Minnesotans Unite at State Capitol to Support Transportation Options
Thank you, advocates and allies, for making a difference with us at Transportation Forward Day at the Capitol!
We have been so excited to hear your stories, and to join with you in fighting for a transportation system for all. From start to finish, this day of action was filled with your passion and your belief in a better future: from important conversations with state legislators to new connections with fellow advocates and our rally in the Rotunda with inspiring remarks from Governor Walz and from everyday Minnesotans.
Move Minnesota planned and co-hosted the March 21 event with our close allies Sierra Club North Star Chapter, MN350, and the Transportation Forward coalition.
The goal: to make statewide investments in transit, bicycling, and walking a top priority this legislative session.
Roughly 100 advocates, from at least 14 different Minnesota Senate districts across the state, came together for the half-day event to speak up for the transportation options that our families, our climate, and our communities are counting on. For some, this was a very first experience advocating at the State Capitol! At least 23 organizations were engaged or represented throughout the afternoon as well.
In addition to long-term funding for sustainable transportation, advocates supported policy changes to create a more equitable system: prioritizing electric buses in communities with poor air quality and enforcing transit fares through administrative citations rather than criminal ones.
From Baxter to Brooklyn Park, we hope every person who participated on March 21–and every one of our supporters—knows: Your voice is so important! And when we show up for each other, and speak out together, we are more powerful than ever. That’s what this day of collective action was all about.
Special thanks to our rally speakers for championing transportation options and understanding that people are at the heart of this issue: Governor Tim Walz, Sen. Scott Dibble, Sen. Melisa Franzen, Sen. Susan Kent, Rep. Frank Hornstein, Rep. Sandra Masin, Move Minnesota’s Jessica Treat and Theresa Thompson Nix, and residents Quinn Haberl and Juliet Mitchell who took the mic to share their personal experiences and their hopes for a Minnesota where all of us are valued and all of us can get around.
Check out our Facebook page for more great photos from the event!
What’s next? As Governor Walz said: “When the choir sings loudly, things happen.” With six weeks to go this legislative session, we need you to keep making noise!
You can expect lots of action at the Capitol as transportation funding and policy bills move forward. From April 13-22, however, many state legislators will be back home in your district for spring break. This can be another great opportunity to talk with the people that represent you. When you do, be sure to bring transportation needs to the conversation.
Remember: you don’t have to be a policy expert. Speak from your own experience! We all need to get around, and at the end of the day, transportation isn’t about infrastructure or taxes or facts—it’s about the kind of life you want for yourself and your fellow Minnesotans.
Share our handout “How Lawmakers Can Improve Transportation Options for All Minnesotans in 2019” to easily tell your legislator about funding and policy priorities that need their support this spring. Connect with Finn at finnm@movemn.org if you need any help from our team.
Donate to Move Minnesota to support the work that made our action at the Capitol possible.
