MAPE participates in statewide corrections conference

MAPE members from the Department of Corrections (DOC) saw their union taking a leading role at this year’s Minnesota Corrections Association conference in Mankato. MAPE again sponsored the annual corrections conference which offers professional development, networking activities and the opportunity to earn continuing education credits.  

“We were able to send 10 of our DOC members to the conference. We are trying to develop members’ leadership skills and build connections,” MAPE Statewide Vice President Angie Halseth said. “We’re encouraging people who are already members to step into leadership roles, and also signing up new members while getting MAPE’s name out there.”   

“It’s such a good atmosphere to provide for open conversations. I have been able to meet with a wide array of people whom I talk with on the phone but would never meet in person if it weren’t for the MCA conference. This includes MAPE members and caseworkers from other correctional facilities – it’s nice to have ‘go to’ people when I have questions,” said Local 1202’s Becki Erickson, a caseworker at Oak Park Heights. 

Erickson co-chaired this year’s conference and will also co-chair the 2025 conference, Empowering Change, Enhancing Justice, Oct. 29-31 at Grand View Lodge.   

Region 11 Director Jessica Raptis said she was impressed to see formerly incarcerated men now working on behalf of those who were also incarcerated, “It’s one of those things that rejuvenates you to see people come out and be successful. They know the troubles they went through and don’t want those barriers in place for others.”   

MAPE also hosted a booth at the resource fair and earned kudos for hosting a friendly competition among the vendors regarding who had the best pen. “In the mornings and during breaks, everyone attending comes through and visits the booths. All the booths have swag. Every table has a pen, so we asked them to contribute a pen and then asked attendees to come by our booth and vote on which organization had brought the best pen. We made so many connections with other organizations because we made it fun and they came to our booth to learn more about MAPE,” Vice President Halseth said.