Changemakers

This is an excerpt of an article published in Minnesota Women’s Press in August 1999, by reporter Patty Marsicano, which appears in “35 Years of Minnesota Women.“

“WFPC is a means to an end. As we make these transitions, our goal is to sustain the work of the revolution as a whole, and our community’s work, and not the nonprofit organization itself.”

“We no longer wish to have a meeting or come to an agreement. There is no middle ground.”

“There are so many queer artists and so many trans artists who found a home in 20%, myself included.”

“By sharing vulnerability, we build deeper relationships. We need deep relationships to face what’s coming — floods, heat waves, climate refugees.”

“It was hard to figure out if they were being discriminated against because of their race, religion, or ethnicity. For many people in the Muslim community, they [face all] three.”

As one of the few casino employees who were not laid off, Toreen began looking for ways to ensure her community’s needs were met.

From a student, to a school administrative manager at Minneapolis Public Schools Hmong International Academy, to chairwoman of the St. Paul Board of Education, Xiong was an advocate for education.

With continued experiences of racism, McWane-Creek decided to put her training into action.

“The youth are told that we are the future. That is a huge title to uphold.”

Essential to the work of The Alliance, Brown says, is developing respectful relationships so that everyone feels heard, which can mean “slowing down policy work to unpack power and other dynamics.”

Nearly 150 women gathered on December 5, 2019, in celebration of five special honorees who were recognized by Minnesota Women’s