Good News 4/19/26 - 4/25/26
Sunday, April 19, 2026
At a time when the federal administration is openly anti-trans and many states are challenging trans rights, Minnesota is upholding and strengthening its position as a sanctuary state for LGTBQ and specifically trans-gender people.
Attorney General Keith Ellison secured a federal court ruling protecting gender-affirming care. In March, Ellison and a coalition of 21 states won a case blocking federal pressure that aimed to shut down care for trans youth. The court sided with the states, reinforcing that medical decisions belong to patients, families, and doctors—not politics.
Minnesota’s “Trans Refuge” law is still in effect—and still working. Authored by Rep. Leigh Finke, the state’s first openly transgender legislator, the law protects both patients and providers from out-of-state interference. Families are traveling here specifically because Minnesota has made it clear: gender-affirming care is protected here.
Gender-affirming care remains fully legal and protected across Minnesota. Despite national pressure and proposed federal changes, providers across the state continue offering care backed by major medical organizations. Minnesota remains one of the states where access has not been interrupted.
Governor Tim Walz officially recognized Transgender Day of Visibility this year. On March 31, the state formally honored transgender Minnesotans—naming visibility, dignity, and recognition as values worth protecting at the highest level of leadership.
Minnesota continues enforcing one of the strongest anti-discrimination protections in the country. State law explicitly protects transgender people from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations—giving people legal backing for everyday safety and participation in public life.
OutFront Minnesota continues organizing, advocating, and supporting trans Minnesotans statewide. Led by Executive Director Kat Rohn, the organization remains a central force—connecting legal advocacy, community support, and public education to protect and expand trans rights.
Minnesota is still allowing trans student athletes to participate in sports aligned with their identity. Even under federal legal pressure, the state has maintained its position—refusing to remove trans students from participation and continuing to defend inclusive policies.
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
Monday, April 20, 2026
💧 Boundary Waters, Water, & Earth Day — Minnesota Good News
This week, the waters of Minnesota were pulled into a national fight. Minnesota is not only the headwaters of the Mississippi River, but also the indigenous peoples of Minnesota have been protecting the water of Lake Superior for years.
A narrow vote in the U.S. Senate just cleared the way to lift a 20-year mining ban near the Boundary Waters—opening the headwaters of one of the most pristine freshwater ecosystems in the country to potential copper-nickel mining.
The Boundary Waters is over a million acres of interconnected lakes, rivers, and forest—water that flows, connects, and sustains life far beyond its edges.
And when something that sacred is threatened, Minnesotans do what Minnesotans do.
🌲 People are showing up for the water—together
An Earth Day Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol is bringing people together to stand for clean water and the Boundary Waters, with the message that protecting these waters belongs to all of us. The timing matters. The response is immediate, visible, and collective.
🛶 The Boundary Waters is still protected—right now
Even after the federal vote, no mine is approved or operating. Any proposed project still faces years of environmental review, permitting, and legal challenges. Organizations, tribal nations, and environmental groups are already preparing next steps to protect the watershed.
🌊 The water movement here runs deep (and experienced)
Minnesota isn’t new to this fight. Groups like Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness have been protecting this ecosystem since the 1970s—helping shape laws, expand protections, and build public awareness. That means today’s movement stands on decades of knowledge, strategy, and love for this place.
🌾 Indigenous voices are centered in protecting water
The Boundary Waters watershed connects to wild rice ecosystems, which hold deep cultural and ecological importance. Tribal leaders and advocates continue to be among the strongest voices calling for protection, grounding the movement in generational stewardship and relationship to land.
🚣 The Boundary Waters still belongs to the people
It remains the most visited wilderness area in the United States, with thousands of people paddling, fishing, and camping its lakes every year. Every canoe that enters those waters is a quiet act of connection—and a reminder of what’s worth protecting.
🌎 Earth Day energy is translating into real action
Across Minnesota, Earth Day events are expanding beyond celebration into organizing, education, and mobilization. Climate groups, local communities, and everyday people are using this moment to: call legislators, attend rallies, share information, support water protection efforts
💙 The fight isn’t over—and Minnesotans know how to stay
Even supporters of the mining decision acknowledge that the process is far from finished. Legal pathways, state-level decisions, and public pressure all remain active. And if there’s one thing Minnesota has proven—again and again—it’s this: We don’t walk away from our water.
Water remembers where it flows, and here in Minnesota, it keeps finding its way back to people who love it fiercely.
When you drink your water today, whisper a little prayer of gratitude and protection into it. That magick matters.
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
Good News emerging out of the horror.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
This weekend in Shreveport Louisiana, eight children died by a gun.
What does a community actually do with something like this?
In Minnesota, we respond as we do with everything, with long-term action.
Last August, a gunman opened fire through the stained-glass windows during morning Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in south Minneapolis, killing 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and injuring dozens more.
The night of the shooting, hundreds of people gathered at Lynnhurst Park, organized by Protect Minnesota and Moms Demand Action, and more than 600 people filled the gym at Academy of Holy Angels. Archbishop Bernard Hebda stood in front of parents holding babies and teenagers sitting shoulder to shoulder. Governor Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar stood with the community as people sang and cried together.
Within days, more than 100 students and parents stood on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol calling for specific changes.
Harper Moyski’s parents from the Annunciation community invited elected officials into their living room. They sat together in a home, face to face, asking hard questions about safety, responsibility, and what could actually change going forward
At Allianz Field, Minnesota United supporters raised banners with Harper and Fletcher’s names and sang together. The Minnesota Vikings wore shirts that read “Be Kind. Be Respectful. Be Inclusive. Be Brave,” carrying the message into a different kind of public space. At Target Field, the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays paused before a game. The scoreboard read “Annunciation Church,” and an entire stadium stood in silence
Schools across Minneapolis and the broader metro quietly updated protocols over the year. Not just drills, but communication systems, reunification plans, and trauma-informed practices that continue shaping how staff respond to crisis
Parish networks and local organizations continue supporting families with ongoing expenses, recognizing that recovery stretches far beyond the immediate aftermath
Lawn signs are still visible, months later, in neighborhoods across south Minneapolis that read “We Love Annunciation Children,” now sitting alongside newer signs—“ICE OUT,” “Protect Trans Kids,” “Black Lives Matter”
Annual rhythms are beginning to form. Plans for memorial masses, anniversaries, and continued gatherings ensure that the story is marked, remembered, and carried forward with intention
Local leaders and elected officials continue referencing Annunciation in policy discussions, keeping it present in legislative framing rather than allowing it to fade into a past headline
Students who lived through the shooting have continued to shape the conversation, bringing their voices into classrooms, community forums, and public spaces as they grow into what this experience has asked of them
This is how Minnesota responds.
We gather in parks, sit in each other’s living rooms and look each other in the eye, and we keep the conversation going, for as long as it takes.
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
Good News - Prince style
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Prince died ten years ago yesterday.
The day he died, Minneapolis shut down the streets for a massive grief celebration. What showed up in Minneapolis that night still shows up now. People gathering on bridges, in neighborhoods, playing music and standing close to each other. That instinct—to come together in public and hold something collectively—is the same instinct showing up in Minnesota right now.
Prince didn’t just make music here. He amplified how this place responds when things get hard.
Prince opened Paisley Park in 1987 as a working studio and creative campus so artists could stay in Minnesota instead of leaving for Los Angeles or New York. It became a place where music was made at all hours and where local musicians could build careers without relocating.
Prince was known for giving large amounts of money quietly. After his death, it was revealed he had funded education programs, paid for instruments for schools, and supported Black youth organizations in Minneapolis without attaching his name to the donations.
In 2015, Prince hosted a series of “Rally 4 Peace” concerts in response to the killing of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis. He brought together activists, community members, and artists at Paisley Park, using music as a way to gather people during a moment of crisis.
Prince’s song Baltimore was written after the death of Freddie Gray and includes the line “Does anybody hear us pray?” He released it for free, saying music should be used to respond to injustice in real time.
From Let’s Go Crazy: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to get through this thing called life.” That line has been used repeatedly in Minneapolis memorials, vigils, and public gatherings, including after his death and during later community crises.
Prince said, “No one can dictate who you are.” He refused to label his own identity publicly and often left gender ambiguous in his lyrics, creating space for listeners to see themselves reflected without definition.
Prince said, “A strong spirit transcends rules.” That line has been widely circulated in Minneapolis over the years, especially in moments when community members have stepped outside formal systems to care for each other.
When Prince died on April 21, 2016, thousands of people gathered outside Paisley Park and outside First Avenue in downtown within hours. There was no central organizer. People brought candles, speakers, flowers, and stood together late into the night.
The Lowry Avenue Bridge, the I-35W bridge, and buildings across downtown Minneapolis were lit purple the night of his death. The lighting spread quickly across the city without a coordinated announcement, as institutions and individuals responded in real time.
Murals of Prince began appearing across Minneapolis within days of his death. Many were created by local artists without commission, turning walls into public memorials that are still part of the city’s landscape.
Prince regularly played unannounced shows at small venues in Minneapolis, sometimes performing late at night after larger concerts. These shows kept him connected to the local community rather than operating only at a national level.
Prince once said, “I like Hollywood. I like Minneapolis a little bit better.” He maintained his home and primary creative base in Minnesota for his entire career, even at the height of his global fame.
The instinct Minneapolis showed the night Prince died—gathering, witnessing, making space for grief in public—is the same instinct showing up now in how people respond to each other during moments of pressure.
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
Good News
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Minnesota resistance efforts made it into a newspaper in Chile! The world is still watching Minnesota’s example.
The genuine relationships that grew out of the ICE surge crisis are long-lasting. One example, Jody Abramson started driving kids to school during the surge. The good news is that those kids are back to riding the bus like normal. The even better news is that Jody is still playing an active role in their lives.
The St. Paul Art Crawl wrapped its April weekend with artists opening studio spaces across Lowertown and other neighborhoods. Thousands of people moved through warehouses, galleries, and shared spaces, buying art directly from local creators and meeting them in person.
At the Mall of America, the annual spring plant care cycle is underway, including the release of beneficial insects like ladybugs to protect the mall’s 30,000+ live plants without chemical pesticides. It’s one of the largest indoor plant care systems in the country.
Second Harvest Heartland reported continued high volunteer turnout this week as they sort and distribute food across partner agencies. Spring tends to bring a shift from emergency response to more steady distribution, and volunteer numbers have held strong.
University of Minnesota Extension has launched its spring Master Gardener programming, with residents across the state signing up to learn soil health, planting techniques, and food production skills that they’ll bring back into their communities.
The Minnesota Historical Society opened new spring programming at sites across the state this week, including outdoor tours and public history events that bring people back into shared spaces after the winter season.
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity continues its spring build season, with volunteers back on construction sites across the metro helping build and repair homes for local families.
Free Bikes 4 Kidz Minnesota is beginning its seasonal ramp-up, preparing thousands of donated bikes for distribution to kids later this spring and summer.
The Minneapolis Public Schools continues its return to more stable in-person learning routines, with attendance patterns improving after earlier disruptions and more students consistently back in classrooms.
St. Paul Farmers Market has reopened more fully for the season, bringing local growers, early produce, and small food vendors back into regular weekly rotation.
Minnesota Orchestra continues its spring concert series, drawing audiences back into Orchestra Hall and maintaining one of the most active performing arts schedules in the region.
I’m gaining momentum on writing the individual stories of the amazing WOMN who showed up during the surge. New excerpts post every Tuesday, and I’ve got stories scheduled through May! I’ll be posting stand-alone quotes each day (thank you Substack notes scheduler).
I’m going on a mini-vacation this weekend, headed to a wedding in Colorado. I’ll be taking a few days off of Good News until I get back on Tuesday. If you post your good news here in the comments, I’ll share those instead.
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
Friday, April 24, 2026
Before I head out on a weekend road-trip, here’s a good news list proving that elected officials are loving fiercely. These are examples of people detained by ICE, and how elected officials are showing up to get them released.
Andrea Pedro-Francisco, 23, is from Burnsville, Minnesota, and has been held in El Paso, Texas, since February 5, after ICE arrested her six days before scheduled surgery for a tennis-ball-sized ovarian cyst. On April 23, DFL Sens. Lindsey Port and Alice Mann, religious leaders, and other elected officials held a State Capitol press conference demanding humanitarian parole. Rep. Angie Craig has been communicating with federal officials and said, “I’m not going to let a constituent die on my watch.”
Javier Abreu-Vasquez, a kidney-transplant recipient from Rochester, Minnesota, was detained by ICE on February 5 while delivering groceries for a church mutual-aid network. State Rep. Kim Hicks helped his family try to get his anti-rejection medication to him after the arrest. He was released after two weeks and returned home to Minnesota on February 19, where his wife, daughters, and mother met him at the Rochester airport.
Rihan, an 18-year-old honors senior from Cheshire, Connecticut, was detained by ICE on April 6 and held at Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts. Gov. Ned Lamont, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General William Tong, school leaders, and local officials publicly pushed for his release. He was released on bond April 20 and returned to Cheshire, though his case continues with a May 4 immigration hearing.
Salah Sarsour, 53, is a Milwaukee-area Palestinian legal permanent resident and president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. ICE detained him on March 30 after he left his home in Franklin, Wisconsin, and transferred him to Indiana. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, local elected officials, clergy, Muslim organizations, labor groups, and Rep. Mark Pocan have demanded his release. His first immigration hearing is scheduled for April 27.
Hayam El Gamal and her five children are from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and were held for more than 10 months at Dilley in Texas. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar publicly called for the family’s release after reports of heart-related medical concerns, children’s mental-health distress, and delayed care. A federal judge ordered their release April 23, and Castro said ICE should release them immediately.
Thank you Gracefully Ragtag for commenting on my note this week with this quote from Sylvia Brown. I hope Sylvia’s prophecy is right, because our local government officials are proving to have the fierce love heart we need to carry this country to a new energy.
Sylvia Browne:
“The year 2020 will mark the end of the U.S. presidency and the executive branch of the government. Let’s just say the American public will finally be fed up by then and leave it at that. The legislative branch will essentially absorb the responsibilities of the executive branch, with a streamlined body of elected representatives, an equal number from each state, forming the new legislature, which will be known simply as the Senate. The “party” system of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, et al., will un-complicate itself into Liberals and Conservatives, who will debate and vote on each proposed bill and law in nationally televised sessions. Requirements for Senate candidates will be stringent and continuously monitored. For example, senators will be prohibited from having any past or present salaried position with any company that has ever had or might ever have a professional or contractual connection to federal, state, or local government, and each senator must submit to random drug and alcohol testing throughout his or her term. The long-term effects of this reorganized government and closely examined body of lawmakers will be a return of legislative accountability and public trust, and state governments will follow suit no later than 2024 by becoming smaller mirror images of the national Senate.”
Thanks for giving a shit.
I love you all fiercely.
TeriLeigh💜
