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Welcome to the MN Office of Ombudsperson for Families July Newsletter |
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Disability Pride Month, remembering Asian American Civil Rights history, and more!
 July is Disability Pride Month!
July 26 is the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This July, we celebrate people with disabilities and honor the work that is needed to make a world that is more accessible for all. OBFF is committed to ensuring its resources are accessible - read our Accessibility Policy.
If you or someone your love are in need of disability services in Minnesota, please refer to the Minnesota Council on Disability. You can also search through OBFF's list of Community Resources and enter "disability" in the search bar to find resources in your county.
Remembering Vincent Chin: 44 Years Later, a Call to Protect AANHPI Children and Families
Forty-four years ago on June 23, Vincent Chin died in a Detroit hospital, four days after he was beaten with a baseball bat by two men who blamed him for the struggles of the American auto industry. He was 27 years old, days away from his wedding. His killers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, never spent a day in jail. A judge explained the $3,000 fine and probation he handed down by saying, "These weren't the kind of men you send to jail."
That sentence — and the silence that might have followed it — became instead the spark for a national movement. Vincent Chin's mother, Lily Chin, and a small group of Detroit activists refused to let his death be quietly absorbed into the city's racial unrest.
Read the full statement on OBFF's website.
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Ombudsperson Zuniga Connects with Civil Rights Icon Helen Zia, Joins Nationwide Coalition Summit
Over the weekend of June 27, Minnesota's Ombudsperson for Asian and Pacific Families, Manuel B. Zuniga Jr., spent two days immersed in the kind of coalition-building and storytelling work that sits at the heart of his office's mission — meeting one of the Asian American movement's most influential voices along the way.
Read the full article in OBFF News.
Minnesota Laws in Effect Starting July 1
Several new laws go into effect in Minnesota starting July 1, 2026, including anonymous threat reporting systems in schools, mental health grant programs for young children, and funding for upgrades to county-level human services information technology.
Read the MPR News summary for more information on a few of these laws.
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Minnesota Primary Elections August 11
The 2026 Minnesota Primary Election is on Tuesday, August 11. A primary election determines which candidates will be on the ballot in the November general election. Early voting started on June 26 and is open through August 10.
Register to vote by July 21 to save time on Election Day!
OBFF Asian Pacific Families Board Openings
Ombudsperson Board For Asian-Pacific Families is looking for interested candidates to fill open board member seats.
This is an advisory board that meets on a regular basis to advise and provide support to the Ombudsperson for Asian-Pacific Families on matters that are important and related to their duties and activities, and to help advocate for better outcomes for Minnesotan Asian-Pacific families and children in the child welfare system mostly due to poverty, cultural and background differences, linguistic barriers, lack of culturally responsive and appropriate services to meet their needs, lack of understanding the child protection laws; just to name a few. Learn more on OBFF's website.
To apply, email Board Chair Thanh Glasco at Thanh.L.Glasco@state.mn.us, or you may also apply directly through the Office of the Secretary of State website.
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Summer 2026 Regional Permanency Trainings
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and Foster Adopt Minnesota (FAM) are holding regional permanency trainings throughout the summer for professionals working in child welfare or permanency support roles.
Kandiyohi County Regional Permanency Training
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Date and Time: Tuesday, July 14, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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Location: Kandiyohi County Law Enforcement Center, 2201 23rd St NE, Ste 103, Willmar, MN 56201
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Registration: Register for the July 14 training
Virginia Regional Permanency Training
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Date and Time: Tuesday, August 11, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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Location: Virginia Government Services Center, 201 S 1st Ave W, Virginia, MN 55792
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Registration: Register for the August 11 training
Mower County Regional Permanency Training
Foster Care Community of Practice Meeting: MAAFPCWDA Panel
The next Foster Care Community of Practice Meetings will answer pre-submitted questions regarding the new Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA).
To submit a question, please complete the MAAFPCWDA Mentimeter Survey by July 13.
Event Details:
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Date and Time:
- Tuesday, July 28, 10:00 - 11:30am
- Thursday, July 30, 2:00 - 3:30pm
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Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams
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Registration: Register for one session, since content is the same in both sessions.
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12th African Mental Health Summit
Join the 12th African Mental Health Summit (AMHS) with the theme Borders, Belonging, and Well-Being: Building Thriving African Diaspora Communities Through Mental Health Justice. Community leaders, mental health advocates, researchers, and more will convene to reimagine mental health equity for those of African heritage.
Event Details:
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Date and Time: Friday, July 10, 9:00am - 4:30pm
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Location: Carriage Hall, Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center, 6155 Earle Brown Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55430
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Registration: Learn more and register online
Reflective Consultation Summer 2026-2027
The Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) is putting on a free series of reflective consultation for child welfare supervisors and administrators. Learn more about Reflective Consultation.
The CASCW Reflective Consultation series will run via eleven sessions between August 2026 and June 2027. These sessions are open to administrators or supervisors who work in Minnesota child protection or child welfare. If you meet the criteria and are interested, please complete the interest form. For questions, please contact Mary Harrison at mharriso@umn.edu.
2nd World Summit on Human Trafficking, Femicide, and Gender-Based Violence
The 2026 World Summit on Human Trafficking, Femicide, and Gender-Based Violence reaffirms a global commitment to ending human trafficking, femicide, and gender-based violence through survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and cross-sector cooperation.
Event Details:
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Date: Monday, August 31 - Thursday, September 3, 2026
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Location: The Captain's Room, Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center, 6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
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Registration: Learn more and register online
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