their bodies and their health.

Belsito also said CPCs are funded by white Evangelical organizations and frequently target oppressed nationalities. She also drew attention to Keith Ellison’s August 2023 consumer alert in which he defined them as “private organizations that seek to prevent people from accessing abortion care as well as contraceptives.”

“It is absolutely essential that immigrants are not left out of this conversation,” said Sophie Breen, on behalf of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). “Crisis pregnancy centers that are in predominantly immigrant neighborhoods like this one are intentionally deceptive.” She called for accurate communication to be published in not only English but also in the languages of local communities such as Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

“Let’s look at the strategic placement [of First Care],” explained Sarah Berlin, representing MNAAC. “We are right in the center of Minneapolis and just a walk away from both Franklin and Chicago Avenues, two metro transit streets. This accessibility is not a mistake,” she continued.

Kristen Bledsoe echoed these sentiments, sharing that she was raised in an Evangelical family who supported the harmful messages of shame and fear employed by CPCs like First Care to rob people of their bodily autonomy. She demanded that the federal money still going to CPCs should be withdrawn and reinvested in more meaningful ways for communities.

“It’s important to work for justice whether it’s in Phillips or it’s in Palestine,” explained Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC). “Many people across the country tonight are watching the Harris-Trump debate, and one of the main topics will be abortion and healthcare. Tim Walz is on the ticket and it’s important to point out that he’s been an ally to this particular movement,” Aby-Keirstead said. “While we agree with him on that, we are discouraged, disgusted, and outraged that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris have been silent when children have been born and then bombed on the same day in Gaza.”

Robyn Harbison, representing the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), recalled that it was under Biden and Harris that we lost Roe: “They want to continue lining their pockets and making false promises to you.”

Harbison ended with a call to action, “We helped lead the march of 10,000 that took Washington Avenue when Roe was overturned, we marched on the DNC in the tens of thousands, and we will continue to lead the struggle to demand bodily autonomy for all and money for human needs, right in the Phillips neighborhood, right now!”

A small group of anti-abortion protesters were present, holding signs with religious messaging and signs claiming that abortion is an unambiguous evil.

Despite the counterprotest, the community responded positively to the pro-abortion messaging of the event. Motorists honked and cheered as they drove by, pedestrians expressed vocal support, and people in the park across from first care clapped and expressed positive sentiments about the protest.

This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and endorsed by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), MN Anti-War Committee (AWC), UnRestrict MN, Gender Justice, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

#MinneapolisMN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC

Minneapolis, MN—On June 13, members of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and their allies gathered for an emergency rally after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mifepristone. Mifepristone is one of the two drugs commonly used for medication abortion. The ruling affects women and others’ healthcare across the entire country.

30 people held banners and signs, “Defend medical abortion!” and “Safe and legal abortion for all.” The rallygoers listened to speeches from local movement leaders and waved to supporters who drove past.

The Supreme Court ruling on this case, known as FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, maintained mifepristone’s nationwide availability by mail. The court ruled that the anti-abortion Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine did not have standing to sue because they had not actually been negatively affected by the existing FDA regulations.

MNAAC member Carolyn Handke started the program, emphasizing that mifepristone has proven safe and effective for over 20 years. Handke explained there is cause to celebrate for pro-choice activists, but the legal outcome is more complicated than it seems.

Hanke said, “Conservative anti-abortion forces have been gunning for mifepristone ever since it was approved by the FDA, including with this totally bullshit case, where they’ve cherry-picked retracted studies in order to say that mifepristone isn’t safe!”

Handke continued, “They know that restricting mifepristone would be the biggest blow to abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and even though they haven’t succeeded this time around, they will be back for more! For now, know that the fight isn’t over!”

Members of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and the Anti-War Committee expressed solidarity with the reproductive justice movement. They made clear the connections between U.S. wars abroad and the fight for bodily autonomy at home.

“The issue of bodily autonomy is not just connected to reproductive healthcare, but it is also about reclaiming our power back, in order for all people from all nations and their bodies to be free from the threat of warfare and nuclear annihilation,” said Sarah Martin of WAMM.

Attendees held handmade signs reading “Genocide is not pro-choice” in solidarity with Gazans of Palestine who are currently facing a collapsed healthcare system and constant bombardment by the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide.

Anti-abortion forces have been clear that this will not be the last time they challenge abortion as an accessible medical procedure. In fact, this is already taking place with Idaho and Moyle, et al. v. United States, a case which calls into question the legitimacy of EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act)—a federal statute which mandates that hospitals provide the required care to stabilize a patient, including termination of a pregnancy if necessary, and protects doctors who perform emergency abortions in states where abortion is banned.

Bry Chipley of MNAAC spoke, “This portion of EMTALA is now being called into question in states with abortion bans where state legislators want to have the right to persecute doctors performing abortions in instances where the life of the patient is not in immediate danger.”

Chipley continued, “People who are being denied care for conditions such as ectopic pregnancies, are never going to deliver a healthy baby who is expected to live beyond the first few weeks of life. These people are being tortured and subjected to the potential for permanent disability or fertility loss by conservative lawmakers for no reason other than to exercise control over our bodies.”

A decision on the case concerning EMTALA is slated for release by the end of June, and at the end of the rally, activists with MNAAC promised to respond in the streets when the decision drops. For more on future events fighting for reproductive rights, you can follow MNAAC on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook at @MN_AAC.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #Mifepristone

Milwaukee, WI – The Coalition to March on the RNC is hosting a national online event titled “All Out for the March on the RNC!” The program takes place on Monday, June 24, at 8 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific). You can register to receive the Zoom link here: tinyurl.com/marchrnc

The event will feature speakers reporting on their organizing in different movements, giving updates on the Coalition's work, and explaining mobilization plans.

“Many students and youth are making plans to travel to Milwaukee to protest the reactionary and racist agenda of Trump and the Republican Party on Monday, July 15, 2024. We need to beat back the Republicans’ vicious attacks on immigrants, labor unions, LGBTQ people, education, the environment and more,” said Chrisley Carpio of National Students for a Democratic Society.

“Trump seems to want to outdo himself with a second term,” Carpio continued, “He is even talking about getting rid of the Department of Education and funds for public college completely. We won't stand for it!”

“We are enthusiastic about a big mass march leading right to the front doors of the convention where Republicans will hear us chanting against their bigoted, backwards agenda. People are coming from across Wisconsin, across the Midwest, and from coast to coast to protest the arch-reactionary Trump,” explained Omar Flores, spokesperson for the March on the RNC.

Featured speakers are Omar Flores of the Coalition to March on the RNC, veteran Chicano liberation movement leader Carlos Montes, Chrisley Carpio of the National Students for a Democratic Society, Robynne Johnson with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee and Tom Burke of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #PeoplesStruggles #RNC2024 #SDS #MNAAC #FRSO #Feature

St. Paul, MN – On Friday, May 17, a crowd gathered outside the annual GOP Lincoln Reagan Dinner to protest the attendance of former U.S. President Donald Trump, sending the messages to defend reproductive rights, no to a Muslim ban, and of legalization for all.

Trump is known for his reactionary politics that impact working-class people. During his presidential tenure, the Trump administration enacted 472 administrative changes to dismantle and reconstruct the U.S. immigration system, increasing barriers to legal immigration and diminishing humanitarian protections. A prominent campaign point during his 2016 presidential nomination was to build a border wall along the U.S./Mexico border, while perpetuating racist rhetoric about immigrants as “drug dealers, criminals and rapists”.

Manuel Pascual, a member of Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), spoke to the crowd about Trump’s dehumanization of immigrant communities, stating, “He promotes hate and violence against immigrants every chance he gets. We saw what happened during his first presidential term. We witnessed racists come out of hiding to brutalize immigrant communities all over the United States.”

MIRAC has been fighting for legalization for all, an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life. MIRAC is currently working on passing the North Star Act, a Minnesota bill that would prevent local police from enforcing immigration laws.

Trump’s reactionary immigration policies have also extended towards Muslim communities, further feeding into Islamophobia. In 2017 Trump issued a Muslim travel ban, which blocked refugees and travelers with passports from seven Muslim-majority countries. The executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), Jaylani Hussein, spoke about the impacts Trump has had on the Muslim community within Minnesota.

Speakers throughout the protest highlighted the interconnected fights between the different struggles.

Alé Guzman Huaman, an organizer with Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), stated, “I was a junior in high school, and after his election I remember the sense of deep, deep dread, fear and hopelessness. What is going to happen to my family? What is going to happen to my bodily autonomy?”

The Trump administration and the Republican party have campaigned around restricting abortion access for decades. During his presidential term, Trump put forward three Supreme Court justices with conservative political leanings, the last being Amy Coney Barret, who was instrumental in the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.

MNAAC was formed in direct response to this Supreme Court case. Since then, MNAAC has been campaigning around crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which are fake abortion clinics funded by right-wing Christian evangelical organizations.

Jeff Giering, another organizer with MNAAC, told the crowd, “I believe the rights to life, to personal liberty, and to reproductive choice are under attack by Republicans nationwide. They are under attack by Donald Trump.''

Giering continued on to pinpoint the connections between the Republican and Democratic parties, noting capitalism as breeding grounds for creating opportunistic politicians who only value human life as long as it’s profitable.

Manuel Pascual stated, “Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has pushed the Biden administration to further punish and endanger migrants seeking refuge in the United States. Let’s be clear- Biden is not our friend!”

Organizers faced some opposition from pro-Trump counter-protesters standing across the street. The counter-protesters yelled chants such as “Trump 2024” and simply repeating “U.S.A”, though their chants were thoroughly drowned out by the crowd starting chants such as “Sexist, racist, anti-gay! Donald Trump, go away!”

This collaborative action was coordinated by members of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

These groups are continuing the fight against Trump and his agenda as they’ll be joining the March on the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 15.

You can follow their work on social media:

• MNAAC: Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook at @MN_AAC.
• MIRAC: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @MIRACMN
• CAIR: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @CAIRMN

#SaintPaulMN #MIRAC #MNAAC #CAIR #Trump #MNGOP #LincolnReaganDinner

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, May 10, members of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and their supporters protested outside of First Care Pregnancy Center, an anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy center” known for using deceptive tactics and spreading medical disinformation about abortion.

Crisis pregnancy centers, or CPCs, are operated by the anti-abortion right wing. They market themselves as legitimate medical facilities, but in reality, they exist to spread anti-abortion propaganda and manipulate people into keeping unwanted pregnancies. They outnumber real abortion clinics tenfold in the state of Minnesota, presenting a significant barrier to abortion access for Minnesota residents, as well as for the increasing number of people coming to Minnesota for abortion procedures.

MNAAC has protested several locations of First Care Pregnancy Center. However, anti-abortion forces in the Twin Cities, clearly rattled by the work MNAAC has done to expose the true intentions of CPCs, organized counter-protesters for a rally that MNAAC had called in December 2023 at the First Care location on University Avenue. These counter-protesters heckled attendees, held signs allegedly showing aborted fetuses, and filmed attendees even after being asked to stop. As a response to this show of intimidation, MNAAC orchestrated Friday’s surprise rally, assembling a group of trusted supporters to show First Care that they would not be discouraged by opposition.

On its website, First Care claims to provide pregnancy-related support with “No Pressure, No Judgment, Just Answers.” However, MNAAC member Rachel Storm called attention to First Care’s own self-contradiction, as First Care’s website also states that “while abortion often feels like the only option, we don’t believe it’s in the best interest of women.” Storm went on to highlight the dangers of such deceptive, ideologically-motivated messaging, asserting that “a pregnant person has every right to make an informed decision about what happens to their body.”

As protesters waved signs reading “We deserve real healthcare” and “This ‘clinic’ is against contraception,” Jay Belsito, a community organizer with Gender Justice, talked about their accidental encounter with a CPC as a teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy. They faced religious shaming and were forced to watch anti-abortion videos, they said, and this incident led them to oppose crisis pregnancy centers as an adult.

Robyn Harbison, director of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and a member of MNAAC, called for the liberation of all bodies from state-sponsored control, stating, “An attack on one body is an attack on all of our bodies,” adding, “the opposition against reproductive healthcare is a declaration of war against us all.” MNAAC member Sarah Murphy stated, “The politicians, lobbyists and wealthy donors who are funding crisis pregnancy centers just like this one are the same people who are supporting the genocide against Palestinians.”

A member of Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota condemned the presence of a CPC so close to their university campus and spoke about their experience of having to obtain an abortion as a teenager after being assaulted. They felt lucky, they said, that there was a Planned Parenthood nearby instead of a CPC, emphasizing the fact that First Care’s location on University Avenue is inherently predatory toward young people.

MNAAC member Kristen Bledsoe closed out the protest by demonstrating the impact that CPCs have across the movements for immigrant rights, racial justice and LGBTQ rights. “The women’s movement has a direct connection to these struggles because all of these struggles stem from the same source – the ruling class,” she said. “When we stand outside of these CPCs and shout at the top of our lungs, when we educate our communities about the dangers of CPCs, when we fight for legislation that will restrict the ability of these places to continue harming people, we are striking at a target that reverberates across all of our movements and echoes all the way up to the top!”

Passersby cheered and honked car horns in response to the protesters’ chants of “Pro-life, that’s a lie! You don’t care if people die!” and “One, two, three, four! Abortion is worth fighting for!” making it clear that First Care is unwelcome in the Twin Cities and that abortion rights remain widely supported by community members.

MNAAC continues its campaign against crisis pregnancy centers via education and outreach, protests outside of “crisis pregnancy centers” and progress toward regulating CPCs at the city level. You can follow their work on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook at @MN_AAC.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #CrisisPregnancyCenter #MNAAC

Saint Paul, MN – On March 14, operating on short notice, organizers with the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), workers from the reproductive justice movement and their supporters held an emergency protest outside a private event where Vice President Kamala Harris was set to speak on reproductive freedom.

Protesters gathered outside the venue with banners and signs, chanting to passersby in an effort to call attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, its particular impact on Palestinian women and girls, and Vice President Harris’s role in funding Israel’s military operations.

Over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, 70% of them said to be women and children, with many more missing under rubble from destroyed buildings. These attacks have included strikes and raids on hospitals, aid centers, schools, places of worship, refugee camps and countless civilian homes. Due to the collapse of the medical system in Gaza, women are undergoing Cesarean sections without anesthesia, miscarriages have increased by 300%, and women and girls are struggling to manage their menstrual health with no access to period products. The World Health Organization agreed in November 2023 that women and children are bearing the brunt of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

“I'm here today as a Jew and a worker in the reproductive justice movement because I'm devastated by the way that the current administration is touting their alleged support for abortion access while funding an urgent reproductive justice crisis in Palestine,” said Leah Soule, a reproductive health worker and a member of Jewish Voice for Peace. “My reproductive justice and Jewish values call me to stand up to oppose the U.S. funding of genocide in Gaza and build a liberated world where all people can have access to abortion, pregnancy care and also to safe and sustainable communities to raise their families in.”

Vice President Harris visited the Twin Cities as a part of her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, during the course of which she has been met with consistent protests, including at her stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in January.

The Biden-Harris administration has made abortion and contraception access part of their campaign platform but has been reluctant to embrace the demand of grassroots abortion rights activists, and avoid the use of the word “abortion” in their campaign speeches. Meanwhile, the United States under the Biden administration continues to send weapons and military aid to Israel, propping up their genocidal campaign in Gaza.

“I’m tired of having my right to an abortion held over my head while bombs continue to fall on Gaza,” said Kristen Bledsoe, an organizer with MNAAC. “As a result of the decisions of the Biden-Harris administration, Palestinian women and girls are experiencing horrific suffering, and we’re here to let Kamala Harris know that the reproductive rights movement stands with Palestine.”

While heavy police presence and Secret Service personnel created a barrier between protesters and the venue, participants were not deterred, loudly chanting “Bodily autonomy means Palestine will be free!” and “We want abortion on demand! Not genocide and stolen land!” to the support of honking cars.

#StPaulMN #TwinCitiesMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #BidenHarris #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – On January 28, over 60 protesters rallied in front of Abria Pregnancy Resources, a so-called “crisis pregnancy center,” or CPC, to demand its removal from the Northside neighborhood.

Protesters held signs and banners demanding an end to fake clinics, while chanting “Pass more bills, secure our pills!” and “Fund abortion, make it free, fuck the right and CPCs!” Passersby expressed their support vocally and by honking their car horns.

Abria, one of four anti-choice “crisis pregnancy centers'' located in Minneapolis, utilizes deceptive tactics and medically inaccurate information to pressure pregnant people out of getting an abortion. Most of the funding for CPCs comes directly from right-wing evangelical backers.

CPCs set up shop in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods like the Northside, knowing that pregnant people seeking abortion resources would have nowhere else to turn to.

Jae Yates, speaking for Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J), referring to Abria’s predatory practices, said, “This isn’t about human rights, it's about controlling people’s behavior and controlling their bodies and trying to force them to conform to a system of religion that they may or may not believe in.”

Samantha Alsadi, from the Anti-War Committee, spoke of her own personal experience with a CPC when she was seeking abortion resources. “I instantly felt unwelcomed,” Alsadi said, “but didn’t know what else to do. The staff assured me that everything I said to her would remain confidential and under no circumstances would anything I say to her be revealed to anyone else, but here she was telling someone else, getting the police involved, and calling my parents.”

Aldadi continued, “They manipulate people by portraying themselves as some resourceful place someone can go to for help, when all the while they’re only there to scare and coerce people into making decisions the facility wants them to make.”

“Black people have historically chosen abortion as a means to protect from material conditions. As early as when Black people were considered property Black mothers performed their own abortions in an attempt to protect unborn children from enslavement,” another speaker on behalf of TCC4J said. She told of her mother’s experience: “No one explained the health risks to her, the emotional responsibility, the vulnerability, no one explained abortion to her as anything more than a sinful option. She deserved more and that is another reason why I stand here today to fight.”

Alé Guzman, a member of the MN Abortion Action Committee, spoke to the way CPCs drain community resources, saying, “The physical space they use can be utilized a hundred times over for better capacities than a fake reproductive healthcare clinic. This could've been a community bodega, this could’ve been a family's source of income, future and dream. Yet Abria takes up space where they are not needed: shame on you!”

This protest against Abria Pregnancy Resources was organized by the MN Abortion Action Committee and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar.

#MinneapolisMN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #MNAAC #TCC4J

Minneapolis, MN – 30 supporters of reproductive rights rallied at May Day Plaza on January 6 to demand that the Supreme Court uphold the existing status of the drug mifepristone.

On December 13, 2023, the United States Supreme Court agreed to review a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit. If upheld, the lower court ruling would only allow access to the drug via direct prescription from a doctor – preventing online ordering, mail delivery, and pharmacy dispensing of abortion pills. It would also restrict the time to access pills from ten weeks to seven weeks.

“In the state of Minnesota – which is supposedly a sanctuary state for abortion – there are only eight in-person abortion clinics, five of which are located within the Twin Cities. Because of this, folks rely on the accessibility of abortion care through mail delivery,” explained Robynne Johnson, a member of the MN Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

Johnson further detailed the additional barriers to abortion imposed by the predatory practices of anti-abortion centers, commonly known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which deepens the crisis of abortion accessibility. Johnson continued, saying that CPS “are funded and operated by right-wing Christian organizations with the intent to guilt folks into not getting an abortion. They are not medically licensed professionals, and they do not adhere to prevailing medical standards. They have been proven to provide biased, misleading and inaccurate sexual and reproductive health information in service of their goals.”

Carolyn Hadke, a member of MNAAC and a menstrual health educator, spoke on the hypocritical goals of pro-life politicians, saying, “If they wanted us to be safe, we’d have paid parental leave, health care, childcare, clean drinking water for everyone. We wouldn’t have over 24 states banning abortion, unaffordable health care, people who are unhoused, a militarized border and our tax dollars funding Israel’s genocide in Palestine.”

The “Defend Mifepristone Protest” was organized by the MN Abortion Action Committee, with endorsements from the MN Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, and several other organizations.

#MinneapolisMN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveJustice #AbortionRights #MNAAC