COPAL MN

🦋 We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors of our Dignity and Democracy Gala! 🎉 Your generous contributions were essential for driving progress and prosperity across Minnesota. 📢 A huge shoutout to everyone who joined us and played a role in making this event a success! The night was filled with live music by Los Jornaleros del Norte and inspiring words from U.S. Representative Jesús G. “Chuy” García from Illinois and Patricia Torres Ray, the first Latina elected to the Minnesota Senate. Find photos from the Gala https://loom.ly/_o2aKq0 Democracy Defender: ⭐ GED Testing Service ⭐ MCEA Visionary: ⭐ HACER MN ⭐ U.S. Bank ⭐ Land Stewardship Project ⭐ NewPublica Changemaker: ⭐ M Health Fairview ⭐ Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs Board ⭐ Voqal Twin Cities ⭐ Land Stewardship Action ⭐ Voqal Twin Cities ⭐ Center for Popular Democracy ⭐ Minnesota State University, Mankato ⭐ Arc North Star ⭐ Fresh Energy

🎉 ¡COPAL celebra 6 años de impacto en la Gala Dignidad y Democracia! 🎉 Esta noche, honramos las victorias que han moldeado a nuestras comunidades latinas en Minnesota. Gracias a los asistentes y patrocinadores por hacer posible esta celebración. 🌟 #COPALGala #COPALMN

🎉 COPAL celebrates 6 years of impact at the Dignity and Democracy Gala! 🎉 Tonight, we honor the victories that have shaped our Latine communities in Minnesota. Thank you to all attendees and sponsors for making this celebration possible. 🌟 #COPALGala #COPALMN

🦋We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors of our upcoming gala! 🎉 Your vital contributions help drive progress and prosperity throughout the state. 📢 🤝Together, we’re building a more inclusive and vibrant future for all Minnesotans. Democracy Defender: ⭐ GED Testing Service ⭐ MCEA Visionary: ⭐ HACER MN ⭐ U.S. Bank ⭐ Land Stewardship Project ⭐ NewPublica Changemaker: ⭐ M Health Fairview ⭐ Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs Board ⭐ Voqal Twin Cities ⭐ Land Stewardship Action ⭐ Voqal Twin Cities ⭐ Center for Popular Democracy ⭐ Minnesota State University, Mankato ⭐ Arc North Star ⭐ Fresh Energy

"Don't be afraid to reach for the stars. I believe in you!" - Ellen Ochoa 🚀 Ellen Ochoa made history as the first Latine astronaut to go to space, inspiring generations to reach for the stars. Born in Los Angeles in 1958, Ochoa earned a doctorate in electrical engineering and joined NASA in 1990. In 1993, she became the first Latina to travel to space aboard the shuttle Discovery. Throughout her career, Ochoa completed four space missions, logging nearly 1,000 hours in space. She also served as the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, becoming the first Latina and second woman to hold that position. Ellen Ochoa has not only broken barriers but continues to advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, encouraging young people, especially women and Latines, to pursue careers in science and technology. 🌟👩🚀 #EllenOchoa #LatineInSpace #STEMInspiration #WomenInScience #SpacePioneer #COPALMN

💡 Did you know that in Minnesota, over 40% of foster children placed with strangers are kids of color, yet most end up in white homes? 🏡 Minnesota's foster care system faces a critical issue: a significant number of children of color are placed in white foster homes, raising concerns about the cultural and racial challenges these children encounter. Experts emphasize that racial identity is as crucial as physical and emotional well-being, but the state struggles to recruit foster parents from diverse backgrounds. Programs like the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) aim to prioritize tribal and family placements for Native American children, but racial disparities persist across the system. Though recruitment efforts continue, many believe more needs to be done to create a culturally competent foster care environment. Social workers, advocates, and former foster youth highlight the importance of preparing white foster parents to support the cultural identity of children of color, while acknowledging the complex challenges that arise in transracial foster placements. #FosterCare #CulturalCompetency #ICWA #SupportOurYouth #MinnesotaFosterCare

Minnesota faces significant housing challenges across all its regions, affecting both renters and homeowners. The state is experiencing population growth but struggles with a high rate of cost-burdened homeowners, aging homes, minimal new housing developments, and a severe shortage of affordable housing options for extremely low-income renters, increasing evictions and homelessness, and the nation’s highest racial gap when it comes to homeownership. These issues repeat themselves all across Minnesota. Throughout the state, the lack of affordable housing options leads to financial strain, evictions, and homelessness, disproportionately affecting low-income households and communities of color. To address these challenges, a concerted effort is needed to increase the availability of affordable housing, support those facing housing insecurity, and address systemic inequities in homeownership. Lawmakers, advocates, and communities must work together to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing, strengthening the state's social fabric and economic future. Housing is a basic need that everyone should have access to. We must invest in stable housing Minnesotans can afford—so our families and future generations can live and thrive here. #HousingCrisis #AffordableHousing #PublicHousing #MinnesotaHousingPartnership #CopalMN

🌟 On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities. 🗣️ Let's recognize their significance in our identity and the ongoing challenges they face, like land dispossession and systemic discrimination. Together, we can work for justice and respect for their rights. #IndigenousPeoplesDay 🌟 En el Día de los Pueblos Indígenas, honramos la fortaleza y resiliencia de sus comunidades. 🗣️ Reconozcamos su importancia en nuestra identidad y los desafíos que aún enfrentan, como el desalojo de tierras y la discriminación sistémica. Juntos, podemos trabajar por la justicia y el respeto de sus derechos. #DíaDeLosPueblosIndígenas

🎯 X González is a passionate advocate for gun reform, rising to prominence after the tragic 2017 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 of their classmates were killed. Of Cuban descent, X González was only 18 years old when they became a leading voice for gun control. Their moving speech at the March for Our Lives rally in 2018 drew national attention, especially their powerful repetition of the phrase "We call B.S." in response to politicians’ inaction. They then held a heart-wrenching six-minute and 20-second silence to mark the duration of the shooting. González was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018, and their advocacy continues to inspire and push forward the fight for stronger gun laws. 🔥💪

The West Central region of Minnesota borders both North and South Dakota and includes nine counties such as Becker, Clay, and Otter Tail, along with the White Earth Nation. It has 97,143 households, with 75% being homeowners and 25% renters. Many homes are aging, with 35% of rental units and 38% of owner-occupied homes built before 1970. In 2023, the region saw slight increases in new construction, with 251 multi-family and 628 single-family units permitted. Despite this, 24,221 households face a cost burden, spending over 30% of their income on housing. This issue is especially severe for low-income and extremely low-income renters. Housing challenges also include rising evictions and homelessness. In 2023, 773 evictions were filed, up from a pre-pandemic average of 456. On a single night in 2023, over 200 people were homeless, with over half being Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). Racial disparities in homeownership persist, with 77% of white households owning homes compared to 50% of BIPOC households, with rates for Black households being particularly low at 19%. The cost of housing remains out of reach for many, requiring a salary of $74,790 to afford a median-priced home in Clay County and $37,760 for a two-bedroom apartment. Many in-demand jobs in the region offer wages insufficient to cover these costs. Housing is a basic need that everyone should have access to. We must invest in stable housing Minnesotans can afford—so our families and future generations can live and thrive here. #HousingCrisis #AffordableHousing #PublicHousing #MinnesotaHousingPartnership #CopalMN