CELEBRATING THE LIFE of A ONE OF A KIND ACTIVIST

If you had walked into Winona's Wesley Methodist Church this past Saturday mid afternoon you might have wondered what group was congregating with the sign up interest sheets in the foyer. Flanking the doorway were  basketfuls of apples labelled with the names like Sweet Tango. Haralson, Honey Crisp... there for the taking.

By 2 pm sanctuary seating was pretty filled considering the extra rows of folding chairs set up behind the pews. Coming from the altar area flowed poetry with sing along political folk music and heartfelt words sprinkled with tears, delivered by family and long time friends for a very unique area resident, Joe Morse.  

You see more than our Upper Mississippi River communities lost a long time activist  to cancer  September 28th.  Born to an educated Mother who stressed the importance of education and a father who taught science and shared his love of Nature with their 7 children on their apple orchard, Joe grew up with not only a work ethic but an understanding, appreciation and responsibility to the environment and to humankind.

Joe was committed to environmental justice, racial and gender equality and education. When asked to list programs he had helped organize there were dozens. An incomplete list was on the entire last page of the program.  Joe was an organizer and he was good at what he did as most of his endeavors were successful.  He knew the importance of rotating facilitators and not having just one leader.  They weren't just worker bees as everybody had a chance and responsibility to lead and be heard. Those working for equality were mirrored by the group working for it.

In the 60's Joe was one of the first people down in Meridian, Mississippi after the 3 civil rights workers disappeared. He ended up staying 3 years afterwards working towards registering the Black community to vote and other projects.

After the South,  Joe moved to Boston and continued using his white male privilege this time to address men's violence against women. He was instrumental in creating a curriculum for men who batter women which is still used today nationwide. He brought this back with him to this area some 30 plus years ago. My Natureman met Joe back then and they worked on this curriculum in our area together. 

More recently the two worked together on CAP X20 20 to try to keep the unnecessary giant powerline from being built through the Upper Mississippi Region in addition to banning sandmining used in Fracking, both detrimental to wildlife and communities along the mighty Mississippi. 

Throughout the years Joe was arrested more than most people for protesting. He felt all of us needed to be involved in correcting injustices. We can't all be a Joe Morse in tackling numerous projects at a time but the truth is we all can choose 'one' to create change. It's our responsibility to leave this world better than we found it... May we all continue the work others have started and work yet to be done. 

Below is the music we sang during Joe Morse's Celebration of Life... Enjoy and by all means sing along. Joe loved and lived this music and also 3 pet projects of Joe's that would love to be recipients on your donating list this year...

Woke Up this Morning with my Mind Stayed on Freedom

Step by Step

You've Got A Friend

Forever Young

We Shall Overcome


APPRECIATED DONATIONS TO:

Women's Resource Center
100 Latsch St
Winona, MN 55987

Beyond Tough Guise
P.O. Box 243
Winona MN 55987

Landstewardship
POBox 130
Lewiston MN 55952