It Makes You Sick

The Attacks on Health, Healthcare, and Care

Rebecca Solnit: "...the real divide in this country and beyond is better described as connectors and disconnectors, the relational and the isolated, than left and right. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously (and repeatedly; he knew a good phrase when he had one) said, 'We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.' But according to the right, there is no network ,no mutuality, and we're each wearing our own damn garments and making our own destiny and if your destiny is poverty, illness, starvation, that's on you."

Call for Writing

Activate your voice — storytellers, poets & independent journalists wanted

Panatrope wants you for the launch their new journal!

They are accepting written work of any genre: Poetry: up to 5 pages
Short Fiction or nonfiction: between 400-5000 words.

June 14 — NO Kings!

Twin Cities

When:

June 14, 11:00am–3:00pm

Where:

St. Paul College to the MN State Capitol.

The Hands Off Coalition of Indivisible Twin Cities, MN 50501, Women's March MN, and the AFL-CIO MN are organizing the Twin Cities metro area event on Sunday, June 14, 2026!

Note event location & timing change

1:00am — Gather together at St. Paul College before the march (235 Marshall Ave, St Paul, MN 55102).
12:00pm — March with us from St. Paul College to the MN State Capitol.
1:00pm — Rally on the MN State Capitol Mall. From inspiring speakers, to bands and activities for all ages, we'll be gathering with neighbors to say NO KINGS.

In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings. NO KINGS is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies. We’ve watched as they’ve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.

On Saturday, June 14, we’re taking to the streets nationwide. We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind.

The flag doesn’t belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.

Hands Across the Bong Bridge

A Cross-State, Flag Day Bridge Brigade Joining Duluth & Superior

When:

June 14, 2026

Where:

Bong Bridge
(Duluth to Superior)

Expected Flow of the Event:

• 12:30 Start assembling at both entrance ways to the bridge
• 1:00 Participants start marching toward the middle
• When we meet up, Bridge Brigade signs and flags for about one hour
• Safely return off the bridge
• Post-event celebration (details to follow)
• Paddlers welcome in the water, too (stay safe)

On June 14th, Flag Day, join Rise Up Superior, Good Trouble Indivisible, Zenith City Indivisible, Duluth Indivisible, and Duluth 50501 for Hands Across the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge.

We will assemble on either side of the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge between Superior and Duluth (or Duluth and Superior, depending on your perspective) and march with signs and flags across the bridge on the protected pedestrian/bike path. Somewhere near the middle, we will join hands (and hearts and minds) in a demonstration of unity for democracy, for justice and for community. Two States. Two Cities. One Bridge. One Country. Our Country.

The Bong Bridge is 2.2 miles long - we will need about 3,000 people to be able to truly hold hands across the Bong Bridge. This event is set up for the Duluth access to the bike/pedestrian path (W. Michigan and S. 43rd Avenue West). The Superior trailhead is at Susquehanna Avenue, just behind the Quality Inn (46.722970, -92.125832).

Richard I. Bong was a hero (the "Ace of Aces") in World War II and received the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was born in Superior and raised in Poplar. Learn more about him at the Richard Bong Veterans Memorial Center in Superior.

The Next 250 Starts With Us

No Kings!

When:

June 14, 2026

Where:

Nationwide

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we have a choice about what story we tell.

We can let strongman politics and corruption define the moment. Or we can make the story of America about people coming together — across race, background, identity, belief, and community — to defend our rights and build a future rooted in people power.

A Concert for the First Amendment

A Night to Build Community

Across the country, communities will gather for local watch parties to sing along, make art, share food, connect with neighbors, and take meaningful action together.

Join a Rise Up, Sing Out event near you, watch from home — or host a watch party in your community.

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference

When:

June 23–26

Where:

Bemidji State University

"We’re excited to announce, after having to cancel our 2025 conference due to a powerful storm hitting Bemidji on the eve of the event, the Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference will return to Bemidji State University this summer, with six intensive writing workshops beside beautiful Lake Bemidji. Our faculty so far includes four members of the MNWC25 faculty: Jennifer Foerster (poetry), Toni Jensen (creative nonfiction), Douglas Kearney (poetry), and Joni Tevis (creative nonfiction). The award-winning novelist Debra Magpie Earling (fiction) and the acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier (poetry) will be joining the faculty this year. Please check our website periodically for updates. We will open registration in March."

Minnesota says’ GAAWIIN! ‘NO’ to Big Tech!

When:

June 26, 1:00–2:45pm

Where:

Minnesota Capitol Front Lawn
St. Paul, MN

Join us June 26th for a rally in front of the Minnesota Capitol, where we will be presenting the Mother Earth Vs Big Tech Petition. This petition advocates for a two-year moratorium on the construction of hyperscaled data centers. Our goal is to deliver this important message directly to the office of the Governor of Minnesota.

More info about Big Tech Issues

Write Action Circles

Margaret Hasse offers a guide to start your own Write Action Circle

According to the ACLU: "Letters and emails are an extremely effective way of communicating with your elected officials. Many legislators believe a letter represents not only the position of the writer but also many other constituents who did not take the time to write."

What / Why

A Write Action Circle is a group of people committed to conveying their opinions about current events to leaders in order to influence decisions, and to meet together periodically to exchange ideas and rally commitment.

The main task of each person in a Circle is to take action: write, email, or call leaders such as Congresspersons, members of the MN Statehouse, top officials in government, etc. and express their opinion on specific issues that the group takes on.

The group may also play a role in encouraging more people to stay abreast of issues and opportunities in order to shape the direction of political events by writing newspaper editorials, posting on social media sites, starting new Write Action Circles, writing friends to get them involved, and more.

Be a Walking Voter Registration Booth

Talk to neighbors, friends, family, co-workers — Make sure everyone has a plan to vote.

We have business-size cards you can print & distribute. Download & print on your own, send a digital version to your contacts, or arrange for us to get you already-printed cards.

Once you have a card in hand you can help people you encounter use a handy QR code to get straight to an online voter registration portal.

We've got this!

Book the Vote

from National WDA

A national drive bringing together readers, writers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians to register voters

"Democracies die by foreign invasion, but they also die by homegrown authoritarian malignancies. That is happening now in the United States, and Writers for Democratic Action calls on YOU to stop it! Join us in protecting representative government with the most powerful weapon we still have: the Vote in 2026.

"WDA is launching BOOK THE VOTE, a drive to bring together readers, writers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians to register voters before the next elections. Books themselves are threatened now, which is no surprise since books have always been essential to democracy. The Bookstore and the Library can be the frontline of the campaign to rescue it."

Write Postcards to Swing States

Progressive Turnout Project

Sign up for our Get Out the Vote postcards. We'll send you the postcards for free, along with voter lists and instructions with proven message options. You will need to provide the Postcard Stamps (currently $0.61). All the mailing dates for these postcards are in October.

MSP's Freedom of Expression booths offer everyone a soapbox

At the airport, there are little known spaces dedicated to freedom of expression

"Freedom of Expression booths are the airport's way of granting the public its right to free speech in a government-owned building while maintaining order and traffic flow. By securing a free permit, anyone who wants to can reserve time to speak his or her mind to travelers waiting for their luggage.

"Bethany Whitehead, an arts administrator, teamed up at the booth last year with visual artist Lindsy Halleckson to provide art activities for travelers. They offered journals for sketching and poems people could pick out of a jar and read.

"'I really live my life with the idea that arts can be life-changing,' Whitehead said, 'so it was nice to have a way to have my agenda — just like someone who is there with a religious agenda — enrich other people.'

"There are limitations, though. Groups can't solicit for money, and people who reserve the booth cannot beckon travelers to it. They must simply wait for someone to come to them."

Write to Change the World

the OpEd Project

Session 1:

June 10&11, 9:00am–12:30pm CT

Session 2:

June 17&18, 1:00–4:30pm CT

Session 3:

June 25&26, 9:00am–12:30pm CT

Where:

Online

Those who complete the workshop receive one month of follow-up support, including access to weekly “Ask A Journalist” office hours with our Editor-In-Residence and to our journalist mentors (aka Mentor-Editors) for individual feedback.

Organizing to Protect Democracy

How Elections Work (ACLU)

When:

June 10, 7:00pm CT

Where:

Online

Our right to vote is facing relentless attacks. Supreme Court decisions, redistricting wars, and anti-voter legislation have put access to voting under strain. But this fight is ours, and we'll continue to show up.

We know these attacks are meant to overwhelm and confuse us. That's why this Organizing to Protect Democracy session is focused on confidently understanding the systems that shape our elections and democracy.

Understanding and Responding to Christian Nationalism

by Christians Against Christian Nationalism Minnesota

When:

June 16, 6:30–7:30pm

Where:

Online

Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian and American identities, damaging both the Christian faith and America’s democracy. It implies that to be a good American, one must be a Christian. This workshop provides information about Christian nationalism and ways for Christians, people of other faiths, and secular individuals to respond to Christian nationalism.

Strategy: Public Assemblies

Strengthen Community Resistance to Rising Authoritarianism

A couple of folks on a recent regional organizing call boosted this strategy & offered this introduction. It is really good & worth a listen.

Building an AI Data Center in Pine Island, Minnesota

the Paris review

"The biggest players in the AI boom—Google, Meta, Amazon, xAI, etc.—are pumping hundreds of billions into a nationwide infrastructure project that resembles, on the one hand, a mass reindustrialization of the heartland, and, on the other, mass speculation on a socially disruptive, environmentally draining, and sometimes psychosis-inducing search engine that is not, currently, profitable. Still, more data centers are needed, apparently. OpenAI’s Sam Altman said that one day the earth will be covered in them. Elon Musk wants to build some in space. Demand for computing power is rising: users need to generate more images, videos, emails, companions. It’s no longer a question of if, but who. Whose jobs will be displaced? Whose towns will erect the next content-churning monolith?

"If every data center proposed in Minnesota were approved and built, they would use as much energy as all the state’s households combined."

Other special topics

Democracy Defenders

Our friends at Democracy Defenders Indivisible gather information on a variety of issues that come across their desk. You can access these links below.

Recent additions:

• Special Topic: Voting
• Special Topic: Data Centers
• Special Topic: Water

An Equal and Habitable World is Possible

Academics set out sweeping vision for planetary survival

"Humanity can raise living standards, reduce inequality and keep global heating within a 2C rise, according to a sweeping vision for planetary survival.

"The report by the World Inequality Lab (WIL) aims to be the most comprehensive attempt yet to navigate the polycrisis that is pushing the world toward climate breakdown, political extremism and ever greater economic and social tension.

"It offers a set of bold policy proposals, including hefty wealth taxes on billionaires, sharp reductions in working hours, a change in diets and a shift of investment from materially intense sectors, such as industry and mining, to education and health."

The Good Life Agenda

"What should be the goal of US economic policy? It shouldn’t be to maximize GDP: Economic growth is good, but it’s a means to an end, not the end itself. Even “affordability” is too narrow a concern. It matters immensely, but it’s not the whole story.

"No, economics is ultimately about people, and the purpose of economic policy should be to help people live good lives."

Gaelynn Lea

Inspiring book by local musician makes it big!

Gaelynn Lea published an autobiography that is beautiful & full of stories about the place & people we hold dear up here in the northland.

Not only is she a brilliant, beloved musician & composer but she is a wonderful writer. This book is hard to put down for sure.

Written Under Collapsing Ceilings, Typed on Phones

the poetry bringing Palestine to the world

"Poetry may not be the best response to aerial bombardment, but for many Palestinians it has become a line of defence amid the rubble and ongoing killings in Gaza.

"'Poetry keeps hope alive. Even in the darkest moments, Palestinian poetry continues to imagine a future,' Nazmi al-Masri, professor of languages at the Islamic University of Gaza, says at an online poetry event held by his students.

"'Poetry gives people a language to express collective grief,' he says. 'In Gaza, poetry documents what cameras cannot always reach and what numbers can never explain. When destruction erases physical spaces, poetry becomes a witness to history.'"

Rhythm & Revolution

Minnesota Center for the Book

The Friends, as the Library of Congress-designated Minnesota Center for the Book, conducted an open call for new/original poetry as part of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. “Rhythm and Revolution” invited writers to share their ideas in poetic form of how we see ourselves in history, appreciate its relevance, and understand how the diverse people of the past and present contribute to the American story. The winners are: Michael Bazzett (Theme: Doing History), Davi Gray (Theme: We the People), Monica Montoya (Theme: Power of Place), Sheila Packa (Theme: Unfinished Revolutions), and Connie Wanek (Theme: The American Experiment)!

Where are We Going

by Sheila Packa

Theme: Unfinished Revolutions

When the whistles blow, I bundle up and step on the street
cross an intersection of winds, wait
for passing cars
my feet wet with brown salt and snow.
Cross into the dark
not ready to say good-bye
to being carefree, not ready to release
the babies' schedules, bottles to be warmed,
blankets tucked in. Only wanting to
erase that lullaby that ends by a cradle that falls.
Didn't want to witness ICE but with a Know
Your Rights in my hand, I come.
Press the button, Record.
Weave in and out of the crowd
duck and cover. Keep track. Report.
So many laws are not being followed.
When the men wearing the color of armies
step up carrying guns and pepper spray,
we record the sound of disappearing.
Listen to the sharp call among the pines
that sounds like an injured animal.
No more will the alarm before school stop sounding,
nor should we ever rise with only lunch bags to fill....
For now it is life and family to defend
those grandiose schemes we had
those pursuits of happiness
ascend into battles on the street and someone's love torn away
by a violent waltz with unidentified agents, armed.
And these witnesses helpless to stop
the tension, detention, months of not knowing
and guns so many guns
make demands even without a bullet flying.
This threatens all our liberty.
Despite these triggers
despite the prayers to a god who doesn't answer,
or to an eagle with a broken wing,
we come full of doubt for what comes next, come
ready for what storm or departure
democracy has in store.

Celebrate Independent Bookstores!

A new independent bookstore now open in northern Minnesota

Iron Heart Books
206 West Lake Street
Chisholm, MN
ihbooks.com

What Would America Look Like Without Citizens United?

Imagine an America where elections cost less, voters mattered more, and public policy followed an honest path...

"The story of how we got here is fascinating and I’ll get into it in a minute, but suffice it to say that fraud, lies, and corruption are at the core of every aspect of it.

"Without Citizens United we’d have a national healthcare system like literally every other developed country in the world..."

Communities Making a Difference

Across the U.S., residents, town councils, planning boards, and lawmakers are organizing, voting, and litigating to shape how AI data centers come to their towns. Here are concrete examples of that work

Erin Brockovich reports on successful efforts in the following areas:

Moratoriums & Pauses (towns and counties pressing the brakes) — When residents and councils want time to study the impact before approving more data centers, they're enacting temporary pauses. These moratoriums vary in duration and scope, but they share a goal: don't let the buildout get ahead of the planning.

Voter Action (at the ballot box) — When elected officials don't listen, residents are taking it directly to the polls — passing referenda, signing petitions, and voting out the leaders who approved unpopular projects.

Project Denials & Rejections (planning commissions saying no) — Local planning and zoning commissions have legitimate authority to deny rezoning requests and conditional use permits. In multiple states they've used it.

Lawsuits Defending Communities (when politics aren't enough) — When approvals go through anyway, residents are turning to the courts.

Petitions & Mobilization (neighbors organizing neighbors) — Before lawsuits or moratoria, residents are gathering, signing, and speaking up.

Legislative Action (state and federal lawmakers responding) — Community pressure is translating into bills at every level of government.

The Oligarchs Are Not as Safe as They Look

Thiel fled the country, Trump's fund stalled, and Musk lost to a jury, all this spring. The record shows how their kind loses the grip, and who takes it back: us.

"Wealth mistakes its height for permanence, and the fall always begins with a crowd."

Migrants Detained at ICE Facilities Launch Hunger Strikes to Protest Conditions

Protests have erupted at facilities in New Jersey, California, Michigan and Pennsylvania

"An ongoing hunger and labor strike at the 1,000-bed Delaney Hall facility in Newark, New Jersey, reportedly involves roughly 300 people and has sparked daily protests outside the jail, which is owned and operated by the GEO Group, a private security company that provides security, maintenance, food and medical care under a 15-year contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"Earlier this month, it was reported that at least 20 detainees at the 750-bed Desert View Annex in Adelanto, California, had launched a hunger strike to call attention to what they allege are substandard conditions at that facility, including a lack of medical care, unsafe drinking water, and mold.

"And last month, hunger strikes reportedly erupted at the 1,800-bed North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, and at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, which has a capacity of nearly 1,900. North Lake is the largest facility in the Midwest, and Moshannon Valley is the largest in the Northeast."

Minnesota Senate Passes ICE Accountability and Justice Bill

"The Minnesota Senate passed an ICE Accountability and Justice bill responding to the unprecedented violations of civil, human, and constitutional rights endured by Minnesotans during Operation Metro Surge by federal immigration enforcement officials."

"'Minnesotans have endured unprecedented abuse, violence, and chaos from federal agents ignoring state and federal law throughout Operation Metro Surge, and these agents must be held accountable for their conduct,' said Senator Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), chief author of SF3699. 'This legislation provides critical safeguards and protections for the people of Minnesota, while providing strong accountability measures that will let people get justice for the abuse they endured.'"

Nearly 80% of America Did Not Vote for Trump

Every person deserves dignity, representation, freedom, and a chance to thrive.

"America is not made up only of people who had the time, access, transportation, paperwork, language support, physical ability, work schedule, child care, or legal right to cast a ballot.

"America is made up of everyone who calls this country home.

"That includes our children, who cannot vote but must live with the consequences of every policy decision made in their name. It includes young people who will inherit the climate, the economy, the schools, the courts, and the freedoms we either protect or allow to be stripped away. It includes immigrants who work, build, care, serve, teach, heal, cook, clean, farm, pay taxes, raise families, and strengthen communities. It includes disabled people, elderly people, unhoused people, formerly incarcerated people, people stuck in voter suppression systems, people who were purged from rolls, people who stood in line and still could not vote, and people who have been told over and over again that their voices do not matter.

"But their lives matter."