NEW Interactive feature: Reflection questions for Changemakers Alliance stories
Even before Minnesota governor Tim Walz was tapped as Kamala Harris’ vice presidential candidate, a gathering of Minnesota politicians stood up for her candidacy as the DFL nominee. At a press conference, Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL–59B, pictured at left) said: “We need women who get it about reproductive justice at every level of government. Across the country, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes.” Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan — who might become Minnesota’s first woman and indigenous governor if Harris-Walz wins the November election — said, “Having women in leadership isn’t cosmetic, it is essential. … As the governor has said, Donald Trump and JD Vance want to take your books away. They want to be in your exam room. And these are weird ideas. They are not for freedom, and they are not interested in leading a country where we have rights.” (Photo by Sarah Whiting)
We are moving into the next stage of Changemakers Alliance. Now that we have developed deeper stories in our online series about “Collective Health” and “Diversity in Politics,” we invite interaction and deeper reflections by readers. We encourage you to share any of the new online stories spotlighted here with your community. Use the discussion guide questions to prompt a conversation, or simply open up to your own thoughts.
We also have a monthly poll to gather reader insights (anonymous is fine). Please share your thoughts at tinyurl.com/Sept2024CALL
Seeing the Big View in Grand Rapids
This story features the first in a series of perspectives of a group of Grand Rapids women we talked to in July who have been part of KOOTASCA’s Big View program, bringing deep conversations on topics ranging from the LGBTQ+ community to addiction to poverty.
Community engagement director Alice Moren says of the program: “In the Big View, we are trying to get people to think bigger or differently. For example, we can so easily fixate on individual behavior as a piece of poverty — ‘because of the decisions that you’ve made, the choices you’ve made, that’s why you’re where you’re at.’ There are so many people who are doing all the right things, but they’re not getting ahead, whether it’s because of low wages, or health issues, or lack of housing or transportation. It’s easy to just say ‘that was a dumb decision’ and end the conversation. Poverty is so much more than that.”
The story notes how difficult it can be to get ahead, especially for young people, even when you take the right steps. Does this resonate with you?
How to Build a Village of Collective Health
In our publisher’s tenth annual summer talk at First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, Mikki Morrissette talked about what research shows about how mental health issues can be alleviated by a sense of collective good, and what she has learned from friendship with a construction worker at her house.
She said: “It is easy for us to recognize the power of tender, loving repair when it comes to material things — that we can transform an existing structure into something stronger, without simply tearing it down. It is less easy to remember that people can be transformed in the same way. The energy of a small village, or sometimes just a stranger, can apply tender, loving repair to reshape a life.”
View the talk, then share how a small village, friend, or stranger helped you pivot into a different direction with your life.
Akhavan on Feminine Leadership
We feature a conversation with Saint Cloud professor Roya Akhavan, formerly of Iran, who has been writing and giving talks about research that shows that effective and true leadership consists of “traits that we associate with the feminine aspects of humanity.”
She indicates that both men and women are capable of compassion. Equating compassion with the “feminine” and “weakness” — and requiring female leaders to be “tough” in a hypermasculine perception of strength — continues to inhibit growth. She believes, however, that society is becoming more aware of the strengths of feminine leadership.
Do you agree with her optimism? Why?
For 2025 coverage, Minnesota Women’s Press earned a community leadership award, three photography awards, and four editorial awards, including for coverage of social issues and for our Spring 2025 “Know Your Rights” special section supported by Unidos MN. Our publisher was named Journalist of the Year by Violence Free Minnesota for gender-based violence coverage.
