Greetings

We have an exciting member meeting coming up on July 16 at 6:30pm in Tower.

Good Trouble Lives On!

On July 17 there will be another huge, nation-wide, collective action taking place on the birthday of John Lewis. We have two events happening locally in Virginia (3-5pm) and Ely (5-7pm).

Next Meeting!

When:

Wednesday, July 16, 6:30pm

Where:

Herb Lamppa Civic Center
400 Pine Street
Tower, MN
Train Depot parking lot

Speakers:

Judith Tuuri Ulseth & Rose Adams

Topic:

Passages of Pride

"To begin to understand the reality of those who are transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, people must know . . . how it can feel to spend years denying your own deepest truths, to sit silently through classes, meals and church services while people you love toss off remarks that brutalize your soul."
— Bruce Bawer, "The Advocate," 1998

Judith Tuuri Ulseth, is the mother of three, including her eldest son, who is gay. Ulseth speaks of her and her husband's experiences raising a child who was labeled and bullied throughout his childhood, coming out as gay at age 14 in 1984.

Judith served with Parent Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays from 1985 to 2001 as St. Paul-Minneapolis chapter board member, newsletter editor, and speakers bureau manager, as well as serving a stint as secretary of the board of national PFLAG. The Ulseths were one of the families interviewed for the book, Passages of Pride: Lesbian and Gay Youth Come of Age by Kurt Chandler.

Rose Adams is a mother, partner, advocate, and a dog trainer. She has raised three children on the Iron Range, two of whom were BIPOC and within the queer realm.

"I'm sure that as a direct result of my children being themselves and the struggles we had fighting for their rights and safety," Rose says, ". . . I ended up running the YESS (Youth Empowerment, Support, and Safety) program for 3½ years (7 years total)."

YESS is a nonprofit that provides support, encouragement, and education, and creates safe places with and for queer youth.

All are welcome to attend.

Good Trouble Lives On

In Ely & Virginia

Virginia

When:

July 17, 3:00–5:00pm

Where:

Hwy 53 and 12th Ave

Ely

When:

July 17, 5:00–7:00pm

Where:

Whiteside Park

The Virginia event is sponsored by Northern Progressives, Democracy in Action on the Iron Range (DAIR), Indivisible, ACLU, MobilizeUSA and other groups.

In Ely, come add your voice in Whiteside Park. Bring signs or make one there. After demonstrating on Sheridan Avenue, we'll take time to get to know new friends, talk about issues you're concerned about, and get a bite to eat. You can bring a picnic dinner, get food from a food truck, or head to a local restaurant. Get ideas about how you can cause some Good Trouble.

Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.

John Lewis served in the House of Representatives for 33 years, and his life work was an ongoing invitation to others to build a better, just world that values the dignity and the worth of every human being. He urged people to “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America.”

On July 17, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis's passing, we're taking action across the country to carry forward his legacy of Good Trouble and defend our democracy.

From voter suppression bills like the SAVE Act to the criminalization of protest, the Trump administration is launching a full-scale attack on our civil and human rights. But we know the truth: in America, the power lies with the people, and we're rising to prove it.

Please note: A core principle behind our Good Trouble Lives On actions is a commitment to nonviolence in all we do. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.

Signing & Resisting Events

Each Friday at noon at the following locations:

• Cook: Hwy 53 and River Street
• Tower: Mainstreet by the locomotive

Signs should include issues common to everyone like good jobs, enough money for food and healthcare, and a good education.

One Million Rising: One Million Trained, Millions More Empowered

Hosted by No Kings

Indivisible National is strongly encouraging folks to attend.

When:

Wednesdays, 7:00–8:00pm CDT

Where:

Online

"One Million Rising — a national effort to train one million people to help lead in this moment and gain the skills to lead others. This is how we build people power that can't be ignored. You're invited to join us—and lead."

ICEbreaker News has just launched!

Laurie Woodward Garcia and People Power United

"From mass detentions to forced deportations, ICE continues to terrorize families and communities across the country. Stay informed, spread the word, and take action. Together, we can expose and stop ICE."

FEMA

the NYTimes

"FEMA Didn't Answer Thousands of Calls From Flood Survivors, Documents Show.

"Two days after deadly Texas floods, the agency struggled to answer calls from survivors because of call center contracts that weren't extended."

It hurts because your humanity is intact

from Choose Democracy

"The police violence is not convincing. Gallup just reported 79% of US Americans now record high support for immigration. Why? Because the violent kidnapping of our neighbors is exposing what many of us have known: undocumented people are embedded in our communities, they are family members, school coaches, and cherished friends...

"Authoritarianism wants to shock us into silence, into being frozen. But we still feel the pain—because we haven't gone numb. That hurt is a compass. Let's follow it to a place of greater liberation and love."

Northern SLC Behavioral Health Resources for 1st Responders

Webinar

You may have heard of the initiative currently underway to improve connections and work between public safety and behavioral health in Northern SLC. When a large group from across the county met in April for planning, it was very clear that we needed MORE communication about available services!

To help share more about the services available to you and your staff, Range Mental Health has paired up with Virginia PD's Compassionate Community Response Team (CCRT) to deliver an informative webinar.

When:

Wednesday, July 23rd 12:00-1:00pm

Where:

Online

5 Stories of Courage to Fight Fascism

from Qasim Rashid

"It is easy to get lost in a sea of despair as we see our Republic collapse, with rights stripped away one at a time. But it is also that much more important to celebrate the wins and our courageous neighbors standing up and fighting back, getting in Good Trouble, and refusing to relent to the fascism this regime is enabling and promoting.

"As I continue to keep you informed on the key human rights issues impacting us all, I also want to elevate stories of resilience, courage, and hope, because they are reminders that we can and must resist this extremism. Here are five powerful stories of ordinary people standing up for justice to demonstrate extraordinary courage against hate."

The Open Letter

We the People are the True Founders

"As threats to our collective future grow more urgent and pronounced, we must exercise our power boldly and unapologetically to disrupt what is and to make possible what is yet to be. Not only to protect our history but to shape our future. We the People must become the founders of a nation yet to be realized–the opportunity of our generation. Knowing our work will be imperfect, and still accepting the invitation to work each day to perfect our democracy. Making this evolutionary leap demands that we treat this future not as a distant aspiration but a reality within our power to create."

Please Share your Sources of Information and Inspiration:

What news sources, reading lists, podcasts, subscriptions and other resources do you rely on for good information? Please respond to hello@northernaction.org with the sources you recommend and a brief reason why they're important to you.

Northern Progressives Schedule & Structure

NP Group meetings are held:

First & third Wednesdays in Tower or Cook

• 1st & 3rd Wednesdays in Tower or Cook

Breakfast Club:

• Pattenn's Café in Orr at 10 am on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.

Everyone is welcome to come and discuss current happenings, help shape the direction of NP, and get to know each other.

Northern Progressives Communication Committee

General email (submit ideas here):

hello@northernprogressives.org

Betty Firth

bfirth88@gmail.com

Beth Peterson

edithepeterson@gmail.com

Judith Ulseth

jgtulseth@gmail.com

Northern Action

northernaction.org