Advocating for home: Reflections from the state capitol
Written by Rev. Emily Goldthwaite, Director of Congregational Organizing at Beacon
Over the course of two full days in February 2025, 60 Beacon advocates met with 43 state senators and representatives to advance an agenda focused on helping renters, homeowners, and organizations like Beacon afford the cost of housing.
Together, we attended a hearing on the Our Future Starts at Home Constitutional Amendment for Housing and watched as senators from both sides of the aisle remarked on how full the room was. These remarks reminded us of the importance of showing up as housing advocates, especially in challenging and divided times.
Our presence at the state capitol brings the focus back to issues that matter to Minnesotans. This year’s Lobby Days successfully garnered support for our Family Supportive Housing Services bills and tested support for other housing programs.
As a faith leader who wears a clerical collar at the capitol while accompanying dozens of advocates wearing bright blue Beacon t-shirts, I have a unique vantage point from which to observe how elected officials perceive and receive us as we publicly live out our values.
I experienced an especially touching moment when a State Patrol officer approached our group while protecting the capitol. I confess that, at first, I thought he might be coming to tell us we were being too boisterous in the senate lobby, like a librarian coming to shush us.
However, the officer, seeing that we represented a housing organization, asked for advice on how to refer people for assistance. He told us that he often encounters unhoused individuals on his shifts in Minneapolis and feels unprepared to address their basic needs.
I shared the Hennepin County and United Way phone numbers and thanked him for the way he protects our democracy at our state capitol so that all of us may exercise our rights. Our encounter reminded both of us why we put on these uniforms and continue to show up—even when it’s not easy.
Sometimes organizers hear the question, even from seasoned advocates, “Does what we do really make a difference—after all these calls, letters, and rallies at the Capitol?”
It’s natural to wonder about that and feel discouraged sometimes, especially when harmful narratives are so loud. It’s natural to feel hopeless when actions taken beyond our control threaten the support that many depend on, including housing and healthcare.
These feelings and threats are real, and we can’t address injustice by ignoring it or isolating ourselves.
We can take great hope, however, in focusing on what we can do and the response we are getting from elected officials who make decisions in Minnesota. The success of our Lobby Days and continued organizing at the capitol demonstrate that when we tell our story and show up for our shared vision—that all people have a home—others will join in!
If advocating for Beacon (or supporting our advocacy financially) is something you’re interested in, I welcome you to contact me, Emily Goldthwaite, at EGoldthwaite@beaconinterfaith.org.
Together, we can ensure all people have a home.
