Legislative Update - Connecting with Community

Dear Neighbors, 

I hope your summer is off to a great start! Even though the 2024 Legislative Session is over, I’ve kept myself busy meeting with folks throughout our community, discussing our accomplishments from these last two years and going over the work that still needs to be done - and I’ve been doing a lot of that these last few days!

Recently, I met up with the folks at Creative Care for Reaching Independence (CCRI) to talk about the importance of legislation supporting disability services during a fun night of bowling and pizza!

Minnesota’s 2nd Annual Juneteenth

This week marked the second year of Minnesota joining a growing number of states in recognizing June 19th as a state holiday. This significant day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, marking the date in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas finally received word of their freedom.

It was great celebrating the day during Moorhead’s 2nd Annual Juneteenth Event

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate freedom, but it is also a day to recommit ourselves to building a future where Black Minnesotans have the opportunity to not only thrive but to seek true liberation, free from racial disparities and systemic barriers. 

White Earth Tribal and Community College Groundbreaking

This week also had the groundbreaking for White Earth Tribal and Community College’s renovation on their main campus! I joined community members, partners, and stakeholders to mark the start of construction for the college’s wellness addition.

We heard from Tribal College President Anna Sheppard, who gave us great insight into the future of the college, and the benefits of this expansion - a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance the academic environment and support the success of the student body.

The new addition will include a wellness center and a commercial kitchen and dining center for culinary education, nutrition, and dining services.

The wellness addition will include state-of-the-art facilities designed to support physical, mental, and emotional health, providing a holistic approach to wellness grounded in Anishinaabe culture and values. I’m so excited for the future of this college and its students! 

Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness

A Bigger Vision Films traveled over 40,000 miles around the US to answer this question: How can this country solve homelessness in a comprehensive way? Their most recent stop was in Fargo, and I was honored to join their panel for a screening and discussion around their film - Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness.

The film and discussion focused on a single homelessness response systems plan based on the principles of Housing First with community buy-in from law enforcement, judicial systems, business communities, service providers, volunteers, and leadership from the mayor and county executive, all working from the same page.

It mirrored a lot of the discussions we had in St. Paul this year, and the last. Under our DFL trifecta, we’ve delivered the largest investment in addressing housing insecurity that Minnesota has ever seen, but that work is far from done, and it won’t be until every Minnesotan has a safe and secure place to call home. 

Stay Connected

It was certainly a busy couple of days, but I love being back in our community and talking about the work we accomplished together! If you have any community events coming up that you’d like me to attend, please reach out! I always look forward to answering questions about what we’ve accomplished, or listening to ideas of how to improve Moorhead and Minnesota.

If you have an event coming up, or have any questions about our work in the Minnesota House, you can always contact my office at rep.heather.keeler@house.mn.gov or 651-296-5515. I look forward to hearing from you!

In community, 

Rep. Heather Keeler

Minnesota House of Representatives