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APRIL 2025
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April 18, 2025
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Welcome to the April 2025 Issue!
The Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans (MNQT) works for the implementation of economic, social, legal, and political equality for all Minnesotans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender expansive, queer, intersex, asexual, and/or two-spirit.
Hello! So glad you're here!
Have you taken our Community Needs Survey yet? Follow this link to take the survey. We continue to be absolutely delighted about the number of survey responses we've gotten and look forward to watching the numbers grow (the survey is open until May 31st).
Our Executive Director Emma Watts has been busy promoting the survey on several news outlets (more on that later in the newsletter) and we want to remind you why taking the survey and sharing your experiences is such a powerful move:
- Our Community Needs Assessment is the most comprehensive analysis of Minnesota’s LGBTQIA2S+ community in the last 30 years.
- The information we collect will be used to inform policy decisions, advocacy efforts, and service planning.
- Results will be made available to members of the community, community organizations, and the public.
We also want to address some (very valid!) concerns about privacy. Our top priority in designing this survey is the safety and privacy of LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans who trust us with their experiences. As a reminder, your survey responses are confidential and anonymous. Check out this page on our website that details the privacy considerations that have gone into survey creation. Here are a few short examples:
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To ensure data security, we have partnered with Minnesota Management Analysis and Development (MAD), a state agency with legal protections that allow them to handle data with extra privacy measures. MAD’s research data is exempt from public records requests, meaning individual responses remain protected.
- Additionally, we have carefully designed survey questions to reduce privacy risks, including limiting demographic data collection and ensuring regional data remains non-identifiable.
A special call to action regarding the survey: please share with parents or caregivers of LGBTQIA2S+ youth! We really want to hear your experience if you have a child who is a member of our community to ensure your specific needs are advocated for and supported. At the beginning of the main survey there is a question that will direct you to the Parent/Caregiver Survey so no need to share a different survey link.
We've also had people asking how they can help with survey promotion, or wishing to get involved with supporting MNQT. If this is you, please fill out our MNQT Volunteer Survey Interest Form. We'll be in touch regarding upcoming volunteer opportunities!
Read on to learn what else MNQT has been working on, check out our events to know where to find us in community, and share this newsletter with a friend so they can stay updated with MNQT news too!
With gratitude,
MNQT staff:
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A Note From Our Policy and Research Specialist:
Good morning/afternoon/evening! I’m Kelsey Waits, the Research and Policy Specialist for the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans.
I joined the MNQT team in December, and since then, my main role has been to coordinate the survey portions of our Community Needs Assessment. This has included working with my colleagues and LGBTQ+ community leaders to design our survey, connecting with other organizations around the country who have embarked on similar journeys, creating survey goals, and developing our questions and procedures so that survey responses remain anonymous. We have engaged with community in each step of the survey creation and distribution process, and we will continue to engage community and incorporate their feedback as we report our results.
The Community Needs Assessment will help us learn more about the needs, priorities, and challenges faced by Minnesota’s LGBTQIA2S+ community. It will help shape policies, funding priorities, and advocacy efforts to better serve our communities. We also hope that LGBTQIA2S+ serving organizations will be able to use the information to design programing, apply for funding, and strengthen the already amazing work that they do across our state.
There are two versions of our survey. The first version collects responses from LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans who are 18 and over, while the second version collects responses from parents of LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Both surveys are accessed through the same link on our website. Thanks to our community partners and their outreach efforts, we have already had over 2600 responses to our community survey and 100 responses to our parent survey. We hope to see those numbers continue to increase over the next month and a half.
Outside of my work on the Community Needs Assessment, I track policies that have been introduced in the Minnesota Legislature. I follow the bills that specifically target the LGBTQIA2S+ community, research what we know about the topic, create summaries for legislators, and help craft written testimony in support or opposition to the bills. I am also creating one-page summaries of this research that individuals will be able to download from our website and use as an additional tool in their advocacy work.
While most of my work with MNQT is behind the scenes, you may have seen me tabling at some of our events or attending state legislative committee hearings. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about the needs assessment or the work that I do for MNQT. I deeply value community conversations and the opportunity to learn and grow. I also believe that research can and should be in constant dialogue with the communities it is trying to serve. You can connect with me at an event or email me at kelsey.waits@state.mn.us. Thank you for being a part of this work.
With respect and appreciation,
Kelsey
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We currently have three legislative members serving on the Council for LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans:
Representative Brion Curran (they/she)
(DFL) District: 36B
Brion Curran (they/she) is the state representative for District 36B, which includes White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, White Bear Township, Birchwood Village, and Gem Lake. First elected in 2022, they serve as Vice Chair of Minnesota’s first-ever Queer Legislative Caucus and Vice Chair of the Sustainable Infrastructure Policy Committee. They also sit on the Public Safety Finance, Judiciary Finance and Civil Law, and Human Services Policy committees. Rep. Curran’s career has always focused on service to their community, holding various roles in disability services and public safety prior to serving in the legislature. Rep. Curran also serves on the board of Northeast Youth and Family Services. Bio from Council Members MNQT Website.
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Representative Leigh Finke (she/her)
(DFL) District: 66A
In 2022, Leigh was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, becoming the first out trans person elected to the Minnesota Legislature. Throughout her first term, Leigh has served as the chair of the Queer Legislators’ Caucus.
Leigh’s political activism began at Bethel, when she took an active role in protesting the war in Iraq. She has never stopped advocating for civil liberties at home and abroad. Today, Leigh is a committed and passionate advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ equality, abortion rights, prison justice, and environmental equity. She was named Minnesota Woman of the Year by USA Today in 2023, a 2023 Changemaker by Minnesota Public Radio, and won the 2023 Health Hero Award at Children’s Minnesota. Leigh's Committee Assignments include Commerce Finance and Policy, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, and Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
Bio from Leigh for MN and MN House.Gov.
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Senator Lindsey Port (she/her)
(DFL) Senate District 55
Senator Lindsey Port has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2021. She represents District 55, which covers the communities of Burnsville and Savage. She is a longtime resident of Burnsville, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and their two puppies.
Senator Port is chair of the Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee, and in 2023 she championed a historic $1 billion investment in safe, affordable housing for all Minnesotans. She is the Senate Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, which leads legislative efforts to secure bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom. As chief author of the 2023 adult-use cannabis legalization bill, Senator Port had the once-in-a-career opportunity to legislate a new government agency, regulate a formerly prohibited industry, and prioritize social equity within Minnesota’s new industry.
Senator Port also serves on the Elections Committee and the Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate Committee. Bio from Senate DFL MN.
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What We've Been Up To:
Trans Day of Visibility 2025 Celebration
On March 31, our team was proud to cohost a Trans Day of Visibility celebration with OutFront Minnesota. Trans Day of Visibility is an annual opportunity to celebrate the lives of trans people and give visibility to trans joy, beauty, and resilience — while also recognizing the urgent work ahead to ensure dignity, equity, and safety for trans communities across our state.
This year’s event was filled with powerful moments. Governor Tim Walz presented a proclamation in honor of Trans Day of Visibility, and Council Member Theo Casio (pictured here) gave the closing speech about what the day means to him and the importance of visibility, especially for Black and Indigenous trans people and trans people of color. We’re also incredibly grateful to the talented performers who helped bring joy and artistry to the event: The Other Jeannie Retelle, Andre 1000, and Del the Funky Homo. Thank you for helping us celebrate visibility, community, and pride.
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In the News
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Media play an important role in telling our stories and reaching statewide audiences. In the last couple of weeks, we've talked with several media outlets to share our work and the importance of this needs assessment. Follow the links below to check out the coverage:
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Policy Work
In collaboration with other community organizations, MNQT wrote a letter of support for the ERA House Bill that had a hearing on 04/03/25. Learn more on our policy page: ().
Survey Event at Queermunity: Join Us!
We're looking forward to spending time at Queermunity on Sunday, April 27th from 11am - 4pm to provide company and support for those who wish to complete the Community Needs Survey in person! Paper copies of the survey will be available. Light refreshments will be served.
We hope to see you there!
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Save the Date: Queer Youth Prom on April 26th!
The Minnesota School Outreach Coalition (MNSOC) is hosting Queer Youth Prom: Lavender Masquerade from 6:30pm - 9pm on Saturday, April 26th. The event will be at the University of Minnesota Recreation and Wellness Center in the Mac gym.
This is a FREE event! However, pre-registration is required. More info available on the MNSOC website.
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OutFront MN Lobby Day is May 5th, 2025!
Join our friends and colleagues at OutFront Minnesota, Aliveness Project, and Clare Housing for Lobby Day 2025. Mark your calendars to attend the Rally on Monday, May 5 and register here to schedule a meeting with your state representatives! Collaborate with HIV advocates and LGBTQ leaders as we bring the intersecting issues of HIV funding, education, and housing to our elected officials.
Find more information on OutFront's Event Page.
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Our Community Engagement Specialist Mars has been attending tons of events to promote the Community Needs Survey!
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Upcoming Council Meetings
Next Regular Council Meeting
Thursday, May 15th 2025: 5:00pm - 6:30pm.
Next Executive Committee Meeting
Wednesday, June 18th, 2025: 6:00pm - 7:30pm.
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