Dear John,

Welcome to the last News Digest of 2025. It was a hard and scary year for all of us in many ways — the second inauguration of Donald Trump and his administration’s increasing authoritarianism, escalating political violence, and the systematic attacks on our immigrant and trans neighbors.

I’m grateful to have had the space to process these events with all of you, and through it all, find stories of hope and joy and community to remind me why I am still here in the fight.

I look forward to continuing to be in community with you in 2026!


Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to this week.


ACLU MN sues ICE
The Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Kristi Noem and ICE for alleged violations of the First and Fourth Amendment rights of ICE detainees and protesters. This follows a new legal opinion from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office barring MN sheriffs from unilaterally entering into agreements with federal immigration officials.
[link removed]
[link removed]


“We need to use every available tool to keep health care affordable, and the PDAB is one of the most powerful.”
As MNsure premiums are set to increase in 2026, nurse and union leader Kate Lynch argues that Minnesota’s Prescription Drug Accountability Board is more vital than ever.
[link removed]


New Trump policies could ban gender-affirming care for youth
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz announced new measures that would prohibit hospitals from receiving federal Medicaid and Medicare dollars if they provide gender-affirming care services to transgender youth, which would have the effect of banning care even in states where it’s legal.
[link removed]


Independent abortion clinics closing
Legislative attacks on reproductive healthcare have forced more and more patients to turn to independent abortion clinics for care, but 23 US clinics closed their doors in 2025. Most were in states with abortion rights protections.
[link removed]


Whistles as a tool of resistance
Grassroots activists in the Twin Cities are utilizing 3D printers to mass-produce thousands of whistles, along with instructions for how to use them to alert neighbors of ICE activity. Learn how you can get one!
[link removed]


Brown Student reflects on tragedy and community
Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University killed two students and injured nine others. In this deeply personal essay, student Angela Lian reflects on the aftermath.
[link removed]


Melissa’s legacy
In a beautiful, heart-wrenching longform piece for Rolling Stone, Stephen Rodrick writes an ode to the late Speaker Hortman’s life and legacy.
[link removed]


Rob Reiner’s anti-Christian Nationalist activism
The late filmmaker and actor, who was tragically killed alongside his wife in their home earlier this week, was a progressive activist who worked to raise awareness of the threat of white Christian Nationalism in the US. Reiner’s 2024 documentary on the subject, God & Country, is streaming free on Tubi.
[link removed]
[link removed]

Foraging in MN state parks
A new state government task force aims to gather data and pass more equitable guidelines on foraging in state lands, a practice that is restricted but integral to many communities.
[link removed]

Lyn-Lake’s Lavender District
This past weekend, a few friends and I paid a visit to Smitten Kitten, who were donating 100% of their Sunday profits to provide immigration support for Minnesotans targeted by ICE. This example of radical community building and care is abundant across the growing “Lavender District.”
[link removed]


And that’s a wrap!

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

Until next time,
Charlie Bartlett
TakeAction Member


unsubscribe: [link removed]
TakeAction Minnesota
705 Raymond Ave Ste 100
Saint Paul, MN 55114
United States
Paid for by TakeAction Minnesota