On the anniversary of rent stabilization going into effect, members of MNYC, ISAIAH, SEIU and elected allies are celebrating that St. Paul renters finally have a tool to address the egregious rent increases that too many of our most vulnerable neighbors have been experiencing for decades. Over the course of the last year, we’ve watched St. Paul set the course for cities around the country in working toward housing equity for everyone across race and residence.
Equity in Place's 2023 State Policy Agenda
Minnesota Youth Collective is a member of the Equity in Place (EIP) coalition, a diverse group of community organizations and housing advocates working to advance housing justice in Minnesota. EIP is excited to bring you our 2023 legislative agenda, featuring policies such as Tenant Right to Organize, Just Cause eviction protections, Source of Income protections, and more!
Regardless of our race, age or income, we know our communities are stronger when families, children and workers can put down roots in the neighborhoods they choose to call home. From the vibrant urban centers of the Twin Cities to increasingly diverse communities across Greater Minnesota, nearly 30% of residents in our state rent their homes, playing an essential role in our shared prosperity and potential every single day.
For generations, our state leaders have preferenced and subsidized property owners and big developers, stacking the deck against renters and giving landlords excessive power. Just like redlining locked out Black and brown, Indigenous and Jewish people from homeownership, Minnesota lawmakers have crafted some of the weakest tenant protections in the nation that actively and disproportionately harm people of color across the state. Now, a growing number of corporate and predatory landlords are spiking rents to make more money and forcing our neighbors who rent out of their homes — and legislators have stood aside and let it happen.
We aren’t fooled by the landlord and developer lobby claiming they need free reign to exploit our neighbors without any reasonable regulations. Government has always played a role in the housing market. During the COVID pandemic, lawmakers took swift and impactful steps to safeguard the health and stability of renters across the state, even with a deeply divided legislature.
With a nearly $18 billion budget surplus and united political will, there is no excuse for inaction in 2023. It’s time to create lasting change with policies that ensure tenants have dignity, fairness and respect in their homes.
Minnesota has some of the widest racial disparities in homeownership and housing stability nationwide, and delivering justice for renters is key to preventing homelessness and moving people to homeownership. Our 2023 legislative agenda includes proven solutions from tenant-led and community-based organizations that rebalance the scales to create lasting renter power and housing justice.
Download the full agenda here.
Fellow Stories: Nithya (2020)
Fellow Stories: Meti (2019)
Fellow Stories: Ana Elisa (2019)
Fellow Stories: Olivia (2020)
Fellow Stories: Destiny (2019)
Celebrating 2021 & Looking Ahead to 2022
This month, we’re filled with gratitude. Our community allows us to have an impact beyond what we could do alone. From directing our work via pledge cards to volunteering to help us get young people out to vote, you strengthen our work beyond measure. Thank you for making our work possible!
As we spend December reflecting on 2021 and planning for 2022, we wanted to share a little bit more about our impact this year, and what we hope to do moving forward.
This year, we were deeply involved in local elections, as well as our ongoing work organizing trainings for young Minnesotans. Throughout the year, we were proud to use our expertise in organizing to engage with young people statewide. Here is some of what we did this year:
We ensured our staff and organizing fellows receive a living wage and benefits like health care.
We hosted popular education events like our MNYC Reads conversation series, which uses relevant texts to discuss real-life issues like public safety and abolition.
We collected a combined 10,333 signatures as part of the Housing Equity Now – St. Paul (HENS) coalition for rent stabilization and the Yes 4 Minneapolis (Y4M) coalition for a Department of Public Safety.
We provided well-researched and detailed materials like our 2021 Voter Guide to help young people in Minnesota engage in electoral politics.
Moving into 2022, we have another set of ambitious goals we're excited to undertake, including:
Strengthen our community relationships through neighborhood-by-neighborhood organizing;
Build our base outside of the Twin Cities, so we can provide more support to Greater Minnesotans;
Establish and grow a volunteer program, so more people can participate in our work; and
Refine our fellowship program to continue to provide organizing trainings and leadership development opportunities to young people through paid positions.
We also want to take a moment to uplift other ways and organizations you can support this month. St. Paul Camps Support is a mutual aid coalition that directly supports the needs of our houseless neighbors in the Twin Cities through disbursement of donated funds. Their fund is critically low going into the cold winter months, and they would benefit from your support. Learn more about their work here, and donate via Venmo or Cashapp at @StpCampsHub.
To close out 2021, we’re seeking to raise $2,500 from new monthly donors. A donation of any amount will get us closer to our goal! Monthly contributions from our base are investments into our communities and into MNYC’s ability to organize for policy and engagement that creates better living conditions for youth and Minnesotans at large. Will you become a monthly donor to the Minnesota Youth Collective? Donate now to sustain our work.
We can’t wait to see where 2022 goes — see you next year!
Say His Name: Winston Smith.
Yesterday in Uptown, Winston Smith was publicly executed by the Hennepin County Sheriff and U.S. Marshals in a shopping center parking garage during the busiest time of day.
The media and cops immediately made claims about Smith’s guilt—he was a murder suspect, he was a felon with a gun, he resisted. They would have you believe Smith’s murder was his fault, but the only thing he did was exist as a Black man. Being Black is not a crime, and should not be a death sentence. Having a gun is not a crime, and should not be a death sentence.
Much of the coverage of this murder has been focused on respectability politics, and what Smith did “wrong” in this situation, but the fact of the matter is he did nothing wrong—the cops who killed him did. The involvement of federal law enforcement also demonstrates that the problem with policing and violence toward Black people goes beyond the Minneapolis Police Department. All law enforcement must be abolished, because all law enforcement perpetuates white supremacy and racism at the expense of the lives of Black folks.
Winston was a beloved member of the community, and his life was so much more than how he died. In the interest of focusing not solely on Black death, but uplifting Black joy, we want to share more about what we know of Winston, and his impact on those around him.
Winston Smith was a comedian, a musician, a father, and an involved community member. He spread joy at a time when people needed it most, and his impact on the community was widespread. He made people laugh with skits that went viral, was a positive influence on and avid supporter of those around him, and many say he was the “heart and soul” of Minneapolis. He participated in and helped create Black joy. That, more than his death, should be his legacy.
Accountability vs. Abolition: Policing in Minnesota
The history of policing is rooted in the protection of property, including slaves. In colonial America, “slave patrols” patrolled the country looking for Black people and escaped slaves, then forcibly returned them to bondage. These groups started out relatively informally, but slowly gained more power and control, using white supremacy and racism to their advantage to set curfews, steal property, and otherwise brutalize BIPOC. When Minneapolis was founded in 1867, a police force soon followed, and immediately proved itself to be corrupt at best.
In 1934, 50 fully armed police officers in 25 squad cars confronted coal workers who were on strike due to insufficient work. In total, 67 strikers on the picket line were shot and two were killed. The police initially tried to report they were “fighting for their lives,” but this claim was quickly discredited after it was revealed that the vast majority of gunshots were on the backs of the strikers. They had been shot in the back while trying to run away. No police were charged in the killings of the two men. This incident became known as Bloody Friday.
In 1963, the Minneapolis Police Department formed its first Civilian Review Board after a civil rights investigation revealed that “minority members generally lacked faith that their complaints would be dealt with properly.” The group was a step in the right direction but lacked any official status and fell apart after a lawyer found that members could be sued for defamation. In the late 1960s, MPD created the Internal Investigation Unit to investigate claims against its officer, but this unit rarely, if ever, finds fault with the officers.
These are just two small instances of Minneapolis’s long history of police violence against Black, brown, and Indigenous people, including numerous police killings. There are near-constant instances of police brutalizing and killing BIPOC around the Cities, including the 2015 murder of Jamar Clark, the 2016 murder of Philando Castile, and the 2020 murder of George Floyd. This happens despite the fact that the Minneapolis Police Department is often considered to be one of the most reformed police departments in the country. However, no system built on injustice, violence, white supremacy, or hatred can ever be reformed.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin in broad daylight at 38th St. and Chicago Ave. Bystander video shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck as he says, "I can't breathe," and begs for air. The murder of George Floyd (and subsequent trial of Derek Chauvin) sparked a summer of Uprisings in Minneapolis. Protests, direct actions, and change spread across the Twin Cities, the state, the country, and the planet.
Timeline Summer 2020
During the summer of 2020, elected officials and other departments in the City of Minneapolis made swift promises to defund and cut ties with the Minneapolis Police Departments. Many of these promises were broken or lacked follow-up, as was evident in the response to the protests sparked by the murder of Daunte Wright in April of this year.
May 25, 2020 — George Floyd was murdered by MPD
May 26, 2020 — Protests started, and the 4 officers involved in the murder of George Floyd were terminated
May 27, 2020 — The University of Minnesota promised to cut ties with MPD, but continued to fund the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD)
UMPD worked with MPD during the coordinated police response to the protests following the murder of Daunte Wright (Operation Safety Net) in 2021
May 28, 2020 — The 3rd Precinct was burned by protesters
May 29, 2020 — Minneapolis put a curfew in place to attempt to quell protests
June 2, 2020 — Minneapolis Public Schools cut ties with MPD, which provided “school resource officers” (SROs)
Later MPS looked into hiring private security guards to replace SROs
June 3, 2020 — Minneapolis Parks and Recreation cut ties with MPD
Minneapolis Park Police are still funded
June 7, 2020 — The Minneapolis City Council announced they would defund MPD
The City Council has voted to increase the police budget several times since.
Floyd’s murder was not the first time police had killed a Black man, and it wouldn’t be the last — not to mention all the other BIPOC men, women, and children regularly brutalized and murdered by the police. Less than a year later, police would kill Daunte Wright during a traffic stop over expired tabs. However, the death of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin brought conversations many organizers have been having for years to the forefront—more than ever before, individuals were engaging in conversations about mutual aid, abolition, and a better future for everyone. The world was paying closer attention to police abolitionists than ever before.
Abolition is the idea of eliminating the police. Reform, as mentioned above, is not effective. A system rooted in white supremacy will always remain rooted in white supremacy. Instead, abolitionists advocate for the elimination of police in favor of community-led systems of public safety. Before police, communities and neighbors took care of each other; abolitionists propose a return to those practices. Who better to solve problems than the people who are involved, and who know the circumstances and context? Who better to address a neighborhood crisis than the neighbors themselves? Abolition is rooted in the idea that the “services” provided by police can be better offered by community members, and that true safety stems from community relationships.
The question of abolition is how best to achieve it. Many people are unaware of the fact that policing as an institution is relatively new, so they assume policing has always existed and must always exist. However, there are many local efforts being made, especially in Minneapolis, to advocate for abolition and create alternative systems of public safety. Of note is the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign, a local ballot initiative campaign being run with a coalition of organizations. In Minneapolis, the City Charter requires a police department that is staffed with a certain number of officers. In order to achieve abolition, the charter must be changed. Yes 4 Minneapolis is working to get a charter amendment on the ballot in November, 2021 through petition signature collection. Enough signatures have been gathered that community members themselves will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to replace the police. This is a vital first step in the movement toward abolition in Minneapolis.
This post was written as part of a collaboration between Minnesota Youth Collective and a University of Minnesota class, SW1501. This class, Introduction to Peace Studies, discusses how human conflicts can be resolved in ways that promote justice and peace. Students collaborated with MNYC staff to research and write posts about our issue areas of focus.
How the Housing Crisis Affects Minnesota
Angelique D., Yizheng L., Aye M., Iklaas M., Ifrah N., Mirjana R., Prisha R., Nicole S., Sydney S.
“Across the nation, families are struggling with homelessness and housing insecurity. We need to treat the affordable housing shortage like the crisis that it is. Housing is a fundamental human right.”
The United States is experiencing a national housing crisis, and the effects on families and individuals are devastating. A lack of affordable housing, tight lending standards, restrictive zoning codes, low minimum wage, and racist housing policies are all factors that have contributed to a national housing crisis.
When people spend more than one third of the monthly income on housing, they are considered “cost-burdened,” but over a quarter of Americans are spending over half their monthly income on rent. This could be in part because an individual making the current federal minimum wage would need to work 127 hours a week to afford an average two-bedroom rental.
In addition to the high cost of rent in the United States, many lower cost rental units are in segregated communities. Many communities are still affected by racist and restricting zoning laws, as well as the lingering effects of redlining. In the past, homeowners and developers put clauses into contracts barring BIPOC from living in certain areas, and the areas where BIPOC were able to live experienced plummeting property values and a systemic disinvestment in the neighborhoods.
Regardless of the causes, individuals and families—especially BIPOC and low-income people—are impacted by these practices and circumstances, causing stress, pain, and financial struggles. No one should be forced to choose whether to pay rent or pay for groceries, or stay up at night wondering whether this is the year rent costs increase beyond what is affordable. However, that is the reality of many Americans.
The solution to the housing crisis is to establish policies that are directed at removing the factors responsible for creating this situation. Once each of the causes is addressed, communities can begin to rebuild and address the needs of their members beyond survival.
“On a single night, over 10,000 people in Minnesota were homeless last year—the highest number ever recorded. 6,000 of them were youth—which means children are showing up at school without a place to go home to. And this does not include the thousands more who are behind on rent, or are looking for a permanent home after an eviction. And that’s just Minnesota.”
Minnesota’s housing crisis is defined by both a lack of affordable housing and a lack of housing in general. There are not enough places for individuals to live, and the spaces that are open are vastly out of reach for the budgets of most Minnesotans. On average, many of the houses being built in the state are priced above $350,000. Individuals who perhaps have the means to buy expensive houses are increasingly choosing not to, downsizing and purchasing houses that cost closer to $150,000 to $350,000. The result is that other, lower-income individuals are being priced out of homeownership, so they’re forced to rent. In turn, predatory landlords can exploit the fact that people have fewer options.
As mentioned above, many of the communities in Minnesota are still segregated as a result of racism and historical practices. Beginning in the late 1800s and early 1900s, racial covenants and redlining created a legal basis for segregating neighborhoods by making it illegal to sell certain properties to BIPOC. These practices continued and were used to justify predatory lending practices and low property values in BIPOC neighborhoods until they were outlawed in 1968. Even still, the after-effects of those practices and policies has created segregated neighborhoods nationally and in Minnesota.
Looking at the future of housing in the Twin Cities area, an estimated 273,000 new households and families will be moving to the area over the next 20 years. While that will build the workforce, it will also mean new housing units will be necessary. An estimated 14,368 new housing units will need to be added per year to accommodate that expected growth. Not only will the need for housing expand in the Twin Cities, but many urban and suburban communities in Minnesota will experience similar growth. In order to begin addressing the housing crisis in Minnesota, we must address the need for more affordable housing in the state.
One series of solutions that is being implemented to address the housing crisis in the Twin Cities is the Minneapolis 2040 Plan. The 2040 plan is a set of interconnected policy ideas designed to improve quality of live in Minneapolis by 2040. The plan includes 14 goals, including: eliminating disparities in race, ethnicity, and zip code; increasing access to affordable and quality housing; providing more jobs; implementing a livable wage; and more. One of the pieces of the 2040 plan is the elimination of single-family zoning. Restrictive zoning denies the creation of larger housing complexes, so eliminating single-family zoning allows for homes for multiple families to be built within a singular plot of land. This will also help diversify the range of housing options available in the city in the hopes of reducing housing disparities between groups. Another aspect of the 2040 plan that has been designed to reduce housing disparities is the implementation of a living wage and job training. Providing individuals with job training will ensure Minneapolis residents have access to living-wage jobs, which will allow them to better support themselves and their households without being cost-burdened by housing costs.
On a national level, Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and New York Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney introduced the Affordable Housing Preservation Act to the U.S. House of Representatives on April 23rd, 2021. As people with deep understandings of the effects of housing crises on their states, the Congresswomen introduced this piece of legislation to fund the creation of community-based cooperative housing for low-income people. The housing would be developed through a $200 million grant program run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program is described as a first step in building affordable housing to ensure quality housing is available both in and for vulnerable communities. As Rep. Omar said, “This legislation will bring us one step closer to a world free from homelessness and housing instability.” There is no one solution to the housing crisis, but by using a variety of tactics and addressing the multi-faceted causes of houselessness and housing insecurity and unaffordability, we can better ensure everyone has affordable and stable homes, in our state or beyond.
“This legislation will bring us one step closer to a world free from homelessness and housing instability.”
This post was written as part of a collaboration between Minnesota Youth Collective and a University of Minnesota class, SW1501. This class, Introduction to Peace Studies, discusses how human conflicts can be resolved in ways that promote justice and peace. Students collaborated with MNYC staff to research and write posts about our issue areas of focus.
What is the University of Minnesota Doing to Reduce Student Debt?
Kim M., Kuverua K., Maddy P., Rain U., Taylor L., Tiana T.
What is Student Debt?
According to Investopedia, student debt is money owed on a loan that is utilized mainly to pay for a student’s tuition; many students take out more than just the expected tuition cost for other expenses such as: housing, books and other supplies, groceries, meal plans, etc. A student ends up having student debt based on the amount of loans they took out while in college. However, with the cost of education rising at a rate of about 10 percent every 8–9 years, going into debt is quickly becoming the only way students can pay for their higher education. Students borrow money from granting establishments and financial organizations to pay for their education.
Student Debt and the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened student debt in the sense that students are paying the same amount, if not more, for college during the pandemic, but receiving lesser value, services, and support from colleges due to the fact that almost everything shifted to online when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Why pay for things like room and board and then not be able to use them? Therefore, COVID-19 has contributed negatively to the student debt crisis because students borrow so much, pay a lot, and get lesser services and support.
What is Minnesota's Student Debt?
As many know, student debt has been on a rise in recent years in the U.S., and Minnesota is no different. In 2019, people who lived in Minnesota ranked fourth highest among states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia, with the highest average in student loan debt per state resident. The average student loan debt owed by Minnesotans is around $31k, with the average monthly payment being $250. Compared to other states, the cost of education in Minnesota is also high—colleges and universities in the state tend to charge more for tuition than other institutions around the country. In Minnesota, the average debt for non-profit private schools is around $26k, the highest average being Augsburg at $33k. The average student debt for public colleges is around $26k, the highest being Minnesota State University Moorhead at $27k.
The Myth of “Good Debt”
While it can be tempting to say that student loan debt has both good and bad aspects, the outrageous scope of student loans is detrimental to many Americans, leaving many in life-long debt. On one hand, some argue that debt is “good” because it allows individuals to invest in their education and future. Analyses show that, in Minnesota, the annual median wage of college graduates rises as they go through more education. On the other hand, the extent of this debt—stemming from the skyrocketing college tuition prices and stagnant wages—is debilitating for many. Some may say that there is some flexibility in the type and repayment of loans, but even with low interest rates or flexible repayment dates, the end result is the same: individuals who take out loans will be working to pay them off for long periods of time. This ends up being a choice to pick “which of the lesser evils” you choose for a loan. There are no guarantees that college graduates will find a job immediately following graduation. Student loans also count as “credit,” so if they aren’t paid diligently, it can severely impact student’ credit scores, which can influence their ability to open credit cards, rent housing, or get a mortgage. All in all, student loan debt can cause irreparable damage to the future students are working for.
What is the University of Minnesota Doing to Reduce Student Debt?
Obviously one of the great concerns of many students and recent graduates right now is how to manage their student debt, loan payments, and other financial obligations in the midst of a global pandemic. The effects of the pandemic on education and student debt has started a large conversation at the University of Minnesota around what the University plans on doing to help young people. One option for financial support available to students was Student Emergency Funds. These funds were available to individuals who needed additional money to cover their costs of living. Applications were made available during the Spring semester of 2020, with some students receiving early access to the applications due to personal statuses on record (low income, the sole payer of tuition, having lost a job due to the pandemic, etc.). While no students were promised Student Emergency Funds, having the funding available allowed many to better meet their needs in uncertain and tumultuous times. The U of M Board of Regents also approved the Comprehensive Student Fee Refund Plan to reimburse and credit students for fees such as housing and parking, starting from during the first day of the Governor’s order to shutdown (March 28th, 2020) to the last day of finals in May 2020. While some relief is being provided to both students and alumni with student debt, no major student debt forgiveness or necessarily ‘immediate’ relief has been distributed by the University or nationally. The scope of the student debt crisis in Minnesota and nationally makes it clear that systemic change is necessary.
Things to Consider When Taking Out a Loan
There are a lot of factors that go into the cost of education, and therefore the cost of student loans. Loan providers may try to get you to take out more loans than you need to, because it makes them more money, so here are some things to consider before taking out a loan:
Consider non-traditional educational opportunities—A lot of your “general education” classes will be similar, if not the same, no matter what school you go to. Some people choose to save money by taking basic classes at community colleges or through dual-enrollment programs at their high schools. You can save time (and therefore money) at your institution of choice if you start school with half your requirements done!
Look for other funding sources—Loans are not the only way you can pay for college. Funding sources like scholarships and grants don’t need to be repaid, and there are a ton of options for different skills sets, majors, geographies, and life circumstances. Do some research on what scholarships or grants might be available to you for being you. (This information is readily available online, and your school’s financial aid office might be able to help you find more.) And if you do need to take out loans, no worries! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an online tool that can help you get grants and loans, based on your income, and help you set them up. Your school may also have work-study programs or on-campus jobs (or off-campus jobs, even) available to help you make some extra money to cover your own costs outside of taking out more loans or opening a credit card.
Research various housing options—While your school may require you to be on campus the first year to build community, there may be a lot of extra fees that come with living on campus. After your first year, however, you may have the option to live off campus with roommates or family, which may be more cost effective. If you have a housing-related scholarship or loan, make sure to check the terms to see if off-campus housing is covered.
This post was written as part of a collaboration between Minnesota Youth Collective and a University of Minnesota class, SW1501. This class, Introduction to Peace Studies, discusses how human conflicts can be resolved in ways that promote justice and peace. Students collaborated with MNYC staff to research and write posts about our issue areas of focus.
We Stand in Solidarity with the Family and Community of Daunte Wright
We stand in solidarity with the family and community of Daunte Wright as they mourn his murder at the hands of the Brooklyn Center police. Daunte was a young, Black father whose untimely death is the result of uninterrupted police violence on communities of color. We stand in solidarity with Black Minnesotans, who are experiencing these events on top of relentless, unhealed trauma and grief. We stand in solidarity with the community members, organizers, and protesters as they demand justice for Black lives and seek to abolish the police.
It is not lost on us that Daunte’s passing happened in the midst of the trial for Derek Chauvin’s murder of George Floyd this past summer. As the trial continues, regardless of the outcome, we must remain vigilant of the tactics being used to dismiss, vindicate, and justify policing and police violence. Now more than ever, it is clear that we are past reform and the only solution to relentless police violence is total abolition.
We believe in the collective power of individuals to best meet community needs. To that end, our office will be closed in order to give individuals the space they need to organize, protest, and work in their communities. We will be using our resources to provide supplies to community members as needed, but we ask that no one donate directly to us at this time. If you are able to provide monetary support, we recommend the following:
Chyna, the girlfriend of Daunte and the mother of his child, Daunte Jr.
Cash App: $Hubby98 is Chyna’s direct Cash App
Venmo: @Chyna-W-1
PayPal: janeyhill@yahoo.com
Amazon Wishlist: chynawhitaker.17@yahoo.com
Brooklyn Center residents who live across the street from the BCPD, the site of ongoing protests, who have shared their Cash Apps publicly:
$MVP_2309
$Blessingred
$EbonieMcMill
$khadijashikow
$raciiisreal
$Shawna3737
$DarkLps56
$DarkndSassy
$MzFiesty23
$mimimonii
$Sweets522
$diatasmith4142
$blknigh
$tbe1995
$kekewthefkat
$pmoneyba99
$yunghov8585
$mrslenear
$enayjah
$aprilann1219
$hersheyy28
$tashamac0211
$corteldgrey
$nnn2004
$tabithagoonigan
Groups providing supplies to community members and protestors
Documenting MN (@DocumentingMN)
Venmo: @DocMN
Paypal @DocumentingMN
Brooklyn Center Community Schools (@BCCS286)
GoFundMe: http://bccs286.org/gofundme
BBCS is also accepting volunteers to support in their Resource Distribution Center: http://ow.ly/Of1y50EqSab
If you are interested in other actions, we urge you to consider contacting your local officials and the officials in Brooklyn Center to make requests such as:
Ending the ongoing attacks on civilians and their rights by the police and National Guard
Releasing individuals who were arrested protesting and mourning
Dropping all charges against arrestees;
Ending the 36-hour no-bail probable cause hold;
Respecting our First Amendment right to protest and stop attacking civilians;
Respecting our First Amendment right to freedom of the press and stop attacking journalists;
Ending the military occupation and police state in the Twin Cities.
We will be providing updates and opportunities for support as we are able.
Letter to President Joan Gabel about UMN's Student Union
President Gabel,
The University Of Minnesota student union is the center for student life on our campus, and is described by the University as "the hub for campus life". It houses multicultural student centers, and is a space for students to feel safe and welcome at this University. This student union space is named after the University's fifth president, Lotus Coffman. Under Coffman's leadership as president from 1920 to 1938, during the rise of Nazism, the University would frequently surveil students for any signs of "radicalism" or left-leaning political beliefs. Coffman was concerned with the number of Jewish students on campus, and would closely monitor and follow Black and Jewish student activists who he suspected to be Communists. If that's not enough, he actively promoted racial segregation. Black students were promptly rejected from University dorms. Under Coffman's leadership, Black students at the University's nursing school weren't allowed to treat white patients. He was quoted in 1931 saying, "the races have never lived together, nor have they ever sought to live together".
This is Coffman's legacy.
After a 16 month long study ended in 2019, a University task force researching these histories suggested that the University administration remove names like Coffman’s from campus buildings. Thousands of UMN students signed on. Our University president at the time supported this effort. But when it went to the board of regents to vote, they dismissed the findings of the task force, and ignored student voices. They voted to keep the names. Many regents opposing the removal of the building names were concerned with the legacies of men like Coffman being tarnished.
This is the legacy the University of Minnesota is upholding.
Over the fall semester, Minnesota Youth Collective partnered with SW 1501: Introduction to Peace Studies, where students organized around four campus accountability campaigns centering peace and social justice action on our campus. Our particular effort focused on creating and distributing a student survey, collecting reactions to these ongoing histories within our campus community. These are some of our findings:
97% of students surveyed believe our student union should not be named after Coffman.
When asked if they felt the board of regents’ decision represented student interests, 96% of students said no.
92% of students responded that Coffman’s name and legacy did not represent a safe and welcoming campus.
We also asked students to reflect on the legacy of Coffman and our University’s action (or lack thereof):
“This is disgusting and horrific.”
“I’m angry and hurt the University has chosen to keep his name on the student union.”
“How on earth would we keep such a name for such a vital hub of our school life?”
“[Coffman’s] legacy is white supremacy. We see it in his name, in these old buildings, in the refusal to move away from the roots we have come from.”
“Listen to your students. Without them, you wouldn’t have the position you do. Don’t you want to make this university a better institution? Shouldn’t you strive to make students feel more supported and foster a greater community?”
What we found in our survey is reflective of the large support this effort has had from students in the past several years. Action on behalf of the University administration is long overdue. President Kaler and the task force committee members recognized the harm of several building names on campus. The board of regents were dismissive of these findings and of widespread student support.
This is why we need your advocacy and support.
The time was right to fight for this change years ago, but this change is even more urgently needed now. In the past year, Minneapolis has been at the epicenter of a widespread call for active and intentional anti-racism. We are a part of a broader community that can see the harm perpetuated by upholding racist building names. After the murder of George Floyd, you wrote to students; “our campuses and facilities are a part of the communities in which they reside. University students, staff, and faculty are day-to-day participants in the life of every community in this state, and we must act when our neighbors are harmed and in pain.” Refusal to listen to students and specifically students of color is perpetuating the harm created by former president Coffman. If the University leadership is actually committed to creating an environment that welcomes and prioritizes diversity and inclusion, you all must act against this. Otherwise, you and your administration are complicit.
It is long overdue to change our student union’s name. We ask you take swift action, representing student interests and fostering a welcoming, anti-racist campus community.
Sincerely,
University of Minnesota Students, partnered with the Minnesota Youth Collective & SW 1501
