Em Friedman

Class of 2021
Political Science & Theatre
OutFront Minnesota

(they/them/theirs)

OutFront MN advocates for LGBTQ+ equity in Minnesota through three main avenues: policy and organizing, anti-violence programming, and educational equity programming. Through Chuck Green I worked with the policy and organizing team on their efforts to ban conversion therapy in Minnesota. Conversion therapy, also known as ex-gay or restorative therapy, attempts to change patients’ sexual orientation or gender identity, and the practice is recognized as abuse by the United Nations and has been discredited by most national psychology and psychiatry organizations.

The first part of my project consisted of building a team of volunteers to canvass at Loring Park during the Twin Cities Pride festival in June. I reached out to members of OutFront’s network and designed a field plan and training manual for volunteers. We had over 70 volunteers and acquired 4,500 new contacts for OutFront’s network via signatures on our petition to ban conversion therapy.

The second part of my project was to compile information on conversion therapy bans nationwide for state and municipal legislators in Minnesota. The information will be used to inform legislators of the successes of conversion therapy bans nationwide, and to craft a bill that could pass in the 2020 state legislative session.

Finally, I have been working on an organizing guide for future interns and youth organizers to have a more complete understanding of the tactics that OutFront uses in their policy and organizing team, with the hope that future students will create political actions of their own.

Throughout my time at OutFront, I also had the opportunity to shadow my supervisors on several LGBTQ+ 101 trainings, to attend fundraising events, and to attend a PAC meeting. In addition to working on my project, I was able to learn more about the many facets of OutFront’s work, and gain a more thorough understanding of the organizational structure. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside professionals in the field and this work has increased my knowledge of lobbying practices and civic engagement. Thank you to Professor Dolan, Junior Avalos, and OutFront Minnesota for helping make this happen!