Dear Neighbors,
Happy New Year! The 2022 Legislative Session is set to begin on January 31. I recognize the challenges our community continues to experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surging Omicron variant. We all need to do our part to keep one another safe. Please get your COVID-19 vaccine (or booster shot if you’re eligible), wear a mask in public places (preferably a high-quality mask like a KN95 or N95), and get tested if you have symptoms. Yesterday, the United States Postal Service made available four COVID-19 rapid antigen tests per household. Sign up to order them here, and they will be shipped later this month.
While uncertainty remains, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic and I’m hopeful this coming session we can work together to build a state that works better for everybody.
UBLC Town Hall Meetings
I’m honored to chair the United Black Legislative Caucus, and help lead our work focusing on solutions to strengthen equity, inclusion, and opportunity for Minnesotans. I invite you to join my UBLC colleagues and me for a pair of Virtual Town Hall Meetings on Saturday, January 22 and Saturday, January 29 at 1 p.m. Both meetings will be held on Zoom.
Our Town Hall this Saturday will focus on “COVID-19: Being Black in a Pandemic” with an open, honest discussion about the effects of the pandemic on the Black community and the inequities in the healthcare system that have been made apparent during the ordeal. We’re honored to be joined by Shirlynn LaChapelle, R.N., who has worked in critical care, trauma, emergency medicine, and as a surgical nurse practitioner at Cook County Hospital. Currently working in community health, she served as president of the Minnesota Black Nurses Association from 2010-2018. The Zoom Meeting ID for the January 22 event is 846 6849 2476, and the passcode is “democracy.” To register ahead of time and submit questions, click here. Attendees are also able to RSVP to the event on Facebook.
The January 29 Town Hall will feature a Conversation on Education, Housing, and Public Safety, and will include presentations from experts and members. The Zoom ID for the January 29 Town Hall is 883 7937 1417 and the passcode is also “democracy.” Attendees can register ahead of time and submit questions here.
If you can’t join us, as always, I invite you to be in touch with your input, ideas, and feedback. It’s an honor to represent you.
Sincerely,
Rena Moran
State Representative