Dear John,

Yesterday afternoon, we received the infuriating news that a small group of party insiders decided to revoke Sen. Omar Fateh’s historic endorsement, disenfranchising hundreds of delegates, thousands of Minneapolis voters, and caving to the pressures of the party’s wealthy moderate minority. As frustrating, messy, and inaccessible as the convention process was, the truth still stands — the people overwhelmingly chose Sen. Fateh as their candidate. To quote Sen. Jen McEwen, “it really is a kind of betrayal,” and will ultimately erode trust in the DFL much more than it will hurt the momentum of our movement to make Sen. Fateh the next Minneapolis mayor.

To the delegates who were there on convention day: no one can take away the conversations you had with neighbors, the work you put in to show up powerfully, or what it felt like when you raised your badge at the end of the day and saw an overwhelming majority of our neighbors vote for a city where all of us can thrive — not just insiders with their thumb on the scale.

Despite the uphill battles we continue to face against an establishment that would rather undermine democracy than risk the status quo, we’re more determined than ever to organize and win. As Celeste Robinson writes in the op-ed featured below, “ten years from now, I believe we will have a more socialist city, where the rich pay their fair share, where all people have affordable and stable housing, where groceries are affordable and so much more. That’s a future worth fighting for, no matter who claims credit.”

Here's what we're reading, watching, and listening to this week: 

1. DFL revokes Fateh endorsement

A small group of Minnesota DFL party insiders revoked Sen. Omar Fateh’s historic endorsement for Minneapolis mayor on Thursday after delegates democratically and overwhelmingly selected Fateh as their candidate at the City Convention in July.

2. MPS found violating disability laws
  

As part of an annual review process, the Minnesota Department of Education found that Minneapolis Public Schools has been in violation of disability laws for the past three years by disproportionally placing Black students in the developmental cognitive disability category. The district will be required to put more funding into coordinated early intervention services.

3. Molly Coleman wins St. Paul City Council special election

Coleman won the special election in Ward 4 last Tuesday with a majority of the votes on the initial count. The seat was vacant after Mitra Jalali resigned in January due to health concerns.

4. MN8 activists gather in solidarity with Southeast Asian deportees

According to the advocacy group, over 150 Southeast Asian immigrants (many of whom came here as refugees during and after the Vietnam War) have been deported from Minnesota since May. “‘Those same children who came as refugees are being sent back to the countries their family originally fled from by the same government that was responsible for their displacement 50 years ago,’ said Montha Chum, executive director of MN8.”

5. Fear and terror continues under Trump's authoritarian DC takeover

As the military occupation of DC ramps up, ICE agents and National Guard soldiers have begun setting up checkpoints and detaining people. Legal experts say that these checkpoints are likely a breach of what the constitution allows.

6. "We are people, after all" — folks incarcerated at Stillwater speak out

As the Minnesota Department of Corrections prepares to close the horribly outdated Stillwater prison within the next few years, inmates express complicated reactions in a new MN Reformer op-ed. “There is no question, serving time in Stillwater, as in any prison, is brutal and dehumanizing. But for now, we call this place home, proof that we can create an identity, even in this oppressive environment.”

7. Honoring the unsung leaders of a better city

“As a socialist, I also know that political leadership means advancing ideas that many Democrats call radical and impossible — until they start calling them common sense,” writes Celeste Robinson, aide to Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley, in a Star Tribune op-ed. “It is socialists, not moderate Democrats, who will continue to demonstrate political leadership in Minneapolis.” 

8. Smithsonian becomes next Trump censorship target

The White House has begun targeting the Smithsonian this week after Trump accused the museum of focusing on “how bad slavery was” and “how horrible our country is.” A memo released Thursday takes aim at artwork and other exhibits that depict the LGBTQ community and immigrants.

9. MN-grown Afrobeats to round out your summer playlist

Nigerian-American Minnesota musician Obi Original and his musical collective, Ozone Creations, are putting their own spin on the West African genre.

10. A review of new BIPOC and immigrant fair foods

The Great Minnesota Get Together kicked off yesterday, and the writers at the Sahan Journal are already on it with a review of all the new foods by BIPOC and immigrant vendors. Spoiler: they liked the ube butter banana French toast lumpia best.

That's a wrap!

Send us what you’re reading, watching, and listening to.

Until next time,

Charlie Bartlett
TakeAction Member