MARCH 20, 2020
Minnesota residents are in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis. With each passing day, people become more terrified, wondering if they will be evicted from their homes because they can’t pay rent, unable to provide for their loved ones due to layoffs and small business closures, or forced to risk exposure at work because they can’t take paid leave or access medical care. And we know that this crisis is disproportionately impacting communities who have been on the margins for a long time– people experiencing homelessness, the uninsured, low wealth communities and the working poor, and black, brown, indigenous and immigrant communities.
This week, hundreds of people chose to participate in direct action and confront our elected officials with their personal stories to remind them what’s at stake. They made thousands of calls to Minnesota lawmakers demanding that they take emergency action to guarantee healthcare, economic and social security, and safety amid this crisis and meet the demands signed by 10,000+ people on this petition.
We’re grateful that the Walz Administration has re-opened the enrollment period for MNSure. We believe the direct action hundreds of people took part in this week was instrumental in this decision. Re-opening the marketplace will save lives, but we must continue to guarantee access to healthcare enrollment beyond thirty days. The public will continue to speak out and share their stories until healthcare is guaranteed indefinitely and universally for all Minnesotans.
While we continue to fight for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, full unemployment benefits and guaranteed paid sick leave, rent and mortgage freezes, and the cancellation of student and medical debt, we recognize that the state will not save us and elected officials are not our saviors. Ultimately it is up to us to collectively organize for our own survival, liberation, and the end of capitalism. We continue to encourage people to participate in mutual aid and lean into community during this crisis.
If you or anyone you know does not have health insurance, please sign up during the new special enrollment period by April 21: https://www.mnsure.org/new-customers/enrollment-deadlines/special-enrollment/covid19-sep.jsp
Click here to donate to or request aid from the TCDSA Solidarity Fund.