Thanks to support by the international Community Solutions Program, we had a year-long relationship with Bosnian journalist Amra Avdic. We were recommended to the program by former Global Minnesota director Mark Ritchie.
Amra did nine interviews with Minnesota women engaged in politics about how to succeed in a patriarchal system. We followed up with two more interviews of our own with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and outgoing legislators Rena Moran, Patricia Torres Ray, and Alice Hausman.
Publisher Mikki Morrissette was invited to give a talk about what we learned at a women’s festival in Bosnia in June, then sent to Washington D.C. in October to participate in an extensive global summit. She and Amra delivered a short talk about their experiences together to a large audience that included members of the Department of State.
Amra visited Minnesota for two weeks, when we introduced her to U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Senators Patricia Torres Ray and Mary Kunesh (who gave her a tour of the State Capital). We took her to a campaign talk by Vice President Kamala Harris, and a special event featuring diverse candidates hosted by Vote.Run.Lead. and Ayada Leads. She participated in door-knocking campaigns with successful candidates Clare Oumou Verbeten and Maria Isa Perez-Hodges.
Electing Women Series
- Peggy Flanagan on women’s leadership
- Rep. Rena Moran, Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, Rep. Alice Hausman: on passing the torch, successes, frustrations, transformation vs transaction:
- Nausheena Hussain on organizing Muslim women
- Beth Peterson, Vote.Run.Lead
- Catherine Hartnett, on social change and asking for money
- Rep. Heather Keeler on gun violence and representation
- Pam Costain on finding authenticity in politics
- Habon Abdulle on how to build support for candidates
- Mindy Greiling on mental health and mentorship
- Sen. Mary Kunesh on educating decision-makers
