Heather Silsbee

@hsilsbee.bsky.social

1858 Followers 651 Following

Editor, communicator, abolitionist, Southwest Minneapolis resident trying to make it less of a problem. Queer/bi, chronically ill, she/her

Klobuchar expressed outrage to her staff and said that she was going to forgo the convention rather than go through additional speeches and a Q&A, according to the sources, who could clearly hear what she was saying while backstage.
As he does after defeats, Frey ascended the soapbox Wednesday, proclaiming, “We can’t keep messing around with issues that aren’t related to the core functions of our government. We’ve gotta be focusing on safety, we’ve gotta be focusing on business development growth and retention, not Cuba and bathhouses and [legalizing] drug paraphernalia.”
‘In case mami comes home’ Another parent snatched by federal officers off the streets of Minneapolis is the mother of the 11-year-old girl from Ecuador – who has been staying in the home of an ICE observer she met just this week.
Rainville said he saw the damage that was done to the two hotels during protests said both hotels are now losing “a lot of money.” After one council member called the protesters “agitators,” Council Vice President Jamal Osman, who is a Somali American, said those agitators have been fighting for immigrants like him. “Our president called us garbage and sent troops here to terrorize us,” he said. “Agitators are our heroes.”
Cropped frame of the video in the original post. It shows someone holding up a sign that says "ABOLISH ICE."
If the 504 protests had never happened, it's possible that many disabled residents would not even have elevators to access the Minneapolis City Council chambers. Yet, if the 504 Sit-in and protests were happening in Minneapolis today, I wonder whether Council Vice President Palmisano would deem them an acceptable form of protest. Considering that Heumann and the 504 protesters used tactics that are arguably more invasive of public figures' lives than the actions of those protesting against demolition of the Roof Depot today, I doubt she would be supportive. As discussion continues on further regulating the constitutional right to protest in Minneapolis, I urge all residents, and the City Council majority, to remember our history and honor the work of civil rights leaders like Judy Heumann. How many of the rights you enjoy today were won using the same protest actions that you now, after gaining a position of power, want to regulate?
Screenshot of the top of an email newsletter titled "Minneapolis Times: Weekly Review for December 21, 2025"
Public Facebook post from Darnella Frazier: This is my sister. Rekeya Frazier. Last Wednesday, a number of ICE agents approached her and her boyfriend. They were in an unmarked vehicle and were not all fully dressed in their uniforms. In the world we live in today, you don't know what's real and fake, or what to trust anymore. Allegedly her boyfriend's student visa was expired and they were questioning him about his immigration status. In the process of doing that, he got extremely scared and hopped in the back seat of my sister's car, allegedly pointing his gun at my sister while she drove to the nearest police station in complete fear. Meanwhile her boyfriend, Bamigboye was on the phone with the police.
Food donations & volunteers needed Culturally diverse foods Dry goods; pastas, rice, beans, oats, cereal Easy meals: Boxed dinners, canned soups, canned meat, shelf stable meals Frozen meat: ground beef, chicken, ground turkey Canned goods: canned fruita, low sodium canned vegetables, pasta sauce Fresh produce: any and all Aldi gift cards Baby food, diapers & wipes Paper and plastic bags
In late 2011, Frey ran in a special election for an open state senate seat and came in fifth in the party primary, ahead only of someone who had dropped out of the race.[19]
Yes, one of my takeaways is just how important SWAE, and any efforts to flip votes in W13, are. Even when there's no competitive council race, W13 turnout is wild and we have to keep flipping some of those votes to have citywide wins.
Selfie of me, a white woman with short brown curly hair in a Katie Cashman t-shirt and a green Katie Cashman bandana.
Screenshot of a text message: Thanks for supporting Fellow-Parent/Coach Matt Dowgwillo Park Board Matthew. Let's fix websites & get our kids playing outdoors! Stop to Opt Out. Paid matt4mpls
As for her campaign fundraising, Shaffer said it’s not “billionaire oligarchs” supporting her — the maximum allowed donation is $600 — but people who want to see a change. “I felt like I’ve had the wind at my back this whole campaign,” she said.
What Mayor Frey does spend a lot of energy on, is decrying the danger of homeless encampments. We recently spoke with the owner of Solcana Fitness, Hannah Wydeven, whose Minnehaha Avenue business is just south of an encampment where a shooting occurred in September. Wydeven says she has directly worked with unhoused residents for years because the mayor hasn't offered any other solution. "What is the city’s plan? What is the point of voting for a strong mayor if he can’t do anything?” she asks. She says the first elected official to reach out to her after the shooting was Ward 12 City Council Member Aurin Chowdhury.
Me, a 30-something white woman with short brown hair and flower earrings, and my partner, a 30-something white nonbinary person with close cropped brown hair and glasses. We're both pointing to our "I voted early" stickers.
A screenshot of the print version of the article, with the headline Mpls. Council rookie Frey: "I think I'm good at this" The main photo is shot from an upward angle and shows Frey in a blue suit smiling and looking into the distance. It reminds me of a Superman promotional image.
Photo of about 20 people, including Sen. Omar Fateh, Jazz Hampton, and CM Emily Koski, standing around and chatting in a community room.
Eagan Officer Martin Jensen, a specially trained Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE), was called to assess whether Bimpong was under the influence of drugs. DRE training, provided by the Minnesota State Patrol to officers, emphasizes distinguishing drug impairment from medical emergencies such as strokes. But the lawsuit alleges Jensen disregarded his training. According to the lawsuit, body camera audio captured him saying a full DRE evaluation, which typically takes between 30-to-45-minutes, would be “a whole bunch of time wasted.” When another officer questioned whether Bimpong should be taken to the hospital, Jensen replied: “For what?”
Asked for comment on the new billboard against Frey, a representative for Sabri said, "Minneapolis has suffered for the last 7 years with this poseur who utterly lacks vision, integrity or a moral core. This city cannot be led by a chameleon. We have three great leaders running to serve and collaborate with all of us. Men of color who are led by conviction, passion and frankly love for this city. We can recover but we will not if we don’t choose hope and leave this nonsensical liar behind."
Sincerely, Minneapolis residents Tera Arnold • Tyler Balbuena • Jim Berman • Mary Rae Berman Pauline Boss • Elizabeth Buckingham • Maurice Dysken • Signe Dysken Martha Holton Dimick • Carol Dines • Penny Fuller • Joan Garfield • John Goetz Stephen Greenfield • Sally Guillet • Wendy Haan • David Hartwell • Thomas L. Hoch Eva Ichkhanian • Tamara Kaiser • Colleen Kepler • Carol Kuechler • Ann Laughlin
Especially at risk in this election is the apolitical governance that derives from the Park Board’s core mission. With two exceptions (Charles Rucker and Kedar Deshpande), the Minneapolis DFL endorsed candidates (Michael Wilson, Tom Olsen, Amber Frederick, Dan Engelhart, Jason Garcia, and Ira Jourdain) were recruited to move the Park Board far left, similar to the current situation at City Hall with a far left majority on the City Council prioritizing its own ideology and policies over effective governance.
Subject line: The Park Board Candidates We Must Elect Vote to Elect a Mission-focused and Apolitical Park Board The strength and sustainability of our park system depend on it.
What's your plan for reviving downtown? Economic vitality begins with a city council that cultivates meaningful relationships with the business community and works collaboratively to develop policies that will drive greater investment. Specific ideas include: reviewing sales tax policy and its impact on business competitiveness, encouraging zoning and tax incentives for new development, increasing the presence of police and safety ambassadors on the street, promoting events to draw area residents and visitors, and encouraging in-office policies for downtown workers. We also need greater coordination between
Respectfully Signed, Jennifer McEwen, Duluth, SD8 State Senator Omar Fateh, Minneapolis, SD62 State Senator, voter Lindsey Port, Burnsville, SD55 State Senator Kaela Berg, Burnsville, CD2, SD55, State Representative 55B Brion Curran, White Bear Lake, State Representative 36B, Assistant House DFL Caucus Leader, Chair of the MN Queer Legislators Caucus Liz Reyer, Eagan, HD52A, State Representative 52A Cedrick Frazier, New Hope, CD5, State Representative 43A Mike Freiberg, Golden Valley, CD5, SD43, State Representative 43B Aisha Gomez, Minneapolis, CD5, SD62, State Representative 62A Sydney Jordan, Minneapolis, DFL-Endorsed State Representative 60A Brad Tabke, Shakopee, State Representative House District 54a Angela Conley, Minneapolis, Hennepin County Comissioner, District 4
Respectfully Signed, Jennifer McEwen, Duluth, SD8 State Senator Kaela Berg, Burnsville, CD2, SD55, State Representative 55B Brion Curran, White Bear Lake, 36B, State Representative 36B, Assistant House DFL Caucus Leader, Chair of the MN Queer Legislators Caucus Liz Reyer, Eagan, HD52A, State Representative 52A Cedrick Frazier, New Hope, CD5, State Representative 43A Mike Freiberg, Golden Valley, CD5, SD43, State Representative 43B Mary F Moriarty, Minneapolis, Hennepin County Attorney Elliott Payne, CD5, SD60, Minneapolis City Council President Aisha Chughtai, CD5, SD62, Minneapolis Ward 10 City Council Member and Council Vice President
Commissioner Shaffer’s email was very different. While she decried Trump’s “callous disregard for everyday people at the national level,” she said she won’t “spend [her] time talking about international or national issues unless they directly affect our lives in Ward 7.” That felt shockingly out of touch with my life, as a Ward 7 resident. Does she not realize how much Trump’s policies and rhetoric have already affected our lives? Her email also lacked any mention of what she would do as a council member to fight back and protect her constituents.
I’m Heather Silsbee and my partner, Sara, and I have lived in the West Maka Ska neighborhood since the summer of 2020. Although we didn't know it when we planned our move from St. Paul to Minneapolis, it would turn out to be an incredibly impactful time for our new city and for us personally. We got involved in one of the mutual aid distribution centers that popped up across the Cities to help residents through the pandemic and the uprising. People who had time and money to spare volunteered or purchased supplies to distribute. People who needed support or supplies came and got them, no questions asked. Being part of that support network made me realize just how much power we have to improve each other's lives when we stay grounded in our local community.
Photo of an adorable black cat's face snuggled on a blanket.
Slide from a presentation with a screenshot of a tweet from @Jacob_Frey on the left and an excerpt from an Op-Ed by Nick Magrino on the right. Frey's tweet shares a link to Margino's Op-Ed from the Star Tribune with the comment "A thoughtful, well-written piece. The reason I do not support unchecked encampments isn't because of 'corporate business interests' - I oppose them because they are easy targets for predatory fentanyl dealers and human traffickers." The excerpt from Magrino's op-ed, which is titled Hard facts on drugs, mental illness must be faced, says: "It is clear that a significant portion of the chronically homeless need to be institutionalized, either for drug treatment, mental health therapy, or both. Do you live or work in Minneapolis? Have you not seen them, covered in feces, screaming at themselves? Lying facedown on bus shelter floors with their pants around their ankles? Wandering into traffic on Franklin Avenue? Fighting with ghosts and with each other?"
Area last seen: Minneapolis, MN 55418 Address last seen: 26th Ave and Quincy St NE Date last seen: July 19, 2025
I’ve been managing work on unarmed public safety responses for my entire time at the City. It is work that I am incredibly proud of and dedicated to. It is also equally draining because of the racism that the team and I must endure and fight against. ... I was made out to be a liar, incompetent at my job, had my ability to pass a background check questioned, embarrassed in front of community members and other staff during public meetings, forced to filter all communications with her through white staff, etc. All of that severely impacted my mental and emotional health and was ignored and covered up by City leadership. Gina Obiri, May 2022, former staff at the Office of Performance & Innovation Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IT-2416rF_puNu5r4nOqXIkDUYzZ7J_8/view
Screenshot from Internet Archive details on the top: https://jacobfrey.org/vision-results/, March 13, 2017 Working with the City Council The City Council is a critical and powerful player in crafting policy in Minneapolis. Nothing gets done without partnering with them, and I will make it a mission to be in constant collaboration.
Screenshot of a Google search result for "we love Minneapolis" that shows the first Google result is now for www.wevotempls.com
Screenshot of a McElroy Family Clubhouse episode on YouTube. Videos of Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy are shown on the right side. The left side shows a ranking map of every state flag. In order from best to worst, the tiers are S, A, B, C, D, and E. Minnesota's state flag is shown in tier A. The bottom of the screen says "Disclaimer: We don't know anything"
Screenshot of Jacob Frey's campaign logo, which says "Jacob Frey Mayor of Minneapolis" in dark blue text, with a black box outline around the word Frey.
More recently, on June 12th of this year, the Twin Cities chapter of the DSA sent an email declaring their break with the DFL and wrongly accused our party of participating in the destruction of our country, equating us with the policies of Donald Trump and the GOP: “As we build this movement against Trump, we will not be promoting the Democratic Party because the Democrats failed to beat Trump twice, they have failed to wage effective resistance against him, and they are contributing to economic inequality, wars, deportations, the climate crisis, etc.” Here is that letter as reported on by the Minneapolis Times.
As your Council Member, I want us to show up now. To organize locally, to begin grassroots movements. We live in a society of institutions, and many of us are wondering what is next after seeing those institutions fail one by one. Everyone needs to pitch in to build and rebuild a society that recognizes the importance of every person, and the importance of preserving and restoring the world we share.
Re-elect Katie Cashman for Minneapolis Ward 7 Labor-Endorsed Democrat Heather, Yesterday was a day that we are supposed to use to celebrate not just the founding of our country, but the potential we have to be a place where everyone can lead a safe and full life. Instead, my mind kept going back to the federal budget bill and what it means for us in Ward 7 and as a country.
Lauren Burke, Capitol Hill correspondent for Black Press of America, was present when Target CEO Cornell and a contingent of Target officials arrived at the U.S. Capitol last month. “It’s always helpful to have meetings like this and get some candid feedback and continue to evolve our thinking,” Cornell told Burke as he exited the meeting and walked down a long hallway in the Cannon House Office Building. “We look forward to follow-up conversations,” he stated. When asked if the issue of the ongoing boycott was discussed, Cornell’s response was, “That was not a big area of focus — we’re focused on running a great business each and every day. Take care of our teams. Take care of the guests who shop with us and do the right things in our communities.”
When we start locally, each of us has a lot of power. Remember when I said that the Ward 7 DFL endorsement this year was won by 4 votes? Did you know that the Ward 8 City Council re-election of Andrea Jenkins in 2021 was decided by only 38 votes? The vision for the East Phillips Urban Farm project started in the imagination of a small group of neighbors. And, of course, the global uprising after George Floyd’s murder started with a few bystanders who witnessed and filmed an event both so traumatic and commonplace that it resonated with people around the world.
Yellow slide titled Endorsement of Magrino Op-ed Includes a screenshot of a tweet from @Jacob_Frey from Oct 1, 2023 that says "A thoughtful, well-written piece. The reason I do not support unchecked encampments isn't because of "corporate business interests" - I oppose them because they are easy targets for predatory fentanyl dealers and human traffickers." Also includes "Excerpt from Hard facts on drugs, mental illness must be faced by Nick Magrino It is clear that a significant portion of the chronically homeless need to be institutionalized, either for drug treatment, mental health therapy or both. Do you live or work or spend time in Minneapolis? Have you not seen them, covered in feces, screaming at themselves? Lying facedown on bus shelter floors with their pants around their ankles? Wandering into traffic on Franklin Avenue? Fighting with ghosts and with each other?”
Do you think we need additional renter protections? No.
Two out of the three “resolves” in this resolution, HRS 488, have nothing to do with antisemitism. They are about praising Trump’s mass deportation regime and calling for local and state collaboration with it: (2) affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their Federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks; and (3) expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.
Photo of me (left), a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair, and my partner, Sara, a white nonbinary person with glasses and short-cropped brown hair. Were both wearing orange Katie Cashman shirts and standing outside in front of Rustica coffee shop.
Macalester College staff file for union election More than 270 Macalester College employees could unionize with the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, the largest union of state employees. Workers filed a petition on Monday with the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees private sector unions, to hold an election after the college declined to voluntarily recognize their union. If successful, the union would represent non-managerial staff across campus, from alumni relations and library services. “Macalester staff built a thoughtful, disciplined organizing effort and they didn’t back down when management refused recognition,” said MAPE President Megan Dayton in a statement announcing the union filing. “Now, we’re ready to win this election.” The union drive is more than two years in the making, according to the Mac Weekly, and comes on the heels of undergraduate student workers voting to unionize, the first effort of its kind in Minnesota.
That zero-sum politics now has an entire self-reinforcing architecture of PACs that not only operate during election cycles, but between them as well. After playing a pivotal role in the 2022 city elections, All of MPLS (the PAC that’s aligned with the mayor and the moderates) and Minneapolis For The Many (the PAC that’s aligned with the city’s progressives) did everything in their power to demonize and destroy their rival faction – which left very little room for compromise, working together, or functional governance.
When it comes to a vision, we need big-picture thinking as well as implementable goals. I would like for us to think about tourism: Let’s have a goal of being in the top 5 Midwest tourist destinations within 5 years. Page after page of Midwest tourist destinations don’t even list us, or list us last, like this one. As a Minneapolitan, it was humbling to see Omaha and Des Moines above us. Do they have a pencil-sharpening ceremony? A cat tour? Our restaurants? That list is not exceptional by the way – Google “Top 10 Midwest Tourist Destinations” and we often are not even present. Don’t despair though – we can get there!
Details When: Thursday, April 10, 2025 Where: Sabathani Community Center, 310 E 38th St, Minneapolis, or join via Zoom Time: 6:30–8:00 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm) Parking: Available on site and on nearby streets Metro Transit service: Sabathani is on the 23 bus line, or a short walk from the 11, 5, and 18 bus lines This is a hybrid event; all registrants will receive a link to participate via Zoom and may choose whether to attend in person or to observe remotely. Register in advance HERE *Participating candidates are: Reverend DeWayne Davis, Senator Omar Fateh, Mayor Jacob Frey, Jazz Hampton, Council Member Emily Koski, and Brenda Short.
According to court documents, Moturi tried to install cameras on the side of his house at the start of March of 2024. While on the ladder, Sawchak approached him with a long gardening tool with a metal end, holding it over his shoulder like an axe. He said he would put Moturi in the hospital like he had put other people. Moturi, prepared to defend himself after months of threats, took aim with pepper spray, warding Sawchak off. Moturi said by the end of the next day, he received a phone call from a top officer in the fifth precinct. The officer told him prosecutors wouldn’t press charges against Sawchak because Moturi had brandished a gun and wasn’t doing himself any favors — a claim that confused and troubled him, since he hadn’t brandished a gun. Moturi said it felt like he was being threatened into silence. Why else would he receive a random call with no clear protocol driving it?
Graphic showing several cartoon figures of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and an EMT standing in front of a hospital. Two black silhouetted police/ICE officers are in the foreground pointing at the hospital. Text: MIRAC & Twin Cities Healthcare Workers for Palestine present: immigration raid response training for healthcare workers. March 15. Register for Time & Location. Show up for our immigrant patients and colleagues!
Screenshot from a video of Mayor Jacob Frey (then Council Member Frey) walking outside and talking about community-police relations during his 2017 mayoral campaign. The caption reads "The police report exclusively to the chief."
He says Kennedy's approach will be to insist on what he terms "accurate science" and adds that "it's Congress' job to allocate money. It's Congress's job to figure out how to rectify the broken subsidy systems that led to this poisoning of the American consumer." Edited by Jane Greenhalgh and Carmel Wroth.
Photo of Lake Chipotle, a very large puddle/small lake that, historically, perpetually formed in front of the Chipotle on Hennepin Ave.