Mn350

TO INSPIRE MINNESOTANS TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

IN 2023, MN350 CONTINUED TO WORK ON ITS MISSION OF UNITING MINNESOTANS WITH THE GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO END THE POLLUTION DAMAGING OUR CLIMATE, SPEED THE TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY, AND CREATE A JUST AND HEALTHY FUTURE FOR ALL.WE CONTINUE TO USE OUR MULTIPRONGED APPROACH TO COMBATING CLIMATE INJUSTICE. MN350'S STRATEGIC PLAN'S ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS FOR 2023 INCLUDED ADVOCACY FOR POLICIES THAT PROTECT OUR CLIMATE AND SUPPORT A JUST TRANSITION TO A CLEAN ECONOMY; RESILIENT, REGENERATIVE AND INCLUSIVE FOOD SYSTEMS; A ROBUST TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE; THE END OF FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFE AND SOVEREIGN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023:OUR CLEAN TRANSPORTATION TEAM CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON ELECTRIFYING MINNESOTA'S VEHICLE FLEETS THROUGH MEDIUM AND HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES, SPECIFICALLY ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES. AS A MEMBER OF THE COALITION FOR CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, $13 MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING WAS SECURED TO GO TOWARDS AN ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS GRANT PROGRAM. THE TEAM CONTINUED ITS EFFORTS IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT CLEAN TRANSPORTATION THROUGH TRAININGS, LARGE SCALE EVENTS WITH ELECTRIC BUS MANUFACTURERS, AND ADVOCATING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS. HELD EVENTS THAT SUPPORTED OUR COMMUNITY-LED VOLUNTEER EMPOWERED TEAM THAT ENGAGED IN TRAININGS AROUND TESTIMONIES AND STORYTELLING. WITH OVER 850 ADVOCACY ACTIONS, THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO BUILD UP STRONG MOMENTUM FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES IN DIFFERENT AREAS ACROSS THE STATE.THE TRANSIT JUSTICE TEAM CONTINUED TO BUILD POWER WITH COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT THEIR OWN DISPLACEMENT AND CONTINUED DEVELOPING SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMMUNITIES AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF TRANSIT. THE ADVOCACY IN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTED TO THE PASSING OF AN OMNIBUS BILL WITH $2 BILLION DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT. CAMPAIGN WORK THIS YEAR CONTRIBUTED TO THE PASSING OF A FREE FARE PILOT PROGRAM, THE PASSING OF HYBRID TRANSIT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, AND DECRIMINALIZED FARE EVASION, REDUCING IT FROM A CRIMINAL PENALTY TO A CIVIL INFRACTION SUCH AS A PARKING TICKET. CONTINUED COALITION WORK HAS LEAD TO CONTRIBUTION TO THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT INCLUDE THE FREE FARES AND TRANSIT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, HOUSING JUSTICE SUCH AS RENT CONTROL FOR TENANTS AND PATHWAYS TO OWNERSHIP, ALONG WITH SUPPORT FOR BIPOC CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BUSINESSES. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED AS REQUIREMENTS TO THE CITY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE INCOMING LIGHT RAIL.THE PIPELINE RESISTANCE TEAM CONTINUED TO BUILD CAPACITY TO SHOW UP STRONGLY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ENBRIDGE, FIGHTING ALONGSIDE MOVEMENT PEERS IN WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN. THE TEAM CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE STANDING ROCK AND CHEYENNE RIVER TRIBES IN THEIR ONGOING WORK AGAINST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE. THE TEAM CONTINUED TO SUPPORT LINE 3 DEFENDANTS, RESULTING IN WATER PROTECTOR CASES BEING DISMISSED, INCLUDING CHARGES FROM THE FIRE LIGHT ENCAMPMENT, NOTABLY KNOWN FOR BLOCKING LINE 3 CONSTRUCTION AT THE MISSISSIPPI FOR EIGHT DAYS IN 2021. DEEPER ADVOCACY WITH STATE POLICY AT THE MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BOARD AND STATE LEGISLATURE HAS CONTINUED THE WORK OF CREATING CHANGES THAT MAKE FUTURE PIPELINE PROJECTS LESS LIKELY TO BE ESTABLISHED IN MINNESOTA. THE FOOD SYSTEMS TEAM CONTINUED ITS ADVOCACY FOR THE MARKET BUCKS PROGRAM, WHICH EXPANDS SUPPORT TO LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF LOW INCOME AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES. BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GROCERS AND CO-OPS PERMITTED THE TEAM TO HOLD OUTREACH CONVERSATIONS THAT IN-TURN COULD HELP INFORM THE SHAPE OF THE PROGRAM, BUILD A STORE'S INTEREST IN PURSUING THE PROGRAM EXPANSION AS WELL AS IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PILOT PARTNERS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCE MATERIALS TO EDUCATE STORES AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PROGRAM FURTHER SUPPORTED OUR EFFORTS IN AWARENESS AND EDUCATION. THROUGH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, THE MMIR TEAM CONTINUED TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM ON TRAFFICKING, PARTNER WITH ALLY NETWORKS, AND JOIN STATEWIDE ALLIANCES OF CHANGEMAKERS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE COALITION WORK. CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR HELPING WATER PROTECTORS IN THE LINE 3 FIGHT REMAINED A PRIORITY. THE TEAM CONTINUED TO BUILD A VOLUNTEER BASE THAT SUPPORTED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS FOR MMIR PRIORITIES.