Statewide newspaper, radio ad campaign encourages African Americans to vote in record numbers The ads connect the fight for Black lives this summer to the fight for Black dreams at the ballot box this week A statewide push seeks to deliver increased turnout by African American voters across Minnesota with ads in newspapers across the state and on targeted radio stations. The ads are part of work by the Barbershops and Black Congregation Cooperative (BBCC) and highlight how Black Minnesotans are the most politically active and engaged group of Black people in the United States. “BBCC has already had thousands of conversations with Black Minnesotans across the metro this election season. We are hearing lots of the same things, ‘we’re ready for real change and I’m ready to make it happen’,” said Brian Fullman, lead organizer of BBCC. “We’re excited to be able to have these conversations with people on the phones, face-toface, through texts, and now, over radio waves and in their newspapers.” The newspaper ads appeared in Rochester, St. Cloud, Minneapolis and St. Paul, with radio ads in the metro area. All the ads are part of a nation-wide push by a coalition of groups called the Black Popular Front working to heighten the awareness of the power of the “Black vote” and the political engagement of Black people through their brand “Deliver Black Dreams.” “For too long, we’ve talked about how much power there is in voting, but we don’t show people the receipts,” said JaNaé Bates, co-lead of Black Popular Front national and communications director of Faith in Minnesota. “It is hard to
conceptualize how important a single individual’s vote is, when millions of people are casting ballots. But when you can show how the sheer number of Black voters have been determining every election in Minnesota since 2012, we can start to have a real conversation about how we want to wield that power to get all we need for our families and community.” Faith in Minnesota also convened Minnesotans of different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds at the Cedar Cultural Center to have a phone bank party and celebration - encouraging their friends, family and neighbors to go out and vote. Faith in Minnesota said despite several attacks on Somali, Muslims and immigrant Minnesotans In recent weeks, the will not let the few silence the many. The Oct. 7 event was held outdoors with social distancing and mask wearing required. “In Minnesota, we know that we are better off together and that all of us, no matter where we come from or how we pray, want our communities to thrive and our voices to be heard. Overcoming tremendous challenges, Somali Minnesotans bravely moved to Minnesota with their families and have helped make this state vibrant.,” Faith in Minnesota said in a press statement. “The recent comments by President Donald Trump and others, singling out and attacking Somali and Muslim Minnesotans, are used to try to divide all Minnesotans, distract us, and keep us from doing what we do best - care for one another.”
Two hundred Minnesotans across race and region came together at the state Capitol in late September to declare that We Make Minnesota in a physically distanced, but socially connected march, rally and voter fair. They chanted for a vision of Minnesota that they know is possible - one that includes things like quality and fully funded healthcare, childcare, and education, clean air, water and land for future generations to come, as well as safe communities with livable wages, paid time to care for one another, and freedom from police brutality.
Betty McCullom
Ilhan Omar
Tina Smith
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
Bobby Joe Champion
Rena Moran
Esther Agbaje
Kerryjo Felder
We endorse the DFL field of candidates Insight News endorses democrats up and down the ballot for this week’s general election. Our endorsement reflects our belief that the party’s ability to invite conservative, centrist, and progressive democrats to singlemindedly focus on removing Donald Trump, an existential threat to American values and aspirations, simultaneously paves the way for an new era of
healing and prosperity through visionary leadership. Our edorsement includes. President/Vice-President: • Joe Biden/Kamala Harris US Senate: • Tina Smith US House of Representative: • Betty McCullom CD4 • Ilhan Omar CD 5
• Dean Phillips CD3 • Angie Craig CD2 • Dan Feehan CD1 MN State Senate: • Ron Latz SD 46 • Melisa Franzen SD 49 • Sahra Odowa SD 55 • Bobby J. Champion SD 59 • Kari Dziedzic SD 60 • Scott Dibble SD 61 • Omar Fateh SD 62 • Patricia Torres Ray SD 63
• Erin Murphy SD 64 • Sandy Pappas SD 65 • Foung Hawj SD 67 MN House of Representatives: • Leroy McClelland HD 23B • Melissa Hortman HD 36B • Amir Malik HD 37B • Samantha Vang HD 40B • Cedrick Frazier HD 45A • Ruth Richardson HD 52B • Tou Xiong 53A • Fue Lee 59A
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Esther Agbaje 59B Mohamud Noor 60B Frank Hornstein 61A Jamie Long 61B Hodan Hassan 62A Aisha Gomez 62B Jim Davnie 63A Kaoly Her 64A Rita Moran 65A Carlos Mariani 65B John Lesch 66B John Thompson 67A
• Jay Xiong 67B Hennepin County Board: • De’Vonna Pittman Dist. 1 Mound Mayor • Sherrie Pugh Maple Grove City Council • Shirlynn LaChapelle Minneapolis school board • Kerryjo Felder Dist. 2