This summer, Local Progress Minnesota members continue to show what is possible when local leaders organize together, build regional power, and develop solutions rooted in their communities. Across the state, members are advancing community-centered approaches to public safety, protecting democracy, and building the relationships needed for the fights ahead.
As we get ready for our 2026 LPMN State Strategy Meeting, please be in touch about what you’re moving in your community, what you’re struggling with, and how LP can support you.Â
đź‘‹ Welcoming New LPMN Leadership!
We are excited to share that our Local Progress Minnesota Organizing Committee is growing! Earlier this summer, we welcomed Kelsey Dawson (Osseo School Board), Aurin Chowdhury (Minneapolis City Council), and Rachel James (Columbia Heights City Council President) to the leadership of our Chapter.Â
The Organizing Committee serves as a key decision-making body for the chapter, leading not only on guiding our chapter priorities, but also how we leverage the collective power of Local Progress in Minnesota. If you are interested in joining the organizing committee, please let me know! We are especially eager to add members on School Boards, County Boards, and from Greater Minnesota.Â
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đźš« FLOCK OUT of Columbia Heights
In June, LPMN members Rachel James, Amáda Márquez Simula, Justin Spriggs, and Laurel Deneen led Columbia Heights in unanimously canceling their Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) contract with FLOCK after concerns about evident abuses during Metro Surge. This adds to the growing list of jurisdictions taking a second look at ALPRs due to privacy concerns and vulnerabilities that make the data accessible to federal agents, even when safeguards are in place. If you’re concerned about your jurisdiction’s use of ALPRs or other surveillance tech, check out this toolkit and email me to connect with other members who are taking a second look.Â
⚡ 2026 Local Progress National Convening
Nearly 20 LPMN members and partners traveled to Baltimore for the annual Local Progress National Convening! Presenters and special guests from Minnesota included Attorney General Keith Ellison, Hennepin County Board Chair Irene Fernando, Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne, St. Paul City Council Vice President Nelsie Yang, TakeAction Minnesota Co-Executive Director Amanda Otero, and Policy Link Senior Policy Associate Tram Hoang.Â
About her first National Convening, Kelsey Dawson shared, “Being in a space where people openly shared ideas, challenges, and solutions was a powerful reminder that we are not doing this work alone. I left feeling really energized, inspired, and even more committed to using my role to advocate for students, families, and communities.”
The National Convening strengthened our Minnesota and Midwest organizing and prepared us for the work ahead. Thank you to all who joined to celebrate, learn, and connect. Read the full recap in our blog!
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✊ Midwest Solidarity: Milwaukee to Minnesota
On May 28, Milwaukee County Supervisor LP member Jack Eckblad led the passage of a resolution expressing solidarity with the residents of Ramsey and Hennepin Counties and encouraging Milwaukee County residents to follow the powerful example of the community. “We will not forget and we will not stop learning from the experiences that we’ve seen in communities across this country that were subjected to the irrational, poorly trained, vengeful violence of federal agents over the entire course of the Trump Administration. What this resolution also calls out is the positive example of those communities who rallied around each other,” said Supervisor Eckblad. The resolution passed 16-1 and was supported by LP members Anne O’Connor, Marcelia Nicholson-Bovell, Jack Eckblad, Felisia Martin, Caroline Gomez-Tom, Steven Shea, and Priscilla Coggs-Jones. As our Local Progress network grows stronger across the region, acts of solidarity are just one way to support one another.Â
đź—˝ National Convergence for Democracy: August 21-23
More than a thousand community, grassroots, and frontline organizers and leaders from across the country are coming together in Minneapolis from August 21-23 for the National Convergence for Democracy to expand our tactical capacity and exchange practical skills, build stronger alignment around the strategic use of coordinated mass non-compliance, and deepen our political clarity as we approach the 2026 elections and the next phase of democracy defense in the U.S. Register here.
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đź“– LPMN School Board Working Session: September 18
Join LPMN School Board members for a working session to build relationships and strategize for common goals for our districts. Hosted by OC member Kelsey Dawson, this is a time for school board members to build community and learn from one another. We’ll meet in Golden Valley at 12 pm, and wrap up with a social by 6 pm. RSVP for the location.Â
🔥 SAVE THE DATE: LPMN Statewide Strategy Meeting on December 11
LPMN members from around the state will come together on Friday, December 11 to build relationships, strategize, and learn from one another. These conversations will shape our Chapter’s 2027 Legislative Agenda and training/workshop priorities for the coming year. Register today to get it on your calendar and share your requests for topics, breakouts, and more!
🗳️ Election Protection Webinar SeriesÂ
Throughout the summer, Local Progress Impact Lab will be launching a series of webinars to prepare the network to protect the 2026 midterms and ensure free and democratic elections in the face of authoritarian threats. Each call will feature guidance from expert partners on key election protection strategies and space for individualized technical assistance. Our first webinar is on Wednesday, August 12, 12pm ET/9am PT.
đź“„ You Deserve to Feel Safe While Serving, Develop Your Personal Safety Plan Today!
Over the past two years, Local Progress Impact Lab (the Impact Lab) has been collaborating with Women’s Democracy Lab (WDL) to develop a set of resources for our Local Progress members. As local leaders, your communities are calling on you to take bold action and fearless leadership in this time of increasing authoritarianism. However, wielding your power can also put a target on your back. You and your loved ones deserve to feel safe while serving in elected office!Â
WDL has developed this personal safety plan, serving as a starting point for assessing your safety preparedness, identifying any potential gaps, and outlining your personal action plans. Download it, work your plan, consult your loved ones. We keep each other safe!
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đź’» No Buildout for Billionaires: A Local Guide to Stopping, Slowing, and Restricting Data Expansion
Big Tech is spending billions in its race to build data centers across the country – and local communities are paying the price. From strained water and energy resources to spiked utility bills and drained public budgets, the costs fall on working people while corporations pocket the profits.Â
But local governments have real power to fight back. Whether you’re getting ahead of proposed data centers, updating existing laws, or mitigating the impacts of harmful data centers in your community, you’ll leave with tools to strengthen public participation, build community power, and ensure decisions about land, water, air, and technology benefit people, not corporations. Check out our guide to stopping, slowing, and restricting data center expansion.
🤝 Get Involved with LPMN
We are activating a bold, action-oriented chapter in Minnesota, and we need your energy, ideas, and leadership! Here’s how you can get involved:
- Recruit a new member today! Do you know a values-aligned local elected? Whether they are newly elected or a seasoned professional, we want to hear from them!
- Email me with any questions or ideas you have to make our Minnesota Chapter stronger, or schedule a meeting today!Â
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▶️ Pay It Forward! Recruit a New Member Today!
With more than 550 members and partners from 41 states, including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, the 2026 national convening in Baltimore is now in the record books as our largest gathering to date! During the convening, we learned new strategies, shared new resources, and strengthened our bonds and community. As many of you have shared, this network is your political home, where you find the strength and courage to be bold and brave, particularly in this moment! Now, we are asking you to pay it forward! Recruit a member today by sharing the join us form. For movement and labor partners, we’ve also developed this guide to support connecting the pipeline from campaign to governance!
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🏡 Your One Stop for Caucuses
Trying to remember when the next Pride Caucus General meeting is? Want to join the Black Caucus signal group chat? Or find your caucus playlist? Look no further! Your one-stop shop for all things caucus is right here!Â
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âť“ Need Support? Contact the Help Desk
Have a policy, strategy, or communications question? The Local Progress Impact Lab Help Desk is here to help. Through the Help Desk, members can access policy research, strategic guidance, communications support, connections to fellow Local Progress members, and expertise from trusted partner organizations. Simply email your question and timeline, and an Impact Lab team member will follow up with resources, recommendations, and next steps tailored to your needs.
✨ Meet our Newest Member Leader, Osseo School Board Member Kelsey Dawson
Kelsey Dawson is one of the newest members of our LPMN Organizing Committee and serves on the Osseo School Board. She just attended her first National Convening, saying about LP, “I joined because these are my people—leaders who believe public service is about showing up for the communities we represent and using our positions to create meaningful change. As elected leaders, we have a responsibility to leverage our voices, relationships, and positions of influence on behalf of the communities we serve. Local Progress provides an opportunity to learn from one another, share solutions, and build collective power to address the challenges facing our communities.”
Kelsey first ran for office because she believes that education is the key to unlocking dreams, a belief she shares with her late father, whose legacy as an educator she carries forward in elected office. In the next six months, Kelsey is focusing on advancing partnerships that support the whole child: strengthening partnerships with schools, cities, families, organizations, and communities. These partnerships lead to deeper collaboration, better access to enrichment and extracurriculars, and help students develop passion and confidence.Â
Fun fact about Osseo Area Schools 🏫: Osseo is the state’s fifth largest district, bringing together eight different cities, over 21,000 students, representing more than 100 languages and cultures. This diverse community, Kelsey says, is the district’s greatest strength.