Dear Neighbors, I continue to mourn alongside the rest of our community following the tragedy that occurred at Annunciation Catholic School. I grieve for the students whose lives were lost in the attack, as well as the other students, parents, teachers, and community members who must now carry the trauma following yet another incident of senseless gun violence. Nobody should have to face this fear in their day-to-day lives, whether at school, a place of worship, or anywhere in our neighborhoods. That this shooting occurred during the first week of school – a time that should be full of excitement, joy, new friends, and hope for the future – makes it particularly heartbreaking.  I attended the funeral of one of the victims, Fletcher Alexander Merkel. Banning assault weapons is common sense. I will never understand how we choose guns over lives. How many more children must we bury before we are willing to act on sensible gun legislation? We have to acknowledge the fact that this level of gun violence is a uniquely American problem. Every life lost is one too many, and we must never allow ourselves to become numb to these tragedies or accept them as a normal part of reality. While we’ve made progress in recent years to make our communities safer through criminal background checks, red flag laws, and other actions, there is clearly more to do. In the coming weeks and months, we will have renewed conversations about how to recommit ourselves to building a safer future for everyone. We will keep listening to our neighbors – with the voices of survivors at the center – about how to address the causes of this violence, including easy access to types of weapons designed to inflict mass harm. Simply put, we cannot accept a status quo where gun violence is normal. Resources: There are resources available for members of our community: - 211 United Way offers free, confidential information about mental and physical health care and other emergency services. Call 2-1-1 any time, or visit findhelp.org.
- Mental Health Minnesota provides anonymous, confidential peer support, and the Minnesota Warmline is available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 651-288-0400, or you can text “Support” to 85511.
- For immediate crisis support, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7/365. Call 9-8-8, text 9-8-8, or click here to access an online chat feature to connect with a crisis counselor.
- Everytown Survivor Network: Text “SURVIVOR” to 644-33 to join a nationwide network of gun violence survivors. The Survivor Network offers peer support, trauma-informed programs, advocacy opportunities, and resources to help survivors heal and make their voices heard.
- Information and resources for talking to children about gun violence are available here for parents and for educators.
- This incident also highlights the importance of giving blood if you’re able. Information is available from Memorial Blood Centers and the American Red Cross.
When there are warning signs of a threat, it’s important to take them seriously; intervention can prevent tragedy. Most mass shooters share their plans in advance, especially young people and those planning shootings in schools. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has a “See It Say It Send It” app available to report tips anonymously, including threats to schools or places of worship. You can also call the BCA’s tipline at 1-877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn?.us. Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), also known as “red flag laws,” are an effective way to prevent tragedy. Under an ERPO, a petition can be filed to temporarily restrict access to firearms for someone who may pose a threat to themselves or others. More information on this process is available here. We continue to hold space for the victims, their families, and everyone whose lives were shattered by these events and keep them close to our hearts. Even as we grieve, we must move forward with a commitment to taking action. Our children, families, and communities deserve to be free from violence, and we will continue to listen, learn, and work together to keep our communities safe. Paint the PavementI joined neighbors to help complete a beautiful street mural. Paint the Pavement is a Saint Paul city initiative to encourage neighbors to gather, organize, design, and install an approved mural on a neighborhood street. In turning an anonymous space into a claimed space (an endeavor called "placemaking"), social connections are formed, communities strengthened, and everyday goals are realized, including traffic calming, increased livability, and lower crime rates.  House of Hope Presbyterian ChurchI was grateful to meet with Rev. Dr. Scott Jones, the new Senior Pastor at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, right here in our district. Thank you for sharing your advocacy around trans rights and bodily autonomy. I am honored to have such a strong partner in this work. Your mission of building a loving community for all resonates deeply with me, and I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure every member of our community feels supported, valued, and welcome.  Meeting with our South Indian and Tibetan Communities??I joined Mayor Aftab Pureval of Cincinnati in spending the day with members of our South Indian and Tibetan communities. Thank you for your warm hospitality in opening your spaces to us. Days like this are a powerful reminder of the humility this work requires. Hearing about the resilience of those who have built new lives in unfamiliar lands and the challenges they have overcome fills me with a renewed sense of purpose to advocate for the people we represent. I am especially grateful to Anjuli Cameron, Dash Arathyata, Jigme Ugen, and Tenzin Passang for your remarkable leadership and ability to bring community members together on such short notice.  Labor Day Weekend TournamentI remember a time when I had to hide playing sports. Women and girls were not allowed to participate in activities outside of the home. I am grateful to John Yang and Ib Tsev Neeg - One Family for organizing a Labor Day weekend tournament so that kids have a place to put their energy, and families can come support them. There was flag football, volleyball, pickleball, an entrepreneur booth contest, and corn hole. This tournament was free and self-funded. It exists because it is a labor of love for the organizers. Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and athletes. I truly enjoyed seeing old friends and getting to know a whole new generation of players and entrepreneurs.  |