Newsletter
November 2025
Resistance Round Up Minnesota
November 2025
ABCs of federal law enforcement during an immigration raid of Bro-Tex in St. Paul, Minnesota. Hundreds of protesters showed up in response to the raid, pleading with officials to stop abuducting people off the streets. They shoved nonviolent protestors to the ground, hit them with a vehicle, and subjected them to pepper spray. Early estimates are that a dozen Bro-Tex employees were taken.
A tattered red card highlighting immigrant rights lies on the street amidst the littered remains of a violent conflict between federal agencies and civil resistance.
How do I get notified of ICE raids?
Stand together to protect our communities by taking part in MONARCA’s legal observer training. Through this training you will learn how to respond to an ICE raid in your neighborhood. If you see federal activity, please call the MONARCA hotline @ 612-441-2881. Once you complete the training, you can opt-in to receive text notifications of ICE activity.
WE AIN’T BUYING IT
November 25 – December 2, 2025
Many communities across the country are participating in a coordinated Mass Economic Blackout aka We ain’t buying it! /Blackout the system! This action is a week long pause on spending at national corporations to remind political and corporate leaders that everyday people still hold economic power. The action falls during one of the highest-profit weeks of the year (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), which is exactly why organizers chose it.
The goal is simple: disrupt the cycle of over consumption, redirect our dollars locally, and take a collective breath from systems that rely on our constant participation.
What the Blackout Looks Like
Participants are encouraged to:
- Avoid shopping at national corporate chains
- Skip Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales
- Pause non-essential subscriptions and impulse spending
- If you must purchase something during the blackout, consider:
- Shopping small and local
- Paying cash
- Supporting community-owned or independent businesses
This is not about perfection — it’s about intention.
Preparing Before the Week Starts
Prepare thoughtfully, not by panic-buying, but by making sure basic needs are covered:
- Pick up essential groceries, medications, or household items
- Pay time-sensitive bills ahead of the blackout window
- Make a list of local shops, markets, and creators you want to support
- Share information with friends and neighbors who may want to participate
Why People Are Participating: Economic boycotts have shaped major shifts in U.S. history — from the United Farm Workers’ grape boycott to more recent corporate pressure campaigns. They work when many people take small but coordinated actions together. This blackout is meant to:
- Slow down corporate profit during a high-revenue week
- Refocus spending power into local economies
- Encourage rest, re-connection, and community care
- Demonstrate how much influence we actually hold
After the Blackout: The hope is not just to “resume as usual,” but to carry forward healthier habits:
- More local spending
- Less impulse buying
- More awareness of how our money moves
- Continued community-centered habits
More info:
https://weaintbuyingit.com/
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/trump-protest-black-friday-cyber-monday-mass-blackout-b2864866.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/11/11/black-friday-cyber-monday-donald-trump-boycotts/87221297007/
https://www.blackoutthesystem.com/the-truth
News
Kicking corporate money out of elections
In 2010, the US Supreme Court ruled that corporations have a right to dump money into elections. But corporations aren’t people, and their money shouldn’t buy influence in American politics.
This fall, MN50501 became the latest organization in the state to sign on in support of the We the People Amendment, urging Minnesota policymakers to demand that Congress consider a Constitutional amendment declaring that artificial entities don’t have constitutional rights and big money is not a form of free speech.
Constitutional amendments can be proposed by Congress or by two-thirds (32) of the states calling for a national convention. Advocates have been working both avenues for the last 15 years, and momentum is building. Twenty-three states have passed resolutions in support of such an amendment. Minnesota is not among them. It’s time to change that.
Take Action
Add your support by signing the Move to Amend petition and sharing it with your friends.
If you’re passionate about this cause or part of an organization that would like to pass a resolution in support of this effort, as MN 50501 did, connect with our friends at the Minnesota Move to Amend State Network.
Mass Mutual Aid on a massive scale. Join MN50501’s call to action!
Over 50 million people nationwide turned to food banks and pantries for assistance. We are the richest country in the world, yet many families struggle with hunger and food insecurity. Many that rely on SNAP benefits are children, elderly or disabled. Please join us in fighting back.
Help us bridge the gap for thousands of Minnesotans that need our help as we raise money for The Food Group MN. The Food Group is a crucial resource in Minnesota that helps to coordinate efforts and support with over 200 local food shelves across the state.
At MN 50501, we believe that the best antidote to the tyranny of the 1% is a strong community. By building and strengthening our local communities, we connect Minnesotans, creating a higher-trust society, as well as opportunities for mutual aid and information networks. We foster our local communities through our Community Aid Team, as well as community building rallies and events.
Partner Spotlight
The Handmaids of MN
Silence is Complicity: The Handmaids Demand Justice
It has been over a year since our current sitting President was elected to office. Since then, we have watched not only our nation, but the entire world rise, stand up, speak out, and fight back against policies, dictations, and the corrupt mismanagement of our governing body.
On November 8, 2025, the growing coalition and grassroots initiative, The Handmaids of MN (HMoMN), took to the Minnesota Capitol steps to demand RED. They rallied the people around three core principles, the call to action: Rule of Law, Equal Protection, and Due Process.
It was a frigid and blustery day, but that didn’t stop more than a hundred brave and courageous patrons—true fascist fighters to bundle up to stand in solidarity and hear our rallying cry. This is more than just a moment, a protest or a rally… it is a momentous event that showcased “the fight of our lives.”
Women across our state rose to the occasion. Guest speakers included all the administrators of the HMoMN, Samantha P. from Little Lobbyists, Senator Bonnie Westlin, Representative Kristin Bahner, Miss Mari presenting her spoken word poetry, Kristen B. from MN_AAC, Katie Q-L. from ERA/Women’s March, Amy G. from Neighborhood House, Alicia S. from 50501, and Serenity, whose songs spoke straight to the soul of the movement.
We couldn’t have asked for a more powerful lineup of voices, each one speaking vitality to the purpose and energy required, taking all of us to stand against tyranny.
While it wasn’t just the speakers that made this event come to life, it took other coalition members and volunteers to support with their time and resources to make this event, and our first official protest, a roaring success. From sound to videography and photography, to marshals and first aid support—we couldn’t have done it without them.
The speakers talked about how The Handmaids of MN started organically, with three woman who first met at the Capitol steps during 50501: Minnesota protest, ‘Rise Up for Our Rights’. Just a month after, following the first national ‘Hands Off’ event, our coalition was born. The Handmaids became the physical representation and symbol of the dystopian novel, a mirror we hold, reflecting the real-world oppression that women and marginalized communities face daily.
Several speakers shared deeply personal stories: parents speaking out about how Medicaid cuts threaten their children’s lives; Representative Bahner recounting the moment when hate literally came to her doorstep and knocked on her front door. She declared how she refused to back down. We heard calls to protect children from hunger and families from ICE detainment. We learned about the vital work behind Equal Rights Amendment, which seeks to permanently guarantee equal rights for all Minnesotans and protect against discrimination of every kind.
Social media following the event highlighted echoed sentiments of what was spoken on.
One attendee shared: “It was an amazing day to really see the Handmaids of MN commitment and to listen to families who would be directly affected with Medicaid cuts for their disabled children and to listen to our State Representatives. Renewed my energy and to keep the faith.”
Another wrote: “A chilly day, but we were there in support of the courageous group. The speakers, who thought to organize the movement, inspired us to continue the fight and save our Democracy.”
Minnesota’s Handmaids not only stepped up for our state’s event but joined a nationwide movement. Our reSisters in arms stood with us from Wisconsin, Illinois, Nevada, Tennessee, Nebraska, Maryland, Florida and Missouri, all while the D.C. Army of Handmaids marched in solidarity earlier that week on November 5th.
Together, we remind the world: We are watching. We are rising. We will not go quietly.
Please don’t wait for the next “big” event.
When you show up, when you bring a friend or two and rise to the occasion, you become part of creating the next one. Never forget, it takes all of us.
Stand up. Move your feet. Get loud.
Do not let silence become your complicity.