Leading Lights: Advocates Gear Up to Protect Vulnerable Minnesotans
The recent presidential election left many feeling uncertain and fearful. But local advocates say that while it wasn’t the election result they hoped for, it’s one they have prepared for. “There’s not some grand gesture that solves all these problems, and frankly, winning the election was not going to be that either,” says Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice.
The upshot? The strategies and connections advocates have made are working, which so far means they don’t have to reorganize in major ways to respond.
It’s not going to be easy. They all acknowledge harm will happen. But they’re ready. And, they say, the keys to fighting back against inevitable Trump administration rollbacks will be consistency, community, and communication — along with financial, in-person, and other creative help. Here are some of the 2025 plans, based on interviews done before the Republican White House took office.
Kat Rohn, Executive Director of Outfront MN. Photo Sarah Whiting
Outfront MN
Kat Rohn, Executive Director
Immediately after the election, Kat Rohn says, Outfront focused on providing community care, “reminding people we can sustain even when it’s really hard, and [recognizing] our community’s strengths and ability to get creative.”
Rohn says the organization is prepared to see rollbacks on immigration, mass deportation, and increased challenges for those seeking asylum in the U.S., particularly among LGBTQ+ neighbors. Challenges to Title IX, removal of health and census data, bans on trans folks in the military, and rollbacks on gender-affirming care are expected.
While life will get more complicated, Rohn says there will be ways in which more policy enactment and litigation can slow things down, “as long as folks are aware and not precomplying. We can delay the worst impacts, especially in Minnesota, and buy time to organize people to make change — whether [that effort] goes toward midterm elections or to build structures to sustain and protect ourselves.”
“Our next step — and one Minnesotans can engage in — is to create insulation and protection.”
This includes conversations with top levels of Minnesota leadership, the attorney general’s office, legislators, and more.
Rohn adds, “Minnesota is so much better insulated against many of these attacks than our peer states. That gives us reason to be hopeful, and time to organize and engage folks. We do expect changes. It’s going to cause harm, but we have space and resources to organize against it.”
Lindsay Greising, Policy Counsel of The Advocates for Human Rights. Courtesy photo.
Hanne Sandison, Program Director, Refugee and Immigrant Program of The Advocates for Human Rights. Courtesy photo.
The Advocates for Human Rights
Hanne Sandison, Program Director, Refugee and Immigrant Program, and Lindsay Greising, Policy Counsel
As the wheels of justice turn slowly, both Hanne Sandison and Lindsay Greising see that much of their work remains the same: educating people on the realities of complex immigration law, and using the courts in particular to seek safety for immigrant and refugee communities.
“People are rightly fearful, based on promises made and unspoken promises and threats,” says Greising.
“The dark-gray lining to this is that we’ve done this before. We were active in protecting our clients and mobilizing volunteers to help those seeking asylum, or who were trafficked, in the prior Trump administration,” Sandison says.
After the election, Greising says, a coalition call helped her realize other advocates also had learned a lot in the intervening years. “While it’s a scary time, and there’s a trifecta — and perhaps a less friendly judiciary — there are really smart, strong advocates and strategies that have been developed that will meet the moment.”
One push has been to coordinate mass-mobilization strategies with other organizations in order to respond to negative political messaging and harm to asylum-seeking communities.
“The narrative is so toxic around immigration,” adds Sandison. “These are real humans at the center. When talking to people who hold strongly anti-immigrant positions and narratives, they are surprised by the people they know impacted by these policies. When you actually know anybody impacted, it starts to break down quickly. I maintain hope that people’s minds can be changed.”
To avoid overwhelm, Greising thinks of her work in buckets: dispelling misinformation, providing legal representation, offering community education, and managing legislation.
Megan Peterson, Executive Director of Gender Justice. Courtesy photo.
Gender Justice
Megan Peterson, Executive Director
“On the one hand, we have been here before, so we have some idea [of what might happen],” Megan Peterson says. “But at the same time, the number-one theme of a Trump administration is that he is an agent of chaos. The best thing to plan for is ongoing uncertainty and surprises.”
Gender Justice is prepared to ask questions to guide advocates: “How do we use tools at the state level? How do we use the courts to slow down what harms may come from the federal level?”
Peterson says the organization plans to expand its work into North Dakota. “We’re going to lean into using our institutions to blunt the potential impact of Trump administration plans and action,” she says.
The last two years in Minnesota included a push to get bills across the finish line and signed into law. “This is a new environment, and a much harder road,” Peterson acknowledges. “We have to adjust our approach. I don’t think it means nothing positive can happen through the legislature. But I think part of our job as advocates will be to continue to go at it as though we can get it passed. Even if we can’t, it helps to be ready when we have the votes to do it.”
Alyssa Greene (l) and Hayley Bloom Peterson of Pro-Choice Minnesota. Photo Sarah Whiting.
Pro-Choice Minnesota
Hayley Bloom Peterson, 501(c)3 Treasurer and incoming (c)3 Board Chair for 2025; Alyssa Greene, 501(c)4 Board Chair
Pro-Choice Minnesota advocates Hayley Bloom Peterson and Alyssa Greene say that while the election was not the result they were hoping for, the real gut punch was when the divided Supreme Court changed Roe v. Wade.
Bloom Peterson says the fall of Roe “changed the calculus in a lot of spaces,” precipitating changes throughout the country. “Reproductive rights have been under attack forever, and even when we have protections like Roe or the PRO Act in Minnesota, people are still trying to dismantle them. It’s not like this work changes that much, just because a new person is elected,” she says.
Greene says one of their focuses will be to support volunteers, particularly campus organizers, who will be future leaders of the work. “They’re helping put the right people in power who know what they’re talking about, and listen to people who understand medication and health care versus spewing propaganda,” she says. “Building that community and connection, and bringing forth the education piece — rooted in science, equity, and community — is critical.”
Bloom Peterson says that because of tighter resources among health care professionals, and diminished access, they’ll continue to ensure Minnesota will be a state where rights are protected through advocacy, laws, policies, and services. “Pro-Choice Minnesota is not going anywhere,” she says. “We’re excited about this work. It’s important work, and we’re on the right side.”
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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.
