Amplifying local voices and actions for justice.
Weekly Reflection
This is a relatively quiet week for events, a week we hope you can spend in the company of family, friends, or anyone who brings you comfort. As we move toward the holiday season, it is a good moment for both personal and collective reflection. How do we want to show up for others? How do we build the kind of world we want to live in? What skills, tools, or resources do we each carry that can contribute to that work?
Find a lane that feels right for you, whether that is volunteering, donating, advocating, protesting, or quietly supporting someone who needs it. If you are on our mailing list, chances are you are already connected to community efforts. This week, consider reaching out to someone who is watching from the sidelines. Invite them to join you in your next activity, and even letting them know about us at 50501 MN Rochester or sharing one of our upcoming opportunities can help them plug in at their own pace. Movements grow because we bring people with us.
Given the Thanksgiving holiday this week, we want to showcase our Food Resources List - a comprehensive resource to help those facing food insecurity in Rochester and SE Minnesota. More information about this resource can be found below.
Read on for ways to take action, support others, and stay engaged.
Featured Actions
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Mass Economic Blackout
November 25 – December 2
Support local. Withhold from corporations. Build community power.
[Learn More Below]
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Stay Connected
Follow us to stay informed about local actions, events, and community updates.
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Mutual Aid Reminder
Mutual aid keeps our communities strong. From rides to groceries to translation support, we all have something to offer.
[Learn More Below]
Food Resource List - Rochester and SE Minnesota
https://www.goodtroublelivesonmn.com/food-resources-in-se-minnesota
The holiday season is a time for good food, good friends and family as well as generosity and community connections, but for many people in Rochester it is also a time of great stress. Where will the good food come from? Will there be enough money at the end of the year? Where does one find connection with new friends? How can I help others in a meaningful way?
There are numerous resources in our community to help answer these questions. If you're looking for food, a community meal, a chance to make connections, a chance to volunteer, or an opportunity to give back, the Food Resource List will help. This list details where food banks and pantries and free meals can be found, as well as how you might volunteer and/or contribute. Thank you to Amanda Lipsky, a MN50501-Rochester organizer, for compiling the list, and special thanks to Yammy Bear and Family, Senator Liz Boldon, The Rochester Public Library, Rochester Public Schools, and Three Rivers Community Action whose resource lists served as a starting point for finding this information. Please share widely. The online version is found on the Good Trouble Lives On MN website, and a PDF version can be downloaded here.
Use this list to find help for yourself or others. Use it to find connections at community meals meant to build community for all. Use it to find a place to donate or volunteer. Please share widely.
If you know of resources to add to the list, or any corrections or additions to the information present, please reach out to resist@mn50501rochester.org
To support long term food security for the greater Rochester area, see our Community Spotlight below. The Village Grows Fund will allow you to plant a seed this winter and watch it grow into access to fresh food for all in 2026.
NOVEMBER FOOD DRIVE - DFLs of Olmsted County
During the month of November, the DFLs of Olmsted County are centering our Latino community. Many of these families do not qualify for SNAP benefits and are facing food insecurity. Quite frankly, many are afraid to leave their homes to shop. Let's ease their burden by sharing what we can.
The DFL will collect the items benefiting COPAL MN, who will distribute the donations to area families in need. Please see COPAL’s list of most needed items.
Drop off shelf stable items at the DFL offices - 1500 1st Ave NE, Suite A throughout the month of November. Our office is open 1pm - 4pm M-F. Additionally, we will have a donation box in the vestibule, which is accessible from 8am-5pm M-F (come through the main door of the 1500 building and take the first left).
MONDAY — Nov 24th
Emotional Intelligence for Culture Change: Awareness, Accountability, and Impact
Date: Monday, Nov 24th • 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CT
Sponsor: Right To Be
Format: Virtual Training (Webinar)
Details: Emotional intelligence (EQ) isn’t just a personal development skill — it’s a foundational practice for building respectful, accountable, and powerful teams.
In this session, participants will:
Explore how emotional intelligence supports both everyday connection and high-stakes communication
Examine the core components of EQ — including Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, Social Skills. Practice tools for staying present, navigating tension, and responding with clarity and care
Build emotional habits that support trust, accountability, and long-term team wellbeing
Right To Be’s Approach:
At Right To Be, we see emotional intelligence as a core skill for shaping culture — not just managing communication. Rooted in our mission to end harassment and build a world where everyone feels safe and respected, this training offers practical, accessible tools to help people show up with greater self-awareness, connection, and care.
We support individuals and teams in shifting from reactivity to intentional action — especially in the everyday moments that shape how trust, accountability, and belonging are built over time.
Registration: https://righttobe.org/events/emotional-intelligence-for-culture-change-awareness-accountability-and-impact-2/
More Info: https://righttobe.org/who-we-are/
Date: Monday Nov 24th 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
Sponsor: TerraLoco (1190 16th Street SW #150)
Details: Join us for our final $5 5K of the season in support of all three of our local high school charity campaigns! We're stepping it up a notch with a competition among schools to see who can raise the most!
New this year: rolling start times. We're looking for all of our runners and walkers to finish about the same time: at 6:45 PM. Our non-profits will share information with our participants at the END of the night, rather than the beginning. We're hoping this encourages a more inclusive finish line experience.
Walking? Arrive at 5:30PM to start by 5:45PM
Slower Runner? Arrive at 5:40PM to start by 5:50PM
"Average" Pace Runner? Arrive by 5:50PM to start at 6:00PM
Fast Runner? Arrive at 6:00PM to start by 6:15PM
We will have volunteer pacers available at registration so you don't need to worry about starting alone.
Course is marked. Well behaved, leashed and vaccinated pets may join us. All ages and forms of forward motion welcome!
At 6:45PM we'll learn more about our non-profit for the evening, enjoy some snacks, and announce prize winners! Hope to see you there!
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/577078052046670
Questions: tiffany@runterraloco.com
$5 5K for Rochester Public Schools
Uncomfortable Conversations: How (and Why) to Talk with MAGA Family
Date: Monday, Nov 24th • 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM CT
Sponsor: Women’s March and Leaving MAGA
Format: Virtual Event — Join from anywhere
Details: The holiday season is coming, and for many, that means navigating political landmines at the dinner table. On Nov 24, we’re teaming up with Leaving MAGA for this special training on how (and why) to navigate uncomfortable conversations.
If you’re still in relationship with MAGA relatives who seem disillusioned, disappointed, or quietly questioning, this training is for you. Let’s learn how to rebuild bridges instead of letting isolation drive people deeper into extremism.
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/muhy2cfz
More Info:
https://www.womensmarch.com/
https://leavingmaga.org
TUESDAY — Nov 25th
WE AIN’T BUYING IT - The Blackout Starts TODAY
November 25 – December 2, 2025
Many communities across the country are participating in a coordinated Mass Economic Blackout aka We aint buying it! /Blackout the system!— a weeklong pause on spending at national corporations to remind political and corporate leaders that everyday people still hold economic power.
This action falls during one of the highest-profit weeks of the year (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), which is exactly why organizers chose it.
The goal is simple: disrupt the cycle of overconsumption, redirect our dollars locally, and take a collective breath from systems that rely on our constant participation.
What the Blackout Looks Like
Participants are encouraged to:
Avoid shopping at national corporate chains
Skip Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales
Pause non-essential subscriptions and impulse spending
We do encourage:
Shopping small and local
Paying cash
Supporting community-owned or independent businesses
Preparing Before the Week Starts
Prepare thoughtfully, not by panic-buying, but by making sure basic needs are covered:
Pick up essential groceries, medications, or household items
Pay time-sensitive bills ahead of the blackout window
Make a list of local shops, markets, and creators you want to support
Share information with friends and neighbors who may want to participate
Why People Are Participating: Economic boycotts have shaped major shifts in U.S. history — from the United Farm Workers’ grape boycott to more recent corporate pressure campaigns. They work when many people take small but coordinated actions together. This blackout is meant to:
Slow down corporate profit during a high-revenue week
Refocus spending power into local economies
Encourage rest, reconnection, and community care
Demonstrate how much influence we actually hold
After the Blackout: The hope is not just to “resume as usual,” but to carry forward healthier habits:
More local spending
Less impulse buying
More awareness of how our money moves
Continued community-centered habits
This is not about perfection — it’s about intention.
More info:
https://weaintbuyingit.com/
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/trump-protest-black-friday-cyber-monday-mass-blackout-b2864866.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/11/11/black-friday-cyber-monday-donald-trump-boycotts/87221297007/
https://www.blackoutthesystem.com/the-truth
Stand Up! Against Street Harassment
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Date: Tuesday, Nov 25th • 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM CT
Sponsor: Right To Be
Format: Virtual Training (Webinar)
Details: It starts by taking action right now. Join us for a one-hour, interactive, virtual training to learn how to intervene when you see harassment happening. We’ll talk about what harassment looks like — from microaggressions to violence — and how Right To Be’s 5D’s of bystander intervention can help: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct.
We’ll also talk about how to prioritize your own safety while intervening and how to respond if you get harassed. We’ll have time at the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see street harassment!
Registration: https://righttobe.org/events/stand-up-against-street-harassment-for-the-international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women/
More Info: https://righttobe.org/who-we-are/
Date/Time: Tuesday Nov 25th, 3:30-4:30PM (*note earlier start time)
Location: Barlow Plaza (1131 6th St NW, Rochester)
Sponsor: Indivisible 507
Details: Bring your favorite sign and fight for democracy with us! Please say on the public sidewalk, watch your step, and be peaceful and safe!
More information: https://indivisible507.org
Indivisible Weekly Protest
Latest on DACA: What You Need to Know — Community Call
Date: Tuesday, Nov 25th • 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM CT
Sponsor: United We Dream / Home Is Here Coalition
Format: Online community call (not a legal clinic)/Virtual
Details: We’re waiting for a decision on the future of DACA from Judge Hanen in the Texas Federal Court. Judge Hanen set a schedule for all parties involved in the case to file briefs on what they think should happen with DACA. The briefs will be filed during the month of November (on November 10th and the final set of briefs of November 24th). We’re here to provide clear information, support, and space to process what this means.
We know this can feel confusing, heavy, or overwhelming– That’s why the Home Is Here Coalition will be hosting a community call on to break down the latest information on DACA.
Join us for our grounding community call on Tuesday, November 25th where we will:
Share the latest updates on DACA and the legal briefs
Answer questions about what the future of DACA means for you and your loved ones
Offer supportive guidance and resources
Create space to ask questions and be in community together
You don’t need to navigate this alone. This is a space for you to be in community with others from around the country–whether you are directly impacted, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand how to show up.
This is not a legal clinic, and we cannot offer individual legal advice. However, you will leave with valuable information, connections to reputable legal support, and a sense of community.
We’ve been here before–but Our Home is Here!
Registration: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/868308/followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual
More Info: https://unitedwedream.org
WEDNESDAY — Nov 26th
COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE
Date/Time: Wednesdays and Fridays 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM through the end of Nov.
Location: Griot Arts (115 N Broadway Ave., Rochester)
Sponsor: Journie/Griot Arts
Details: Please help local families in crisis caused by the SNAP food benefit shutdown by donating shelf-stable food or essential household items. Drop off at Griot Arts on Wednesdays and Fridays (11am-5pm). *If you are in need of donations for your family, please bring proof of SNAP benefits (or SNAP card) to collect items on Saturdays 11am-2pm. There is also an option to get food delivered to you. At the end of the month, any surplus will be donated to local foodshelves.
Together, we can show what real leadership and community look like.
See https://www.facebook.com/journieproject for more details.
For more information or to help organize a drive, contact: nashauna@journieproject.org
Rural Rally for Democracy
Date/Time: Wednesday Nov 26th, 5:00-6:00PM
Location: Chatfield City Park (305 Main St S, Chatfield )
Sponsor: Fillmore DFL
Details: Join us for a Rural Rally for Democracy and show your support for DFL values! This is a great opportunity to come together with fellow community members and show our community that we believe in democracy. Bring your energy, your signs, and your friends as we show up against the radical Republican agenda!
Event will be held rain or shine.
Please bring a non-perishable donation for the Chatfield Food Bank.
More information:
fcdfloutreach@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/1213253387492759/1213253390826092/
THURSDAY — Nov 27th
Sharing the Harvest
Date/Time: Thursday Nov 27th, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (set up starts at 9:00 AM)
Sponsor: Yammy Bear and Family along with CarolAnn Jackson, Kassy Lynn, and other community organizers
Details:
Reclaiming Thanksgiving: Sharing the Harvest, A Community Dinner for Everyone
This Thanksgiving, we’re hosting a Community Dinner at the Spring Valley Community Center — open to everyone from Rochester to Fillmore County and beyond.
Not just for people in financial need…but for anyone who could use connection, comfort, or community that day —families who are stretched thin, people who might be alone, and those who simply want to share gratitude and give back.
This is about sharing the harvest and sharing the wealth — families who have much and families who have little, all sitting at the same table.
If your family usually gathers at home for Thanksgiving, imagine doing it here instead — bringing your meal, your favorite side, or your dessert to pass, and your warmth to share. We’ll provide the basics for about 200 people: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
It’s a free-will donation meal, so no one is excluded.
Families who normally go out to eat can come and donate if they’d like.
Families who can bring a dish can contribute that way.
No one has to qualify to be fed — everyone has a place.
Because the truth is…it’s not the same to drop off a warm meal as it is to share one.
Holidays matter. Gathering matters. Belonging matters.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1345405794265616
FRIDAY — Nov 28th
Community Care Check-In
A Moment for Rest, Reflection, and Connection
Date: Friday, Nov 28th
Format: Self-Guided Community Practice
Details:
Today is a pause in our event calendar — a moment to breathe, reset, and reconnect. Community work is long-term work, and sustaining ourselves is part of the movement. Take this time to check in with someone in your community: a friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or anyone who may need a moment of support.
Community care doesn’t require an event or a meeting. Small acts — a message, a call, a kind word — strengthen the connections that keep us grounded and resilient. Use today to extend care outward while also giving yourself permission to rest.
Registration: No RSVP needed — take action in your own time
SATURDAY — Nov 29th
Small Business Saturday
Although we are strongly supporting the Economic Blackout this week - we do want to acknowledge that today is “Small Business Saturday” - a day meant to encourage support of small, local businesses. If you need to shop this week - find a local store and USE CASH (keep those fees out of the big banks). We want to send a message to the mega-corporations, while protecting our small businesses as much as we can. They are hurting in this economy, too.
SUNDAY — Nov 30th
Brewing Up Awareness with the Boys and Girls Club
Date/Time: Sunday Nov 30th
Location: Kinney Creek Brewery (1016 7th St NW, Rochester)
Sponsor: Kinney Creek Brewery and Boys and Girls Club of Rochester
Details: Join us for Brewing Up Awareness with Boys & Girls Club of Rochester! Boys & Girls Club of Rochester, or simply, Club, is an out-of-school time youth development program, serving kids who need Club the most. They offer programs designed to meet the unique educational and health needs of children and teens. Stop by their booth to learn more!
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1559348025257399
Upcoming events…
A Holiday of Hope Gala supporting The Landing MN
Friday, December 5th, 2025 | 5:30 - 10pm CST
https://thelandingmn.betterworld.org/events/fifth-annual-holiday-hope-gala-3
At this event, 5,000 people from across MN will gather to ratify ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota's statewide issue agenda, prepare to caucus around that agenda on February 3 with thousands more peopel, and get trained on mass-scale strategic campaigns to disrupt authoritarianism in early 2026. We're coordinating bus transportation from Rochester for as many registrants as we can.
Sign up at https://bit.ly/ISAIAH2025 or contact Olivia at obergen@isaiahmn.org for more info.
Support our local nonprofits!
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Support our local nonprofits! ☆
Community Spotlight: The Village Agricultural Cooperative
This week it is our joy to feature The Village Agricultural Cooperative. The cooperative connects more than 250 families with land access to grow their own food. The Village’s farmers come to southeast Minnesota from over 30 countries: a collaborative of people from all over the world growing culturally relevant food and building the economic power of historically marginalized communities through food justice that is sustainable, nourishing the people and the earth.
This vibrant community of local farmers brings Rochester the very freshest food at farmers’ markets on Tuesdays and Sundays during the growing season. One can feel the joy and community just walking through the markets, making a visit a highlight of one’s week.
Commitment to community runs deep at The Village. The farmers also provide food to our neighbors in need via The Village Grows Fund. This dedicated local food purchasing fund allows local emerging farmers to distribute food via trusted nonprofit partners to people in need throughout Olmsted county. These funds grow food, develop local farmers, provide the healthiest locally grown foods to our neighbors, and feed hungry households.
The Village does all of this while connecting people with land, water, and culture; providing education and resource connections; and growing the farmers and food producers of tomorrow.
"The Village Agricultural Cooperative creates opportunities for our communities to produce culturally relevant food. By creating space for public and market gardens in urban areas, we address the health needs of our people and planet while building food systems for future generations, and nourishing our elders too. We believe that sustainable agriculture creates healthy communities." - The Village
Fix food insecurity at the root and plant healthy food infrastructure in our community: https://rochvillage.org/donate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villageagcoop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Lseyqwvaw/
Address: 3703 Country Club Road SW, Rochester, MN 55902
Email: contact@rochvillage.org
Website: https://www.rochvillage.org/
Book of the Month
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Book of the Month ☆
Check out November's Book of the Month!
Read This When Things Fall Apart: Letters to Activists in Crisis edited by Kelly Hayes
This newly published book is filled with timely advice for people working toward justice and collective wellbeing.
"A bundle of letters to activists and organizers on the frontlines in catastrophic times from Let This Radicalize You co-author Kelly Hayes.
In social movements, some heartbreaks are all but inevitable. Campaigns will be lost. Mental health crises will occur. Social ills, like gender-based violence, will manifest themselves in movement spaces. People will experience profound personal losses. Grief, alienation, and despair can grind us under. Sometimes, we need accompaniment. Sometimes, we need to be met where we’re at by a caring voice of experience. Read This When Things Fall Apart is a care package for activists and organizers building power under fascistic, demoralizing conditions. It’s an outstretched hand, offering history lessons, personal anecdotes, and practical advice about how to navigate the woes of justice work. A survival guide for the heart, this is a book for activists to keep close, and to share with co-strugglers in need.
Personal, reflective, and hopeful, Read This When Things Fall Apart harnesses the writers' individual moments of despair into living, breathing wisdom that chips away at the supposed inevitability of fascist life. Restorative like a letter from a trusted friend and invigorating like a story from a mentor, the book is an indispensable companion for all of us navigating challenging times. Featuring letters from Mariame Kaba, Ashon Crawley, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Eman Abdelhadi, Brian Merchant, and more."
To buy this book through Griot Arts, a delightful small business right here in Rochester's downtown, with the convenience of the internet, visit Griot’s bookshop storefront (https://bookshop.org/a/103182/9781849355841)
Each month our friend, Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara, at Griot Arts will bring us a recommended read and invite the community to read along. We hope that these books will inspire and empower you with knowledge and tools to build a more equitable and just community. Read, learn, then pass along to a friend!