An air of optimism filtered through the Minneapolis Convention Center earlier this month as about 250 people active in the winter’s resistance to Operation Metro Surge gathered at a first-of-its-kind conference put on by the Immigrant Defense Network.
The event, which included speakers who took part in the protests and mutual aid organizing efforts, was designed to move past deliberation about what happened during the surge and towards a plan of action for securing immigration reform and bolstering civic participation in the run-up to November’s midterm elections.
Some attendees admitted to battling burnout and exhaustion after months of resisting what they see as a federal occupation that has evolved, but not disappeared. But most said the gathering offered a place to reconnect and refuel.
“Being in a space like this, with so many people that are doing good work, that are still in this … that lifts me up,” said Amanda Steepleton, a resident of South Minneapolis.
Fellow Minneapolitan Shannon Holloman said, “I feel really proud of Minnesotans … You really realize that these problems have been here and are not going away and that we need to continue the fight.”
Related: These are the scenes that shaped Minnesotans’ lives during Operation Metro Surge
At the start of the conference, billed as The Brave of Us: The Midwest Democracy & Power Summit, attendees mingled as if at a reunion of old friends. They remained present by staying off of their devices, opting for warm greetings and life catch-ups.
The kick-off speakers included St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the Immigrant Defense Network’s Edwin Torres DeSantiago. In somber but hopeful tones, they encouraged participants to maintain their struggle on behalf of their immigrant neighbors.
Her, wearing a hummingbird on her shirt as a symbol of resilience and adaptability, called out Minnesotans’ “shared responsibility to protect each other.”
While the hallways filled with chatter, speakers earned a level of attention that left no room for side conversations or scrolling. The only exception was the occasional murmur of agreement or shout of approval, such as the familiar call and response: “We the people united – will never be defeated!”
The second half of the summit split into tracks on topics including immigration reform, healing and mobilizing.
A “Democracy Protection” track included speakers highlighting civic engagement and voter protections. Participants were urged to work to uphold the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination at the ballot box. Panelists used the “canary in the coalmine” analogy, saying that if anyone is denied voting rights, everyone becomes vulnerable.
Attendees from outside of the Twin Cities – from Greater Minnesota to Ohio and South Dakota – strategized about carrying the conference’s messages, particularly around civic engagement and voter protections, into rural communities.
Panelist Taneeza Islam, co-founder and CEO of South Dakota Voices for Peace, spoke about her nonprofit’s efforts to organize for civic engagement and immigrant rights in rural parts of the state, where she believes many national policies start, like dominoes.
“If the first domino doesn’t fall,” she said, “the rest will not.”
Lily Kopp is a student at the University of Iowa and a reporting intern with MinnPost.
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