 Keah Brown is a disability advocate and freelance writer who is best known for creating the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute to dispel the myth that being disabled and attractive are mutually exclusive. Pop culture is one of her passions and she works to increase the visibility of people with disabilities in media in hopes it might shift the cultural view of disability. While Brown does not pretend to speak for all people with disabilities, her essays in The Pretty One, the LWV ABC May Book Club selection, raise some interesting points to think about:
Keah Brown has cerebral palsy, which causes her disability. Here's a website that provides information on identifying and living with CP: birthinjurycenter.org/cerebral-palsy/ Join the LWV ABC Book and Film Club Discussions!
 In May 2021, Sahan Journal and MPR News collaborated on series called ChangeMakers to ask this question. Civil Rights Organizer Bo Thao-Urabe described the Minnesota AAPI community as unique with over 60% are Southeast Asians who came post the wars in Southeast Asia - Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and Myanmar – compared to only 10% from Southeast Asian in most states. Minnesota also has a high number of adoptions of Chinese and Korean (15,000) babies, as well as “Medical Alley” that is now bringing in a lot of educated workers from China and India. Lily Tung Crystal of Theater Mu noted that “one of the reasons why we think that the violence is happening is because other people often see Asian Americans as not truly American, or other, or even subhuman.” Community Organizer Anthea Yur wants the Asian community to confront racism head on and hoped “that we can start breaking this narrative of being the model minorities, being considered subservient. When your parents are first-generation immigrants, there is a level of survival that you’re taught. You’re taught not to resist.”
 June is Pride Month, a month focused on the visibility of LGBTQ+ people and celebrating movement toward equality. June was chosen to celebrated Pride to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising, often considered the start of the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. In the 1960's, in many cities, including New York, bars could lose their liquor license for simply serving gay patrons. A 1967 New York Court of Appeals decision opened bars to gay patrons, but bars could still lose their liquor license if patrons engaged in "disorderly conduct". Given that homosexuality was still criminalized, law enforcement interpreted "disorderly conduct" to mean same sex kissing, holding hands or dancing. In response, the Mafia opened private bottle clubs, including the Stonewall Inn, which did not require a liquor license because patrons were supposed to bring their own liquor. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn and arrested 13 people, including employees for bootleg liquor and patrons for violating the state's gender-appropriate clothing statute. Patrons who refused to disburse and neighborhood residents became increasingly agitated as patrons were aggressively manhandled by police, sparking violence by the bystanders. Protests, sometimes violent, continued over the next six days, sometimes involving several thousand people. The protests received almost no news coverage but were a catalyst for organizing for LGBTQ+ rights. Within a year of Stonewall, LGBTQ+ rights organizations rose from about 50 in 1968 to over 1000 organizations. The first gay Pride parade was held in New York City in 1970 to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising. The term "Pride" was coined by Craig Schoonmaker, one of the organizers of the parade "not as a slogan so much as an understanding that people should be proud and not ashamed". Pride parades are now held throughout the world, with 5 million people attending the 2019 WorldPride parade in New York City. In 2016, the Stonewall Inn and surrounding area were declared a National Monument.
DEI Chairperson needed! Take the DEI survey! Join the DEI Roundtable!  LWV ABC seeks a Chair for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Committee In April 2021, LWV ABC membership added a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to our bylaws in keeping with the updated LWVUS bylaws. Following our annual membership meeting, the LWV ABC Board created a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. (See Duties of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in our online Member Handbook). The LWV ABC Board appointed new member Shalonda Gordon as DEI chair. Shalonda brought a wealth of DEI experience and training to the position. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for Shalonda, she was offered a great career opportunity in North Carolina in August and has since moved to there. Therefore, LWV ABC is seeking a new chair for our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. If you are interested in chairing this vital committee or want more information about this opportunity, send an email to lwvabc@gmail.com.  DEI Membership Survey (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)
Prior to her move to North Carolina, Shalonda had begun work on a DEI survey. DEI surveys help organizations benchmark the current status of DEI within the organization and develop a DEI program. Please complete our DEI survey at https://forms.gle/mEgAYk8C5HmfFVHR6 DEI Roundtable (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Membership Chair Pat Kennedy has begun attending the DEI Roundtable sponsored by LWV Crystal New Hope East Plymouth Robbinsdale (CNHEPR) on the 3rd Monday of every month at 6:30pm. The meeting is open to all LWV members to start the conversation about what it means to implement a DEI policy and how to turn those words into action. The purpose of the roundtable is to have a candid conversation in order to exchange ideas, talk about what has worked in reaching underserved communities, discuss the challenges, and even get some ideas for "homework". If you are interested in attending the DEI roundtable, please contact Michelle Jayne at lwvcnhepr@lwvmn.org.  LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in principle and in practice. DEI is central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy. Most LWVMN Convention 2021 Workshops and Roundtables were recorded and can be watched on the LWVMN Convention 2021 webpage. DEI related recordings:  Another workshop held at LWVMN Convention 2021, Feminism in Black and White, was a discussion workshop limited to 25 people and was not recorded. Discussion centered on the Duke University podcast Scene on Radio: Season 4: The Land That Never Has Been Yet, Episode 5 Feminism in Black and White. Other episodes of the Scene on Radio Podcast recommended to attendees of the workshop:
Articles recommended on the resource list from the Feminism in Black and White Workshop:
Do you have an article, podcast or video you would like to share with members? Email your suggestions to lwvabc@gmail.com.  Ramsey County Library co-sponsors a number of events with community organizations with some funding from the Minnesota Arts Board through the Legacy Amendment. Many presentations are videotaped but are not all on the same website – see Ramsey County Library Website, Ramsey County Library YouTube Video and NineNorth Cable. Upcoming events can be found at Ramsey County Library Events. Tuesday with a Scholar, cosponsored with Osher Life Long Leaning Institute, is a weekly program in which Twin Cities experts present a wide variety of topics. Some recommendations follow...
The Ask Series was co-sponsored by Do Good Roseville. Some recommendations from the series: Ask an Indigenous Person Ask a LGBTQIA Person Ask a Muslim Woman Part-2  The LWV Upper Mississippi River Region Inter-League Organization is a member of the Mississippi River Network (MRN), a coalition of 57 non-profits and businesses with a goal of protecting the land, water and people of the Mississippi River. MRN is dedicated in supporting their River Citizen community in being actively anti-racist and creating an inclusive, safe, and equitable Mississippi River for all. MRN’s Anti-Racism Hub , added to monthly, includes many resources related to environmental justice. Some recommendations:
Unequal Impact: The Deep Links between Racism and Climate Change – article How a climate plan in Minneapolis fostered racial divisions – article Why Every Environmentalist Should Be Anti-Racist – article Do you have an article, podcast or video you would like to share with members? Email your suggestions to lwvabc@gmail.com.  March is Women’s History Month and the Minnesota History Center opened both its Extraordinary Women exhibit and continues to highlight extraordinary Minnesota women in its online Votes For Women exhibit. Some history articles highlighting extraordinary Minnesota women:  LWV ABC’s April Book Club selection “Sisters in Hate” focuses on three women involved in the white nationalist movement. Some other resources related to white supremacy in the US:
Asian Enough Podcast Jen Yamato and Frank Shyong interview fellow Asian-Americans centered around the questions, "Am I Asian enough? Am I American enough?" A Conversation with Director Jon M. Chu - 2020 Code Switch Podcast Shereen Marisol Meraji and Gene Demby welcome guests to explore how issues of race and identity manifest in every corner of American culture, from music to poetry to sports. Who’s Black Enough for Reparations? – Feb 2021 Coffee with My Ma Podcast Canadian actress Kaniehtiio Horn records the stories of her mother Kahn-Tineta Horn, a 1960’s model and lifelong Mohawk rights activist - “inspiring, funny, emotional”. Episode 1 - Ma Takes On the Toronto Telegram MPR News with Angela Davis Podcast Conversations about life in Minnesota and how the state is changing. Renewed conversations about racial justice – January 18, 2021 Tamarindo Podcast Hosts Ana Sheila Victorino and Brenda Gonzalez bring a Latinx perspective to current events and culture. Reflecting on the term BIPOC, Race, and Identity – November 2020 Yo, is this Racist? Podcast Actress and musician Tawny Newsome, writer Andrew Ti, both professional comedians, and a weekly guest provide funny-yet-thoughtful responses to voicemails from people wondering whether a given situation is racist. (Note: Discussion on the nuances of racism are very informative but this podcast may not be for you if you find swearing offensive.) Anti-Mitten Twitter with Joey Clift – January 2021 Submit your recommendations for articles, blogs, video, podcasts, etc. to lwvabc@gmail.com Write: RECOMMENDATION in caps in the subject line Book and Film ClubBook and Film Club See our website calendar more information about upcoming books and film, including were to watch and the Zoom link for our discussion. Email reminders are only sent to members, but everyone is welcome to join us. March Film and Book Selections:  NOTE: March’s film selection Malcolm X is only available for free viewing by requesting a DVD from the library. April Film and Book Selections The book “Sisters in Hate” may have a short waiting list at the library so get your requests in now. The film “I am Not Your Negro” has multiple options for free streaming online.  Anti-racism is the act of opposing racism/white supremacy in all forms - in our society, other people, and ourselves. It is about identifying the root causes of racism and putting an end to them. A critical part of anti-racism is self-education - educating yourself without placing the burden of your education on Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). In that spirit, we are asking you to educate yourself and share resources you found helpful or insightful to help others continue their antiracism self-education.  In January 2021, Twin Cities PBS launched Racism Unveiled, a multimedia, multiplatform storytelling project which will examine the impact of systemic racism on Black, Indigenous and communities of color in Minnesota, how racial inequities came to be, how they hold us back and what we can do about them. The two year project is “a platform for people of color to share the honest truth about their experiences in this state and to find a way forward together.”' Some Racism Unveiled recommendations: Explore a Racial Awakening in a Small Minnesota Town article and short video Tethered: How Race and Policing Binds Minneapolis to Louisville article Jim Crow of the North - 1 hour documentary on redlining in Minnesota  A blog to follow with good anti-racism resources is Real Talk: WOC and Allies.
Real Talk: WOC & Allies is the voices of women of color (WOC) and allies working against racism and oppression. Great blog to learn more about being antiracist. Some Real Talk: WOC & Allies recommendations:
______________________ More Articles The Perils of “People of Color” by E. Tammy Kim For Black Women in Media, a “Dream Job” Is a Myth by Kathleen Newman-Bremang White Millennials Are Products of a Failed Lesson in Colorblindness by Mychal Denzel Smith Submit your recommendations for articles, blogs, video, podcasts, etc. to lwvabc@gmail.com Write: RECOMMENDATION in caps in the subject line |
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