Monthly Archives: February 2020

February Salon Series

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Written by Katie Caffrey

Every year, the Junior League of Minneapolis holds a Community Partner Salon Series. This year it will be during the month of February in place of a General Membership Meeting. These small group meetings are hosted in partnership with community partners and non-profit agencies. The goal of this series is to provide hands on training experience for members to supplement their League experience. Each meeting is designed for attendees to take something away from the training – knowledge about the organization, its mission, how to be an effective volunteer, and how to take your JLM experience and share your talents with others! Additionally, this series exposes members to other organizations in Minneapolis, and the impact these organizations have on our community. These meetings are on the calendar and most are still available for registration. Here’s an overview of the partners you can learn about during this year’s salon series:

Minneapolis Foundation:

The Minneapolis Foundation works on numerous projects to create positive change in the community. Located in downtown Minneapolis, the foundation administers more than 1,400 charitable funds that enable individuals, families, and businesses to support causes they are passionate about. They invest their unrestricted grant making resources in programs and initiatives that are aligned with their vision: a greater Minneapolis that is vibrant, inclusive, and positioned to thrive locally and compete globally. The Minneapolis Foundation researches, convenes, advocates, and helps shape public policy around issues critical to the current and future vitality of our community. Last year, the Foundation and its donors invested nearly $70 million in programs and services that change lives and strengthen the community. Make sure to sign up for this salon series event on February 26th to hear from two members of The Minneapolis Foundation’s Philanthropic Services team, including Steph Donley, a current JLM member! You can also visit the foundation’s website for more information on their current projects: https://www.minneapolisfoundation.org/

The Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery

The mission of the Nursery is to end child abuse and neglect and create strong, healthy families. In 1978, the United Way conducted research on child abuse and neglect in the Minneapolis area and found there was nowhere for parents in crisis to turn when they needed counseling and help caring for their children. To fill this need, the Junior League of Minneapolis partnered with the National Council of Jewish Women, B’nai B’rith Women, Southside Nurturing Center, and several other organizations to establish the first crisis nursery in the state. It was a unique collaboration that focused on something the community desperately needed. For more than 35 years, the Nursery has been committed to ending child abuse and neglect and creating strong, healthy families. Today, they answer approximately 4,000 crisis calls annually and shelter up to 20 children per day, providing over 5,000 nights of care during the course of the year to children aged newborn through six. The Nursery remains committed to strengthening families in our community in order to end child abuse and neglect. JLM currently partners with the Nursery through Helping Hands snack and dinner shifts. To learn more about the Nursery, visit their website at https://www.crisisnursery.org/, and sign up for the salon series event on February 19th! 

Incorporating JLM/Volunteer Experience into Your Resume

Do you ever think about how valuable your JLM volunteer experience could be in your professional resume, but aren’t sure of the best way to incorporate it? You’re in luck! Kelly Leiker, JLM Sustainer & Board of Directors Sustainer Member at Large, will be holding a hands-on-workshop on February 12th, focused on Incorporating Your JLM/ Volunteer Experience into Your Resume. Kelly is a Professional Speaker and Executive Coach and is bringing her valuable experience and knowledge to our salon series. Don’t forget to bring your resume, as well as a laptop or notebook for brainstorming! Visit Kelly’s website at https://leikerdevelopment.com/ for more information about her experience and services.

LeagueAires

The mission of the LeagueAires is to bring the joy of music to older adults and those with special needs. The idea for LeagueAires was born in the early 1960s, when four young women- Ruthy Frenzel, Mandy Johnson, Mary Kunz, and Patty Strong- sang together at an alumnae meeting for Skidmore College. They enjoyed singing together so much, they expressed interest in forming a regular singing group. A few months later, they performed in a talent show for the Junior League of Minneapolis. It was then that they decided to turn their love for music into a community mission. The women presented a new idea to the JLM Board to foster artistic involvement between JLM and the community by using music as a way to serve. The LeagueAires is currently in its 54th year and is the longest project of the JLM. They continue to have an annual performance that all members are invited and encouraged to attend. This year’s performance will be at the Minikahda Club as part of the General Membership Meeting on April 14th! To view their full performance schedule, visit: https://leagueaires.org/

Wallin Education Partners

Wallin Education Partners is more than just a scholarship. It is a proven college-completion program for high-potential students with financial need. JLM has partnered with WEP to provide a scholarship for 16 local female scholarship recipients. Join us on February 24th, to learn from Stela Center, WEP’s Director of Advancement, about the scholarship program and how the organization is working to close the opportunity gap at the higher education level. https://www.wallinpartners.org/

For more information about these partner organizations, come to one, multiple, or all of this month’s salon series events! Visit the calendar on the JLM website to sign up. We look forward to seeing you there!

Election Education 2020 – Minnesota Caucuses, Primaries, and Conventions

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Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State

In less than a year, voters across the country will head to the polls for the general election on November 3, 2020. Here in Minnesota, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on the presidential election, a U.S. Senate seat, eight congressional seats, every state House and Senate seat in the Minnesota legislature, and various local offices in November. Before the general election, Minnesotans may participate in caucuses, primaries, and conventions, ultimately to narrow the field of candidates that they’ll see listed on the November ballot. And, while Minnesota continues to use the statewide caucus system for local and statewide elections, 2020 will be the first time in almost 30 years that the state will hold a presidential primary instead of a presidential caucus. 

To educate Minnesota voters on what to expect over these next nine months, read on to learn more about caucuses, primaries, and conventions! 

Caucuses

Caucuses are meetings facilitated by the state’s political parties and typically signal the official start of the election season by serving as the first of a series of meetings to endorse candidates in the upcoming election. In Minnesota, precinct caucuses are planned by the two major political parties in the state – the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party and the Republican Party of Minnesota. To attend, one must be eligible to vote in the general election, express support for that party’s platform, and live in the precinct where the meeting is being held. This year, the precinct caucuses will be held at 7 PM on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, one week before the presidential primary. To find information on your precinct caucus, visit https://www.dfl.org/caucuses-conventions/ and https://mngop.com/event-calendar/. 

Caucuses are a bit similar to the Junior League neighborhood meetings many of us attended before the holidays. At a caucus meeting, participants demonstrate support for their preferred candidate, meet others in their community, and discuss issues of importance. Because Minnesota is holding a presidential primary, the caucuses will serve to discuss local and statewide candidates. The precinct caucuses also typically serve to elect local party leaders, as well as to choose delegates that will represent that precinct at a series of conventions held later in the year. 

Primaries

A primary serves to determine which candidates will be listed on the general election ballot in November, and the process of voting in a primary could best be compared to the general election, as it’s very similar in that voters cast secret ballots, either absentee or at their polling location, for their preferred candidates. 

Minnesotans will have the opportunity to participate in the presidential primary on March 3, 2020 (also known as Super Tuesday because of the sheer number of other states voting that day) and a primary for state races on August 11, 2020 that include U.S. senate, congressional, Minnesota state legislature, and other local offices. 

Primaries are either open or closed. The Minnesota presidential primary will be closed, meaning that voters must choose a ballot from one of the two major political parties in the state, either the DFL or Minnesota GOP, and they may only vote in that party’s primary. The number of votes determine which delegates from the state will attend the Democratic National Convention this summer to ultimately choose the party’s nominee. 

In addition to the presidential primary in March, Minnesota voters may exercise their right to vote in the state-level primary on August 11, 2020. This primary is open, which means that voters are not required to declare their party affiliation, so they can exercise their right to vote in whichever primary they choose regardless of their political affiliation. Ultimately, whichever candidates earn the most votes in August will appear on the general election ballot in November for the office in which they’re running. 

Conventions

In Minnesota, district, county, state and then the two national conventions are held after their respective primaries and caucuses, and are facilitated by each party. In district, county, and state conventions, non-presidential candidates are endorsed, and delegates for the national convention are then selected. In Minnesota, the Republican state convention is scheduled for May 15-16, while the DFL state convention will be held May 30-31. Policy goals and party platforms may also be discussed and decided upon during these conventions. 

In the national conventions, the 75 delegates from Minnesota, which will be allocated based on the votes cast during the presidential primary, make their selection for a candidate from their party, and, ultimately, the candidate that receives the most overall delegate support cinches that party’s nomination, and their name will appear on the ballot in November. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for July 13 – 16 in Milwaukee, while the Republican National Convention will be held August 24 – 27 in Charlotte.

Upcoming Key Dates

  • January 17: Absentee voting starts on this date, and any registered Minnesotan can choose to cast their ballot via mail or in-person before the presidential primary on March 3. 
  • February 11: Anyone who is not already registered to vote in Minnesota can register starting on this date in order to save time on presidential primary day on March 3. 
  • February 25: The DFL and MN GOP will hold their precinct caucuses at 7 PM across the state.
  • March 3 [Super Tuesday]: Minnesotans, along with voters in 14 other states, will head to the polls to cast their vote in the presidential primary. 
  • March 10: Township elections will occur on this date.
  • March 7 – April 19: The DFL and MN GOP will hold their party’s conventions for county, state Senate, and state House district conventions. 
  • March 29 – May 29: Congressional district conventions are held by the DFL and MN GOP to endorse U.S. Congressional candidates and select national convention delegates. 
  • May 15 & 16: A U.S. Senate candidate will be endorsed in Rochester at the Republican state convention.
  • May 30 & 31: A U.S. Senate candidate will be endorsed in Rochester at the DFL state convention. 
  • June 26: Absentee voting for the Aug. 11 primary starts on this date.
  • July 13 – 16: The Democratic National Convention will be held in Milwaukee where the Democratic party will endorse a nominee for their party’s presidential ticket for the general election.
  • August 11: Minnesota will hold an open primary for federal and statewide offices. 
  • August 24 – 27: The Republican National Convention will be held in Charlotte.
  • September 18: Absentee voting starts on this date.
  • November 3: General Election Day!  

Source: Pioneer Press

Call to Action

Become educated on the election. A comprehensive list of upcoming election dates, as well as a variety of other resources, can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website here and here. 

Get involved. Each party’s website offers a variety of resources on how to get involved. The Junior League of Minneapolis is non-partisan, and we’ve included both major party’s websites below: