TWIN CITIES, MINNESOTA – From October 31 to November 3, Ignite Minnesota Asian Power (IMAP) coalition members will be engaging with the local young, Asian, and immigrant population in Minnesota through phone bank canvassing, relational organizing, digital outreach, and community conversations.
The goal is to advocate for our community, provide voter education, and mobilize the growing Asian and immigrant Minnesotan population to vote – key voting blocs in the state of Minnesota. Voter education is especially crucial in this time of misinformation, fear-mongering, and distrust as the elections loom closer.
This past year, since the onset of the pandemic, our community has risen to take care of each other – showing up on the streets to provide food, raising funds for those who have lost jobs and other mutual aid. Voting is another way our community is showing community care.
With a pandemic in full force during the general elections, absentee ballots are the primary method of voting this year – meaning that many Minnesotans have already voted. But for many of our Asian, immigrant community members, absentee ballots are not always accessible.
That is why IMAP coalition members are dedicated to ensuring everyone knows how to vote safely this year, because your voice matters.
“2020 has been an incredibly challenging year with many highs and lows. We have met the challenge head on and worked tirelessly to ensure our communities have voice, power, and resources to create a more inclusive, equitable world,” says CAPI USA Director of Public Policy Kristina Doan.
“The resiliency and fighting spirit of the people has ignited us all across the country and even the globe. This election is no different. We’re going to see record numbers in absentee ballots cast because it was people from all aspects of life who wanted this,” says AAOP Field Operations Director Jeffrey Her. “This isn’t just a moment in time, but a movement that gave people like me and you the pen and paper to dictate our own stories.”
Coalition members include: Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP), CAPI USA, Pillsbury United Communities, Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina (COPAL), Hmong Americans for Justice (HAJ), Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL), Release MN8, Filipinx for Immigrant Rights and racial Justice (FIRM), Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM), SEWA-AIFA, Siengkane Lao (SKL-MN), and Vietnamese Social Services (VSS).
Media Contact:
leyen trang
AAOP Communications & Digital Director
leyen@aaopmn.org
Monique Hernandez
CAPI Development and Communications Manager
monique.hernandez@capiusa.org
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