Minnesota Coalition for the HomelessFridays with Fatima 2019 V4

Hi all,

We have a lot going on and I’m excited to share it with you!

Happy Black History Month

February began the nationwide celebration of Black History Month. Droves of people will begin to enlighten themselves and others on prominent thought leaders and events that have shaped America as we know it. Celebrations will be planned with speakers eloquently reciting gut-wrenching speeches and invoking a sense of pride in the elimination of many -isms, racism included. This is good. And we should celebrate. However, we should also move beyond the celebration and remember that many of the racist actions and historical dates which we talk about now, were support by racist policies that made the subjugation of black people legal. Therefore, feelings of urgency and discontentment should also move us to action to ensure all people can move in life without discrimination. Minnesota also shares a history with these racist policies with impacts still felt now.

In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. shared his historic “I Have a Dream” speech and in 2019, that speech still rings true. I encourage us to relisten to it and not lose sight of justice and equity for all.

Session Rolls Along

Now in the fifth week of session, work at the Capitol is moving along. The Homes for All agenda items are beginning to take shape and bills are slowly being heard in committees. On Wednesday, Public Housing Authorities shared with House members the important role they play along the continuum of housing needs. The Senate also held a hearing on issues of cost containment when building affordable housing and heard the Affordable Housing Plan from Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.

Several members of the House of Representatives signed onto our Homes for All bill. I expect the bill to be introduced to the House next week. We will be securing a hearing for March 13th, Homeless Day on the Hill. More detailed information will be shared when it becomes available. In the meantime, Representative Hunter Cantrell chief authored the bill. Thank Rep. Cantrell with an email, call or social media post.

Rep. Cantrell is a first-term lawmaker who understands the importance of supportive services and affordable housing.

This week has also been busy with our first action alert of 2019! Thanks to your advocacy, we had over 125+ calls to Governor Walz asking that he makes housing a priority in the Governor’s Budget. THANK YOU!

That’s all for this week. Thank you!

I hope you have a warm weekend,