April 2026: T.O.N.E. U.P. Monthly
T.O.N.E. U.P. Tuesdays: Built By Us, For Us
T.O.N.E. U.P. Tuesdays are continuing—and they are continuing to be shaped by the people in the room.
Our next T.O.N.E. U.P. Tuesday is April 14th
This month, we’re excited to welcome Lee Vue, a trusted partner who has worked alongside T.O.N.E. U.P., to lead a financial literacy workshop and presentation.
This topic came directly from the community. Folks in previous sessions made it clear—financial literacy is something people want, need, and are ready to build around. So we listened. And now we’re bringing it. That’s what makes T.O.N.E. U.P. Tuesdays different. This is not a top-down space. This is a community-led space where we build together, respond to real needs, and create something that reflects us.
Every session is shaped by the people who show up.
Still Feeling the Aftermath—And Still Moving
Even though federal officials have said ICE and DHS activity in Minnesota has “ended,” we know the truth: the impact didn’t end when they left. We are still feeling the aftershocks.
More people are reaching out. More instability. More need. At the same time, this broader political and funding climate has made it harder—especially for justice-impacted-led organizations—to access consistent resources and support. And yet—we are still here. Still moving. Still building.
We’ve seen an increase in folks reaching out for:
Housing (still the most urgent need)
Employment opportunities
Food and clothing support
This moment has tested all of us. But it has also made one thing clear: community is what sustains us—not systems.
Your support makes it possible for justice-impacted people not only to survive—but to lead, organize, and build power.
What We’re Building: New Facility Coming Soon
We’re excited to share that through our partnership with Beyond the Bark, we have officially secured a new facility.
We are currently preparing for an anticipated move-in within the next 60 days. This space will allow us to deepen our reentry work, expand programming, and create a real home for justice-impacted people to land, build, and grow.
We’ll be sharing more soon—including details on the launch and ribbon-cutting.
Stay tapped in. This is a big step forward for all of us.
From the Block to the Ballot (B2B): A Different Approach in 2026
As we move into this year’s From the Block to the Ballot (B2B) work, we’re shifting how engagement looks.
Yes—we will still do some traditional outreach.
But we are moving deeper than that.
This year, we’re focused on:
Inviting justice-impacted people into intentional spaces
Feeding people well
Asking real questions and actually listening
Turning those conversations into action and advocacy
This is about more than turnout. This is about truth-telling, relationship-building, and collective strategy.
We’re creating spaces where people can speak on what they’re experiencing—and then making sure those experiences reach the people with decision-making power—and just as important: we’re building solutions together, in real time, as a community.
Community Check-In: Clean Slate in Minnesota
We want to hear directly from you.
Have you heard about Minnesota’s Clean Slate law and automatic expungement?
Is it working for you?
Do you have records that should be sealed but aren’t?
Have you run into barriers or confusion?
We need to hear from our community.
Your experiences help us:
Advocate for better implementation
Hold systems accountable
Inform policymakers and elected officials about what’s actually happening on the ground
If something isn’t working—we need to know so we can push for it to be fixed.
Funder & Partner Appreciation
We want to take a moment to honor the people and organizations that continue to stand with us—especially in times like these.
Deep gratitude to Headwaters Foundation for Justice, our longest-standing funder, for consistently believing in justice-impacted leadership and investing in our vision.
We also want to thank:
Foundation for Justice
Voter Justice Project (VJP)
Office of Neighborhood Safety, City of St. Paul
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC)
Clean Slate Initiative
Movement for Black Lives
Your support—especially in uncertain and shifting political times—allows us to continue showing up for our people in real ways.
With Gratitude
To our community—thank you.
Thank you for trusting us.
Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for building with us.
Everything we are doing—and everything we are becoming—is because of you.
Together, we are teaching ourselves new examples and building something that cannot be ignored.
With love and solidarity,
The T.O.N.E. U.P. Team
T.O.N.E. U.P. is a Proud Partner of:
