Minnesota
We organize across Minnesota to drive progressive change through collaborative governance with local partners and communities.

AT A GLANCE

Local Progress Minnesota (LPMN) organizes local elected officials across the state to share best practices and policy solutions across our counties, cities, towns, and school boards. After spending years of organizing – helping to advance critical work to reimagine public safety and support housing justice – we became LP’s fourth official state chapter in August 2022. See our Statement of Principles here. 

LPMN currently has more than 60 members across the state, representing the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota.

Our Work & Priorities

In Minnesota, our work is driven by community needs and done in deep partnership with state partners and movement allies.

Our key issue areas include housing, community safety, climate justice, and abortion access.

Organizing Committee

As a member-led network, our state work is led by an incredible state organizing committee – a group of LPMN members that meet regularly to weigh in on policy priorities, propose statewide campaigns, and drive the strategic vision for our work. 

Mitra Jalali headshot

MITRA JALALI

St. Paul City Councilmember
LPMN Organizing Committee Co-Chair

Robyn headshot

ROBYN GULLEY

West St. Paul City Councilmember
LPMN Organizing Committee Co-Chair

TRISTA MATASCASTILLO

Ramsey County Board Chair and County Commissioner

Thomas Brooks' headshot

THOMAS BROOKS

Osseo School Board Member

Azrin Awal's headshot

AZRIN AWAL

Duluth City Councilmember

Dr. Kimberly Wilburn's headshot

DR. KIMBERLY WILBURN

At-Large Minnetonka City Councilmember

JEN WESTMORELAND BUCHARD

Hopkins School Board Chair

Elliott Payne's headshot

ELLIOTT PAYNE

Minneapolis City Councilmember

Our State work

COMMUNITY SAFETY

In Minnesota, we can build real safety by investing in community needs, violence prevention strategies, and alternative response programs. We’ve supported groundbreaking safety work in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center.

HOUSING

Local governments across Minnesota have been working to meet the needs of their residents and stabilize communities through rent control and expanding renter protections.

ABORTION & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

In deep collaboration with local advocates, we are working at the local level to protect bodily autonomy and support abortion access for Minnesota residents and those traveling from out-of-state to receive care.

SCHOOL BOARD ORGANIZING

School board members are the policymakers closest to students in our public education system, working to ensure the mental, emotional, and physical safety that young people need to thrive in school and beyond. We are organizing school board members around a multi-issue policy agenda.

FEATURED NEWS & STORIES

LPMN group photo

Minnesota becomes LP’s Fourth State Chapter

Local Progress Minnesota was officially certified as our fourth state chapter -- a statewide organization of Local Progress members with a formal leadership structure, a robust and representative membership, and typically a goal to raise money to hire staff capacity locally.
Four panelists (Mary Moriarty, Sue Budd, Kimberly Wilburn, and Heidi Garrido) and moderator Jillia Pessenda behind a table next to a Local Progress Minnesota sign.

LPMN Members Engage Community Members: What Does Public Safety Mean to You?

LPMN co-hosted a community conversation with partners in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities to expand the existing, siloed definition of public safety.
LPMN Organizing Committee posing in front of a LPMN sign.

LPMN State Download 🌸 | Legislative action, state meeting & more! | March 2023

Here's some of the latest news and exciting updates from our Minnesota chapter.
Minnesota local electeds and partners show support for statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave with signs in front of a mural.

Minnesota local electeds call for statewide Paid Family & Medical Leave

LP members in MN share their perspective on the state's proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave program, and what they’re hearing directly from their communities about it.

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