Athena Hollins
@athenahollins.bsky.social
490 followers 23 following 14 posts
MN State Rep, mother, lawyer, avid crafter, Halloween lover
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athenahollins.bsky.social
I was the chief author who passed the conversion therapy ban in MN and while doing that, I met many people who experienced the so-called therapy. And I need to be clear, conversion therapy is TORTURE. It is ineffectual torture that we sanction for children. And it's WRONG.
nclrights.bsky.social
We urge the Court to side with the majority of Americans who want to protect young people from conversion therapy!
We urge the Court to side with the majority of Americans who want to protect young people from  conversion therapy!
athenahollins.bsky.social
We are in a moment where we need to step up to protect our immigrant neighbors and friends-- protect them from a lack of due process and secret police.
We are working with @copalmn.bsky.social to host a constitutional observer training for our constituents. Please RSVP to receive location details!
athenahollins.bsky.social
This is the most accurate assessment I've seen of our current political situation. Those of us who are younger, who are queer, who are bipoc know that the system, as it has existed, was not built for us; it has not worked for us; and just going back to it would be a massive failure.
athenahollins.bsky.social
We must do better!
dexanderson.com
My statement on tonight's DFL Feminist Caucus Annual Meeting. This statement is being emailed to the Feminist Caucus Chair, Alicia Gibson, and to the State DFL Chair, Richard Carlbom.

This caucus should be ashamed of itself.
Tonight, I attended my first and last DFL Feminist Caucus meeting. As someone who did not come by my feminism through how I was raised, but rather fought my way through to live as the gender I am and to exist as a non-binary person in this world, I found the experience to be demeaning, demoralizing, and actively anti-feminist. If being a feminist in the DFL means caucusing with this group, count me out.

My pronouns are very simple and yet the caucus chairs and caucus leadership could not get them correct, despite being repeatedly reminded and corrected at every single opportunity. However, they could suddenly use the singular “they” when it came to my fellow caucus member who happened to be a trans woman, despite her repeatedly giving her pronouns as she/her.

This was just the beginning. It was clear from the start that no one leading this meeting understood Robert’s Rules, and very clearly wanted to vote for their friends and be done with it. At the very beginning, an illegal motion was made to just adopt an entire slate of leadership, despite there being challengers to those positions known to the caucus. For me, however, the most hurtful thing was that despite repeatedly affirming that underrepresented people should run for caucus office, should be prioritized in the process, no trans or non-binary people were represented in any of the caucus leadership, much less respected in the meeting. My pronouns - they/them - were clearly seen as an inconvenience, met with eyerolls and annoyance whenever I corrected people. At one point, one of the newly elected caucus leadership claimed her pronouns are “Black Queen,” a clear mockery of the process of asking for pronouns altogether.

Does this reflect DFL values? To mock a non-binary person whose community is under direct attack from the president himself? To refuse to use a person’s proper pronouns so repeatedly and without care that I had to make a SIGN with them on it for the meeting?

It wasn’t as though my pronouns were a surprise. I sent in my statement of intent to run for Vice Chair the day before the meeting and it was sent out to all members. I identified my pronouns in that statement. And yet, they were ignored.

The DFL Feminist Caucus is anything but. I resign my membership.
athenahollins.bsky.social
It's killing me too!! I was so sleep deprived from working on it all night right before it was due, I didn't even notice the typo until a hour after I submitted it 😭
athenahollins.bsky.social
LMAO I can have it all, Ian!!
athenahollins.bsky.social
Okay, that's my crop art and I have to say, that's a solid joke 🤣
athenahollins.bsky.social
I'm excited to be speaking about our climate wins, losses, and future!
dncclimate.bsky.social
MONDAY 8/25: Join the Council at the DNC Summer Meeting! Speakers will discuss why and how to run on #climate, Minnesota on the climate frontlines, our growing Democratic Environmental Network. @athenahollins.bsky.social @peterwagenius.bsky.social @mattjdoll.bsky.social @votedavidgreen.bsky.social
athenahollins.bsky.social
Very cool to learn about transitional housing for teen mothers in my district! The sheer amount of work that Lutheran Social Services is doing in Minnesota is remarkable!
athenahollins.bsky.social
Happy to meet with Springboard for the Arts to discuss Universal Basic Income. With rising costs of living, #UBI can provide a safety net, reducing poverty and ensuring no one falls below the poverty line, and could possibly help offset job displacement caused by automation and AI.
#mnleg #mnhouse
athenahollins.bsky.social
In this moment, I'm grateful for my passionate constituents who want to get things done at #mnleg!
It was a joy to meet with Gordon from AARP- advocating for fraud protections and the need for EMS services in greater MN!
I'm also grateful for the caffeine boost from Abogados Café on Dale! ☕
athenahollins.bsky.social
Today, when we were hoping to get to work for the people of this great state, I watched a Minnesota Nice version of January 6th. I never thought I would witness a coup first hand. It was pretty surreal. #mnleg #mnhouse
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Republicans attempt power grab in Minnesota
GOP lawmakers are trying to unseat an elected representative and force appointments through without a quorum.
www.motherjones.com
athenahollins.bsky.social
I'm a founding member of the #NerdCaucus, so it should come as no surprise that I was beyond excited to tour the #CropArt at the #MNStateFair with Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan and State Auditor Julie Blaha 🥰 All my nerdy interests coming together!!
athenahollins.bsky.social
Awww! Thank you!!! 🥰