Minnesota Opens Early In-Person Voting

Local News:

Minnesota opens early in-person voting six weeks from Election Day with three other states. South Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming join the quartet of early voters. After the 2020 presidential election, false claims stated that ballots were manipulated and fraudulent, which stopped former President Donald Trump’s re-election. Poll-workers faced harassment and death threats in several states during the primary elections, like in New Mexico. The nation’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is implementing security measures to protect election workers while assisting states be fully staffed. Despite the distrust against the election process in the past two years, Minneapolis received 20 voters in the first hour at its early voting center. Two years after the pandemic, people are concerned with voting before Election Day, understanding their lack of control over what may happen in the near future. To vote in Minnesota you must be a U.S. citizen and be over the age of 18. To register online, click here. The last day to vote for the general election in Minnesota is Nov. 7th, 2022. 

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Fireweed woodshop in Prospect Park focuses on helping marginalized communities. After closing in 2020, the shop re-opens at their new space right off the Franklin Ave. Bridge to allow for women and nonbinary people to explore the craft of woodwork. It provides a safe space for a work environment that tends to be male-dominated and it helps people who don’t have easy access to materials to enjoy a new ability. The space is big, inclusive, and supportive. The shop offers multiple classes, like Be Your Own Handy Person, Power Tools 101 or Furniture, and uses “non-hierarchical learning” that empowers everyone’s voice. The mission is to build confidence and strengthen imagination through woodwork. A judgment and harassment-free workshop open to “all genders + marginalized genders that feel comfortable with a Femme approach to woodworking,” as their website states for their BIPOC Spoon Carving with Vanessa class. 

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The Puerto Ricans in Minnesota Committee organized local relief efforts to help Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona. The island’s community in Minnesota gathered last Tuesday at El Colegio High School in remembrance for Hurricane Maria.They also spoke about the emergency relief gathered for water and solar power, since most residents are without water and electricity. Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back, Steven Ortiz Jr., will use his latest NIL deal to help Puerto Rico. He also made a deal with Global Midtown Market restaurant, The Kitchen, who made a meal for him – four empanadas and a blue protein shake – and decided that 100% of proceeds will be donated to the island. Puerto Ricans in Minnesota are lending a helping hand to their friends and family back home and urge Minnesotans to assist in the process.

BIPOC News:

Cuba has legalized same sex marriage as well as expanded adoption rights for children and grandparents. The reforms were met with resistance from the growing evangelical population in Cuba, even though the Cuban government worked hard to publicly display their support of the reforms. The measure contains over 400 articles, included in which is the allowance of surrogate pregnancies, increased rights for grandparents regarding their grandchildren, and protection of the elderly from gender based violence. The “Family Code” was voted on favorably by 66.9% of the National Electoral Council which is fairly low considering that Cuba’s new constitution was approved in 2019 by 86% of the vote. In a country that maintained atheism for decades after the 1959 revolution, religion has become much wider spread. Members of the Roman Catholic Church (as well as other religions) have become much more commonplace, and as a consequence the new “Family Code” has proved divisive in the country. The legalization is an important step forward for Cuba, with many couples excited for the benefits that come with civil unions. 

In Other News:

On September 26th, around 746,000 homes and businesses were still without power in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona. The island suffered severe limitations as aconsequence of widespread power outages. Fuel limitations have been reported which prevents the easy use of generators. This is challenging for establishments like grocery stores, where concerns over food shortages have been raised. “About $12 billion in federal funds, including $9.5 billion approved by FEMA, have been dedicated to strengthening Puerto Rico’s electrical grid since Maria”, said Ivelisse Rivera with Reuters. Unfortunately, modernization of the systems in place is slow moving as disagreements over funds allocation and bureaucratic setbacks have hindered progress.

Bottom Of The News:

Chilean MSNBC reporter Daniela Pierre-Bravo released her book “The Other: How to Own Your Power at Work as a Woman of Color.” She discusses microaggressions, burnout, imposter syndrome and finding your purpose. Daniela wanted to explain what it felt to be a woman of color in the workspace and how she struggled as a college student to become who she is today, by providing readers with tips and tricks on how to combat these issues in the workplace. Shifting our perspective from being the benefiter to the person who earned the opportunity is the mentality that Daniela Pierra-Bravo wants WOC to embrace.

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