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Sue Watlov Phillips. Photo by Sarah Whiting

DEEP DIVE: Why Housing Gaps Are a Central Issue in Society

When I began this work nearly 59 years ago, the landscape was very different. We demolished large amounts of low-cost housing and built office buildings, many of which now sit underused or vacant. At the same time, we began to shift our mental health system, but we failed to build the housing and supports necessary to make that transition successful.

A Conversation With Jewelean Jackson

"We have the resources to address it. What we lack is political will. Still, I believe in perseverance. I’ve seen legislation pass by a single vote. I’ve seen young people fight back against unfair housing practices and win. I’ve seen what happens when people refuse to give up. So, as long as I’m here, that’s exactly what I intend to do."

The Long Journey of Zenobia Carson

When you are in that space of thinking “this is all I can do, I can’t do any better,” then you are stuck in a limbo life. Many women around me had hearts for doing other things. They just did not know how to make it happen.

Q&A With Friendly Vang-Johnson: Farming Advocate

"We are protectors of our community. We’re stronger together. We are trying to assert there is a different way of being. We can be a collective."

Earth Day Rally Reiterates Need for Data Center Moratorium

Across all testimony, a consistent theme emerged: Minnesota is moving faster than its policies can manage. Speakers did not uniformly oppose data centers outright, but insisted that without a pause, the state risks long-term environmental, social, and economic harm. The call was clear: slow down, study the impacts, and ensure communities — not just corporations — shape the future.

From The 19th: Minnesotan’s Issue With Domestic Violence Services Underscores Chasm

Domestic violence organizations have to turn away thousands each day. Julia was one of them.

Survivors of Domestic Violence Share Inadequacies of the Legal System

A new short documentary produced by Battered Women's Justice Project centers the stories of two domestic violence survivors. A recent panel discussion unpacked what society needs to be able to recognize and do.

Marnita’s Table — ImagineAct2026 Photo Gallery

Marnita's Table hosted a women’s leadership brunch to kick off their 21st year. They invited women to craft and connect with new people. Here are a few images from the day.

The Work of Corrie’s House for Trafficking Survivors

Corrie’s House is a home-based, trauma-informed space that took about seven years to open. We had done a tremendous amount of research to understand the issues around sex trafficking, especially among children — which is more common in Minnesota than most people realize.

Highlights from the March 28 No Kings Rally

  More to come...

My Journey Through Trauma With Creativity

"Where trauma seeks to reduce our aliveness in all of its forms, creativity presents an anecdote. It runs a life force through us, from some source beyond the little self, and anchors it into the potential of the future."

NEWS: Freedom To Breathe Hunger Strike Launched

“The obligation to stand in solidarity with people who live at the margins — it's with that commitment to justice and more for my community that today I'm going on hunger strike.” According to the Zero Burn Coalition — a network of 70 groups that organized the strike — residents in the 55411 zip code seek medical treatment for asthma at the highest rate in Minnesota.