Meet Women Leading Policy Change Discussions at the MN Capitol

Overview

Meet Women Leading Policy Change Discussions at the MN Capitol

Held Wednesday, March 31st at 8:30 am CST

We hosted an interactive discussion about policy initiatives at the MN State Capitol this session. Featuring the women leading this work, learned more about their organizations and the impacts for Rural Women.

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Leondra Mitchell
President and CEO WoMN ACT

Leondra Mitchell is the Chief Executive Officer of WoMN ACT®, a statewide member-based organization of individuals, nonprofits, and businesses fighting for gender equity and social justice. Leondra joined the organization in 2019 and is committed to increasing womxn’s collective power by listening to, learning from, and advocating for every marginalized, excluded, and forgotten person. She has worked towards this goal for over twenty years and is dedicated to including the voices and needs of womxn in Greater Minnesota.

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Erin Maye Quade
Advocacy Director, Gender Justice

Erin Maye Quade is the Advocacy Director at Gender Justice, where she works to advance gender justice through public education, legislative outreach, strategic partnerships and coalition-building.

Erin Maye Quade is a former Minnesota State Representative who was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. There, she quickly established herself as a candid and fierce advocate for Minnesotans championing paid family leave; expanding access to affordable child care; ending childhood hunger; eliminating gun violence; and investing in treatment for mental health and substance abuse issues. In 2018, Rep. Maye Quade founded the Childhood Hunger Caucus, a coalition of businesses, nonprofits and policymakers dedicated to ending childhood hunger in Minnesota.

After legislation to prevent gun violence was stopped by Republican lawmakers, Rep. Maye Quade held a 24-hour sit-in on the House floor to protest Republican inaction on the issue and shared stories of victims and survivors of gun violence. In June 2018, Rep. Erin Maye Quade became the first LGBTQ person – and among the youngest – to be endorsed as the DFL candidate for Lt. Governor.

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Nevada Littlewolf
Campaign Manager & Executive Director

Nevada Littlewolf is the Page Amendment Campaign Manager & Executive Director. Before joining the team, Nevada served as Minnesota’s state Political Director for the 2020 Biden Presidential Campaign. She brings years of experience to the team, having worked across sectors of community, government, philanthropy, non-profit, and business. Nevada served on the Virginia City Council for ten years from 2008-2018. Nevada is a citizen of Leech Lake nation and has two children.