Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Chapoton.
Hi Camila, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, I’m Maddi! I love the local community, the music, the energy, and the people who make it what it is. Very quickly, I realized I wanted to do more than just dance, I wanted to help people feel safe, supported, and connected.
I started Minneshowdatits in 2017 to support sex workers, then MinneChauffeurHome, a femme only ride network, and later MinneShowHerMore, a femme only support group, as well as Minneshowhimmore for men and male identifying persons. Each project taught me how even small communities can make a difference.
In 2019, King Records brought me on with Project Peach MN (The warehouse afterevents at the Lab, with the portal stage, for anyone that remembers 😜) because of my work in women’s health and safety. Doing Peach gave me hands on experience “in the field” in the crowd, behind the booth, and handling all kinds of situations, learning what people need and how to actually support them. Harm reduction isn’t just naloxone or test strips, it’s checking in, being present, and making sure someone gets home safe. Since then, I’ve spent time at warehouses, clubs, and festivals, trying to be the kind of support I wish I’d had when I was younger. I love doing this work so so so much. Showing up, being part of the community, and helping people feel safe and cared for.
Now I’m working on building PLURderapolis, a hub for Minnesota nightlife and festival culture, through booths at shows and online at plurderapolis.org. My goal is to provide real, accessible harm reduction information, connect people to resources, and create safer spaces for the community we actually live in. It’s my pleasure and honor to be your partner in shine!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The main challenge is working with very limited resources and responding quickly to community needs. Ensuring the tools and guidance are practical takes consistent effort and attention.. Even so, if the site or booth helps just one person, it’s a success. If you create something that genuinely helps people, it will always be successful.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I focus on harm reduction, wellness, advocacy, awareness, and safety education, as well as the branding and the logistics of the booth and how it functions, making the website, making my research into infographs, etc. Plurderapolis is recognized for combining practical resources with real world application. I’m proud the project is grounded in both experience and care and I’m proud to be able to serve my community. It makes me feel golden and complete, it’s one of my favorite hobbies!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Although Plurderapolis has an online presence, much of the insight comes from real life experience in the scene. I also don’t know how to code am learning everyday in order to make this website and continue to work on it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://plurderapolis.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plurderapolis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HRLxCbwg4/
