On Thursday, April 4, more than 70 employees from MDI locations in Hibbing, Grand Rapids and Minneapolis came together for a day of civic engagement at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Advocacy – the process of engaging with elected officials and government agencies to encourage a specific action – is an important part of civic engagement and helps support the innovative, high-quality work happening at MDI. And MDI employees sharing their personal experiences with elected officials is critical to our advocacy efforts. Their stories are what help legislators better understand our organization. In 2023, it was the successful employee advocacy that helped MDI secure $1.9 million in state funding to support our inclusive employment programming, like Unified Work.

While MDI isn’t asking for state funding this year, proactive advocacy efforts were still on full display during our third annual Day at the Capitol last week. This day was a fun, interactive way for employees to connect with their local elected officials by meeting with and thanking them for their support last year. 

The morning kicked off with welcome remarks from MDI President/CEO Eric Black, who spoke to the importance of advocacy, and was followed by Elizabeth Emerson and Ellen Larson from Goff Public, who represent MDI at the Capitol and shared information about the legislative process. Several guest government leaders also stopped by to talk about their experience in public service, including Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek, Rep. Sydney Jordan, Sen. Aric Putnam, Rep. Spencer Igo, Rep. Ben Davis and Sen. Rob Farnsworth. 

Betty DeWitt of Advocating Change Together led attendees in a hands-on “Six Thinking Hats” exercise, which helped participants explore and understand their preferred communication style through colorful hats. Employees concluded their busy day with one-on-one meetings with their state legislators and a guided tour of the beautiful Minnesota State Capitol.

Stay tuned for future advocacy opportunities at MDI!