“What I have found is that my neighbors want good healthcare, transportation, jobs, reasonable taxes and good education.”-Lori C

“So often conversations around careers begin and end with job creation. A healthy career is much more than weather or not you have a job to go to. How much the job pays, how many hours you can work, the health of the relationship between you and your employer and the types of benefits available, as well as future career potentials are all important factors.”-Anonymous

“Employers are concerned about lack of labor force and have questions about why are there all the efforts on deportation and blocking immigrants when we need workers.”-Ann B

“Good paying, full time jobs with the potential for building a career.”-Ann B

“My brother has autism and the school just isn’t able to help me. He often has to leave the classroom and he is missing out on a lot of learning. He is very smart, but he just getting the education he needs. He is very frustrated with school.”-Joe

“It took two years of college before I realized that I wanted to be a nurse. Now I feel like I just wasted all my money and time for those two years. Almost none of it is going to help me in my new degree.” Emma

“I have a friend. He became a line man – working for the power companies – and he makes really good money, and he only went to school for 18 months. But no one talks about these kinds of careers. they just don’t tell you that you can find good careers without going to four years of college.” Jessica

“My sister once said to me that when No Child Left Behind was made into law, that was the end of public education.” Ardis

“My mother is 93. Her father, my grandfather sexually and physically abused her and others in her family from the time she was 2 or 3 years old. Her mother went to both the medical doctors and their family priest asking for help. They all told her that her husband, my mother’s father, was the man of the house and could do what he wanted. My mother still surfers from PTSD from her childhood. She has severe anxiety and it affects who she is in so many ways. I look at her and see how much potential was lost. Her life could have been so different if not for this abuse,. It could have been far more productive.” Ann B.

“I was at the post office and an elderly man came in. He stopped behind me and said, ‘I thought I better not go to my mailbox so close to you with all the talk of harassment I hear these days.’ I took his comment as sarcasm and was momentarily angry. Instead of going away in irritation I turned to him and said, ‘Thank you, I appreciate that. It can be very frightening to be harassed, if you have ever experienced it, you would know how that feels. I appreciate your consideration.’ A few minutes passed and then the man spoke up again and said, ‘Actually, I was harassed once. I was riding in a car and a man and he kept touching my knee. I decided I had to get out of the car and away from him as fast as I could. I have never forgotten that.’ It wasn’t something I expected him to say and it struck me that conversation had left us with a common understanding and steered us away from irritation. I was glad I had taken the time to talk with him, rather than just be angry.” Mary

I think I romanticize the past. There were some bad things, but it feels like people were more civil. They would never say to people the kinds of things I hear now.” Birdie J.

“I would like to get our Republic back. There has been a move towards a bipartisan environment that dis-empowers the people and allows certain individuals entrenched within both political parties to control how government operates.” Sally

“My sister and her niece have become so siloed in their thinking I can’t even go to family gatherings anymore. When I questions some of their beliefs they just shrug and tell me anything I’ve heard that goes against their beliefs is a lie.” Joan

“When I was younger you sat and talked about issues, they use to teach you how to debate in school. Sometimes you even had to argue for something you didn’t believe in so that you could learn to understand the arguments. Now there is no discourse. People get angry and start yelling. It gets out of hand.” Mary

“I believe that TRANSPORTATION is a concern. Roads and highways need upgrades and regular repair/maintenance. Public transportation options need to be increased to provide for those who either cannot drive and those who would prefer options other that autos.” Jacquelin G.

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“I’m concerned about feed lots dumping high levels of E. Coli into the lake I live on.” Dan H.

“I received a letter from Blue Cross stating that Congress requires health insurance companies to discontinue cost plans in many MN counties in 2019. I don’t understand why?” Anonymous at Indivisible.