Global Solidarity and Local Power: Black Leaders Connect Minnesota and Brazil
Political fights across communities in Minnesota and Bahia are fundamentally connected, and meeting them requires organization, money, and a clear shared vision, according to Black leaders who spoke on The Conversation with Al McFarlane.
The October 20 broadcast of The Conversation with Al McFarlane brought together organizer Anika Robbins, community elder Bill English, Justin Terrell of the Minnesota Justice Research Center, and Yoji Senna, who joined the discussion from Bahia, Brazil. Host Al McFarlane guided the panel through an examination of how the concerns of Minnesota voters mirror pressing issues on the global stage.
Senna pointed to mounting apprehension in Brazil ahead of the October 25 runoff election, noting that a son of Jair Bolsonaro is a candidate. Drawing a direct parallel to American politics, Senna stated that the Bolsonaro movement plays the same role in Brazil that MAGA plays in the United States, describing the two political forces as closely allied. According to Senna, this opposition movement aims to dismantle social benefits that Brazilians have secured, including free public transportation for residents over sixty, a thirteenth-month salary for workers, and monthly stipends for children who remain in school. We have a public health system that is the example in the world,
Senna said, referring to the country’s public health system, known as SUS.
Terrell recognized a similar global pattern from his own international experience. During a 2014 fellowship in the former Soviet bloc, Terrell arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the day of a march he described as neo-Nazi. He recalled returning home to tell his wife and colleagues that he believed the United States was in trouble due to a worldwide resurgence of nationalism and extremism.
Despite these transnational challenges, Terrell voiced optimism rooted in history. He argued that the ancestors of Black Americans already weakened the echoes of white supremacy that modern communities face, leaving his generation with specific work to finish. I believe it’s probably our generation’s job to actually put an end to that conversation and start reimagining what this country’s greatness could actually be,
Terrell said. He highlighted local violence-intervention initiatives alongside the daily mentorship provided by elders to young people, maintaining that the character of today’s youth is higher than when he grew up in the 1990s.
Organizing, Vision, and Self-Funding the Movement
While organizing remains essential, Robbins stressed that it is not enough on its own. Organizing is fundamental, is essential, but I think also what’s paramount is helping communities, especially grassroots community members, create or even see a vision for what is possible, right?
she asked. When McFarlane asked what end that organizing should serve, Robbins described the grassroots leaders she is currently cultivating across Duluth, St. Cloud, and the North Side, posing a fundamental question about the nature of freedom and self-actualization.
Robbins acknowledged that building these movements requires navigating internal disagreements and overcoming traditional turf boundaries. Here on the North Side, it’s always conversation about whose lane is which,
she noted, adding that communities must draw on the skills of their creative and visionary members and move forward together even when they do not see eye to eye.
We have to be able to support and fund our own movements.
— Anika Robbins
Addressing political realignment and discussions about leaving the Democratic Party, Robbins cautioned that any alternative effort requires a long-term strategy and adequate capitalization. Organizers have families to support, making financial sustainability a necessity for long-term impact. Looking ahead at the political environment, she predicted that democratic socialism will increasingly become a prominent force.
English offered a sharp critique of the relationship between Black voters and the Democratic Party, arguing that Black Americans have gained little and allow themselves to be taken for granted without asking hard questions. Echoing the international concerns raised by other panelists, English warned that right-wing factions are attempting to capture control of governments worldwide, tying anti-immigrant sentiment directly to the history of colonialism by noting that the United States was built on immigration.
Praising Robbins for her mobilization efforts across St. Cloud, Duluth, and Rochester, English emphasized that getting voters to the polls remains paramount. He recounted community fundraising attempts through churches, sororities, and fraternities, reiterating that financial independence starts locally. We need money to support us, and charity starts at home,
English said, suggesting the immense impact if every Black resident in the Twin Cities contributed two dollars. Reflecting on his conversation with Senna, English described global solidarity among people of African descent as an ongoing goal.
Hosting a Democracy Fair to Mobilize Voters
To put these strategies into practice, the Minnesota Justice Research Center adjusted its annual schedule, pausing its traditional Re-imagining Justice conference to host a nonpartisan democracy fair at the Sabathani Community Center. The event provided residents with ballot information and arranged transportation to the polls. Organizers also scheduled a post-election community debrief featuring food, music, and art.
In the weeks leading up to the election, canvassers went door to door in neighborhoods including Heritage Park and Rondo. Their outreach focused on public safety and the criminal legal system, reminding residents of the direct local impact of elected positions such as judges, prosecutors, and sheriffs.
McFarlane concluded the broadcast by reiterating the necessity of cross-border dialogue. I think we have to be in community on a global level,
he said. Issues are the same.
