It’s time again for another rad Free Space craft fair! There will be a bunch of vendors plus a playlist of local music. Our kids room and lending library will be open as usual. Bring your friends! Bring your kids! Come browse local crafts and goods, listen to local music, and build community with your neighbors.

If you want to sell your wares or offer a service, have your music included in the playlist, or volunteer to help out with the event, get in touch!

If you want to help spread the word, a PDF flyer can be found here.

We’re excited about putting together a soundtrack of local music to play at our next craft fair on August 21. We wanna play your music & your local friends’ music.

Send submissions to arcata.abode@gmail.com We’re still figuring out exactly what this is gonna look like & what we play depends on how many people send stuff in etc. We’ll be giving priority to artists of marginalized identities.

The upstairs of the Free Space is wheelchair accesible with an accessible bathroom available upon request. The kids room, library and a few vendors will be upstairs. The downstairs is only accessible via ~20 stairs and is where the main bathrooms and most of the vendors will be located.

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Here’s the latest edition of our newsletter. To get further editions via email, send a blank message to: minnehahafreespacenews-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

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Welcome to the Minnehaha Free Space newsletter! We are the Minneapolis Autonomous Radical Space (MARS) Collective. We’ve drawn on over 20 years of radical spaces in the Twin Cities, including organizations such as The Emma Center (1992-1995), the Belfry (2005-2008), the Jack Pine Community Center (2006-2008), and Arise! Bookstore (1993-2010), to create a space where we strive toward anti-oppression movement and community building. We have organized or facilitated weekly free meals, childcare at events, youth-centric programming, a free radical library of over 5,000 books and zines, solidarity events, office space for a local freeschool, sexual health supplies, occasional free food distro, computers and wifi for public use, creative arts events, music shows, and reading groups.

Many folks who regularly use the Free Space are low or no income and can’t contribute financially. We are all volunteers in this collectively run space, and we rely on donations from those who either use the space or feel affinity with what we are doing. We put this call out a few times a year to ask those who have more ability and security in their lives to contribute as they are able. Giving a small amount each month is the most effective way to contribute because it gives us security for future months of organizing. Becoming a sustaining donor also relieves our volunteers of some of our fundraising efforts and allows us to focus on quality programming and events for the space.

There are many ways to donate here: https://minnehahafreespace.org/donate/

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*** In this Issue ***

• Updates from MARS
• Food Not Bombs chapter update
• Accessibility
• Creative Writing Workshop: Saturday, August 6th from 12-2 (registration required)
• Tea Party! Sunday, July 24 from 4pm-6pm
• Craft Fair
• Sunday, August 21 from 1pm-6pm
• Twin Cities Queer Writers: First and third Mondays at 7pm
• Letter Writing: Second and fourth Tuesdays from 4pm-6pm
• Riseup Singalong: Second and last Wednesdays 6-8pm
• Zine Making on Wednesday July 20th 4:30-8pm
• Fridays: Art, Games or a Film
• Last Friday: Vegan Potluck
• Feminist Science Fiction: Saturdays 1:30-3:30pm

Updates from MARS

The road work in front of our building is finally finished! Come check out our snazzy new checkered sidewalk. This spring, we’ve had several new groups using the Free Space as well as our regulars. For instance, several radical herbal workshops have been held while the monthly Free Markets have moved to Powderhorn Park while the weather is nice. Come by on Fridays for art, games or a film showing and a vegan potluck on the last Friday of each month. Zine making has moved to Wednesdays and Tuesday evenings will now feature letter writing.

A couple new volunteers have started staffing at the space. We’re excited to have them helping out and contributing their energy and ideas to the space. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to volunteer at the space, please get in touch or stop by and talk to whoever is staffing. We’re always looking for more volunteers who are excited about the space.

Food Not Bombs chapter update: Wednesdays 5:30pm at Elliot Park

The Food Not Bombs chapter that started at the Free Space early this spring has moved beyond planning meetings and is serving weekly vegan meals. Join them at Elliot Park (Elliot and E 14th St) at 5:30pm every Wednesday. If you want to help out, positive people as always welcome. Come chat at a meal or check out their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/SouthMinneapolisFNB
Accessibility

The Free Space does not have stairs to enter the main floor. A wheelchair bathroom is available; a key must be requested from staff to use it. The downstairs event space and bathrooms are not wheelchair accessible. All our bathrooms are gender neutral.

Children are welcome at the space. We have a kids’ room with lots of toys in it, but kids need not confine themselves to that space.

We are right on the 7 and 23 bus lines, and three blocks from light rail.

For other questions or ASL interpreter requests, just ask radspacetc@riseup.net.

Creative Writing Workshop: Saturday, August 6th from 12-2 (registration required)

Kendra Atleework (and potentially one other facilitator) will be leading this creative writing workshop. No experience necessary. Registration is limited to ten participants. Email workshopmn@outlook.com for more info and to register.

Tea Party! Sunday, July 24 from 4pm-6pm

Join us for tea and treats! Gluten free, nightshade free and vegan food options will be available. We’ll be playing board- and card games, too. Bring your board and decks if you’d like. Costumes optional. Suggested donation $5-$10; no one turned away for lack of funds. Facebook event page: facebook.com/events/1737978743139880

Craft Fair: Sunday, August 21 from 1pm-6pm

It’s time again! Stop by to check out the work of local artists and crafters, including live music. If you want to sell your wares, perform, help out during the event or with set up or clean up, and area not already on the craft fair listserve, contact radspacetc@riseup.net.
Twin Cities Queer Writers: First and third Mondays at 7pm

Come write, share, listen and support other queer writers!

Letter Writing: Second and fourth Tuesdays from 4pm-6pm

Are there letters you’ve been meaning to write but never get around to? Come drink tea and write in the company of others. Supplies will be provided for basic as well as colorful/artsy letters and envelopes. If you don’t have a particular letter in mind, there will be information available on writing to political prisoners. Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/646749648810411

Riseup Singalong: Wednesdays, the 2nd and last of the month, 6:30-9pm

Singalong happens the second and last Wednesdays of the month. This singalong group has been going for at least a decade. Come hang out, have some snacks, and sing with a great bunch of folks who love to sing! This group sings primarily from the Rise Up Singing book (loaners are available) and instruments are welcome. Hosted by Sarah Marquardt and Phil Grove. Questions can be sent to tcrus.singalong@gmail.com

Zine Making on Wednesday July 20th 4:30-8pm

Zine making has been an occasional event at the space the last few months. Every time, it brings in space regulars as well as new folks. Lively conversation is had, free food from the kitchen shared, and zines created. It’ll be happening on Wednesdays now, at least once a month.

Supplies are provided or you can bring your own. If you’ve never made a zine before, that’s ok!

Full Definition of ZINE: magazine; especially: a noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter <a feminist zine>  (from Merriam Webster)

Fridays: Art, Games or a Film

Come by on Fridays to make art, play games, or watch a film together. Come to the space to chill!

Last Friday: Vegan Potluck

The last Friday of each month we’ll be having a vegan potluck. Bring food to share if able. There’s a hot plate and dishes at the space.
Feminist Science Fiction: Saturdays, 1:30-3:30pm

In this class we strive for a feminist, racial justice-oriented, queer and trans friendly and just basically not f*cked up dynamic. We don’t do “what about the men” or “I’m just playing devil’s advocate” and we try to improve if we screw up.

Class is discussion-based. Depending on the size of the class, we will either work mostly as one group or in a mixture of large and small groups.

Join us for a tea party! There will be gluten free and vegan treats, games to play and, of course, plenty of tea. Costumes optional.

Sunday, July 24, 2016 at the Minnehaha Free Space – 3747 Minnehaha Ave – from 4pm-6pm. Suggested donation is $5-$10; no one turned away. The Free Space is kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible.

“Welcome to Leith” is an award-winning documentary on the attempted takeover of a small North Dakota town by notorious neo-nazis and white supremacists.

Update:

On June 26th, anti-fascists converged on Sacramento to shut down a planned rally by neo-fascist Traditionalist Workers Party at the State Capital. Several hundred anti-fasicsts chased out the handful of nazis that showed up, but not without intense clashes. In the fighting several were stabbed, including some antifa comrades. Join us to raise money to support the injured!

Donate to the support fund here: https://rally.org/June26th

Background:

Anti-fascists in California are preparing to shut down a neo-nazi rally in the state capital of Sacramento on June 26th. This rally is being called for by the Traditionalist Workers Party, the National Socialist Movement, the KKK and more. More information on this mobilization can be found here:https://itsgoingdown.org/national-mobilization-blockade-shut-white-supremacy-sacramento/

Donate to the support fund here: https://rally.org/June26th

Another Queer Movie Night. this time we are watching the movie Tomboy (trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvfdCI4MArQ) The movie is in French with English subtitles.
Come by, watch a movie, eat snacks and help a queer trans guy pay for topsurgery (donations are welcome, but not necessary to enjoy the movie)

If you don’t want to come to the Movie night but still want to donate you can do this here: gofundme.com/258kyyc4

Report-back from Anti-KKK March in Stone Mountain, GA

Report-back from a participant in the anti-Klan march that took place in Stone Mountain, GA (outside Atlanta) on April 23rd. The event will include some local background, one person’s account of the march and reflection/discussion on what lessons can be drawn from it by Minnesota anti-racists and anti-authoritarians, as one of the many inspiring aspects of the march was the solidarity shown between individuals and groups of differing backgrounds and positions on things like militancy and organizational structure.

Rad Herbal Workshop: Herbal Support for Seasonal Allergies and Inflammation

This workshop will cover how and why our bodies respond to certain environmental allergens and what we can do about it (because allergies suck and its summer and we should be outside). We will talk about the immune system, the liver and how to better support ourselves when it comes to long-standing seasonal allergies and other inflammatory conditions such as skin issues, allergies to animals and immune disorders.

We will also cover in detail certain herbs that are great for allergie and how you can develop a better self-care protocol to help control these issues acutely as they come up and chronically for years to come.

This class is $10-20 sliding scale per person paid at the time of the class. I am also down for trades of certain herbal products or special magickal things, just email me about it. If you have any questions or would like to register, please email RedUmbrellaHerbals@gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Rad herbal workshop: Herbal Support for Anxiety, Trauma and Mental Health!

This workshop will cover the science around mental health, depression and anxiety. We will examine how trauma lives in the body, how it effects our brain chemistry and what we can do to support ourselves while living in states of trauma, distress and bouts of depression and anxiety.

We will look at how and why certain herbs can be used to help us in regards to our mental health including but not limited to nervines, adaptogens, anxiolytics and herbal mood stablizers.

This class will serve as an introduction into how people can make their own mental health first aid kits at home. We will also be making some things in class for people to learn some simple herbal medicine making.

This class will provide a safe space around sensitive subjects involving mental health. It is a no shame, all gender inclusive place. To find out more about the host and information on the class, visitRedUmbrellaHerbals.strikingly.com.

If you have questions or would like to register for the event, please e-mail: RedUmbrellaHerbals@gmail.com. Please provide your name, pronoun and what brings you to the class when you register!

The cost is $10-20 per person paid at the time of the class.