The Importance of Tenant Councils: How Sonder Point’s Seniors Overcome Adversity Together
It’s a Wednesday night in Brooklyn Center, and the tenants of Sonder Point are convened in a communal space on the first floor. The air...
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VOTER AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
ACER is empowering our community members to engage in civic participation. We encourage people to participate in the affairs of their local, state, and national governments in order to have their voices heard and needs met. We register voters, keep community members up to date on issues impacting their lives, and partner with community members and groups to advance causes that better the lives of our fellow residents.
At ACER, our primary focus is organizing. We work to increase community leadership, participation, representation, and agency.
Voter Engagement
Engagement building power
ACER’s mission is to change voter behavior by fostering personal connections, cultivating community leadership, promoting issue-based civic engagement, and rebuilding trust in civic processes.
In addition to traditional outreach methods like phone banking, canvassing, and door-knocking, ACER leverages its community leadership base to encourage higher voter participation and stronger civic engagement.
Civic Engagement
Community Events
ACER participates in a variety of community events, including health fairs, vaccination clinics, holiday community parties, farmers' markets, and informational events at parks and colleges. These events provide community members the opportunity to learn more about ACER and the housing, health, economic, and civic engagement services it offers. Attendees can receive ACER’s event and contact information, as well as free health resources such as COVID test kits and vaccinations. ACER continues to host and attend community events, with plans to distribute more resources and provide additional contact information at future events. Additionally, ACER keeps community members informed about upcoming events through flyering, direct messaging, and updates on its website, Facebook, and Instagram.
ACER also attends and hosts events focused on voter registration, voting rights, and key voting times and dates. These voter information events include an Elm Creek Park Reserve voting rights information panel and two seminars—one in partnership with Common Cause and the other with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. ACER plans to keep hosting and partnering with other organizations for public voting information seminars.
Shingle Creek Center Fair
In 2024, following the purchase of the Shingle Creek Center, the ACER Family Fun Day was renamed to become the Shingle Creek Center Fair.
It is a Farmers, Artisans & Entrepreneur Pop-up market experience celebrating the community, local talent and entrepreneurship at the Shingle Creek Centre in Brooklyn Center.
To learn more about this event,
Keep an eye out for more about Shingle Creek Fair 2025 here!
Partnerships and collaborations
ACER is partnering with the Blue Line Coalition to ensure that the Blue Line expansion project includes public participation and implements effective anti-displacement measures. Both ACER and the Blue Line Coalition are committed to promoting safety, efficiency, and minimizing disruptions throughout this ongoing project.
ACER has supported the planning and organization of candidate forums hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV) and Jewish Community Action (JCA). After Election Day, ACER will continue to connect community members with candidates through housing cohorts that highlight public health and safety concerns to local government, information seminars focused on civic engagement, and ongoing collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of State.
ACER contributed to Ayada Leads' Born to Lead event, which celebrates BIPOC women who have run for or been elected to political office in Minnesota. Held at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, the event featured speakers sharing their experiences and political insights. ACER looks forward to future collaborations with Ayada Leads.
ACER has worked with JCA to address and oppose hate crimes, unlawful actions by law enforcement, and political intimidation. ACER and JCA are dedicated to identifying and highlighting discriminatory incidents and abuses of power.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT STORIES
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