Ana Elisa applied to be a part of MNYC’s very first fellowship cohort in 2019 because she wanted to understand more about the possibilities for her future career and the political landscape of her state. “I applied for MNYC’s fellowship because I wanted to learn more about community organizing,” Ana Elisa recalls. “At the time, I already knew I was interested in pursuing work in the legal field, so I was interested in learning about the different ways that legal work can connect with and support community organizing. It was also a great opportunity to learn more about the political climate in Minnesota. Being a part of the fellowship cohort definitely helped me to become more politically active, generally and also on my college campus. I joined student organizations on campus and I was able to use and share the knowledge I gained from the fellowship with other students, specifically how to create mobilization asks and issue campaigns. That has definitely been something that I learned that I continue to use.”

MNYC’s 2019 organizing fellowship cohort split into two groups. One group researched and advocated for the removal of financial and legal obstacles that make it difficult to change your name at the local level, especially for trans communities in Hennepin County. The second group researched and advocated for housing justice and marijuana legalization policy that prioritizes individuals who have been criminalized by current drug policies. “I really enjoyed having the ability to create our own issue campaign,” Ana Elisa says. “The fellowship staff put a lot of trust in us and we were able to use their resources to make the issue campaign our own.” To culminate their work, Ana Elisa’s cohort planned and hosted an art exhibition featuring work from local artists that explored the meaning of the word “home” throughout different cultures, identities and individual lived experiences.

The most memorable part of Ana Elisa’s fellowship experience was the supportive relationships she was able to build through the program. “I grew up in the suburbs, so I didn’t really know a lot of people who lived in the larger cities here,” she says. “Spaces like MNYC’s fellowship program, where youth from diverse backgrounds can learn from and with each other, are so important. Being able to be surrounded by other young people of color and people who are also passionate about the same things was such a blessing. That experience has given me the confidence to enter other organizing spaces and workplaces and feel more comfortable and confident. It really helped me build my voice.” The relationships Ana Elisa built with other fellows and MNYC staff have been long-lasting sources of support. “I know that I can always reach out to them just to check in or hang out and to share whatever idea or project I’m trying to work on and they’ll be there to offer their support.”

Today, Ana Elisa is making strides to become a lawyer on the East Coast. “I’m in law school. I go to Northeastern University and I’m currently a legal intern with an immigrant workers’ rights center in Boston. I basically get to help draft legal memos and do a lot of legal research and client intake. I’m going to be representing someone in small claims court for the first time, which is terrifying, but so freaking exciting.” We’re so proud of everything she has accomplished so far!

Minnesota Youth Collective’s organizing fellowship is a three-month program that hires and trains young people as community leaders with the skill, perspective, and imagination to advocate for creative policy solutions for their communities. Fellows leave the program with a depth of organizing knowledge, which can be difficult to obtain by other means, and a community of peers and mentors who are invested in their success. This spring, we’re sharing some of our fellows’ reflections on what this program has meant to them.