Minneapolis, MN – On Mother’s Day Sunday, May 10, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) organized a pro-choice Mother’s Day protest across from what was an anti-abortion, Pro Life Action Ministry (PLAM) billboard.

A few days leading up to the protest, members of MNAAC learned the billboard was replaced with a local orthopedic billboard. Despite this change, they continued with the protest with about two dozen attendees to fight for comprehensive reproductive healthcare, oppose abortion restrictions and the attempts of “pro-life” organizations to influence legislation and to shame women.

MNAAC is actively fighting against the existence of “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs), or anti-abortion centers, in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, with activists demanding restrictions on the ability of CPCs to spread medical misinformation and demanding state and local regulations to require CPCs to disclose that they do not provide a full spectrum of reproductive healthcare.

CPCs convince unknowingly pregnant people in crisis to not have abortions by using scare tactics and promoting myths about abortion causing depression, cancer and infertility. In Minnesota CPCs outnumber abortion care clinics eleven to one, since there are 90 CPCs and nine abortion care clinics. Anti-abortion attacks continue at the federal level with the recent 5th Circuit ruling that seeks to block remote prescription and delivery of mifepristone by mail.

Activists shared their stories about what it means to have the ability to choose to become a parent and how American imperialism continues to harm mothers.

Jordann Hoff, a member of MNAAC, shared that blocking access to mifepristone via telehealth and delivery by mail will harm nearly two-thirds of people needing to have an abortion, since approximately 63% of all abortions are via medication.

Emily Newberg, a member of Women's Against Military Madness (WAMM) shared how Palestinian women are using tent scraps for pads and, without aid mothers, are continuing to take care of their children alone as the men have migrated away throughout the war.

River Road Townsend, a member of Twin Cities Coalition For Justice (TCC4J), told their story about receiving a lifesaving abortion during their first trimester because they still had children to take care of, and how they later were able to choose to adopt a child into their family. Townsend calls their family a family of choice; and that reproductive healthcare should not have to come through the intersection of luck and circumstance.

MNAAC is a grassroots, volunteer-based organization fighting for reproductive justice. The pillars of reproductive justice are the right to have a child, the right to not have a child, and the right to parent a child in safe and sustainable communities while maintaining personal bodily autonomy as a human right.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #MNAAC #AbortionRights #WomensMovement #LGBTQ

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