Alexander Leonard knows personally the impact of systemic racism and trauma on individuals in the education system. He also knows it is possible to equip educators with embodied practices that can build the endurance, stamina and discernment required
Blanca Martinez Gaviña questioned the poverty and other systemic barriers that her family encountered coming to a country of abundance. She experienced the paradox of a progressive and financially healthy state with significant gaps for marginalized
Julio Murphy Zelaya dreams of a region with abundant prosperity and a legal system infused with humanity, restoration, and representation. As director of advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU), he is deeply rooted in the
Mikisha Nation is on a mission to ensure that young people have greater power in the decisions that shape their lives. As executive director of Teach for America Twin Cities, she has led high-level change to build equity into the educational system
Noel Nix knows from experience that good intentions and ideas are not enough to create lasting change; meaningful action is also necessary. In his positions as a St. Paul City Council aide, Ramsey County Commissioner assistant, and now director of
Kim Park Nelson views labor unions as key pathways for creating racially equitable and inclusive communities. A Korean adoptee and professor of ethnic studies, she has contributed foundational scholarship to build the field of critical adoption
Tasha Peltier (Hunkpapa Lakota, Standing Rock Nation) is on a mission to help Indigenous communities reclaim their health and wellness. She wants to start with her homelands, the Standing Rock Nation. She seeks to find ways to center healing and
Shanda Poitra (Anishinaabe/Ojibwe Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) wants to create a culture where Indigenous people see safe and healthy relationships as the norm. She found her calling when she took a self-defense course in college. Empowered by
Rebecca Polston is committed to improving Black maternal health care. She founded one of just five Black-owned, accredited birth centers in the country, creating an alternative, culturally based model to reduce health disparities and increase
Neerja Singh believes that no public policy decision should be made without authentic community engagement. As a behavioral health leader in the Minnesota Department of Human Services, she wants those most impacted by policies and practices to have
Joseph Williams (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) wants his region to be a national hub for Native American arts and culture, where engaging exhibitions, workshops, and convenings inspire connection and conversation. As Director of Native American Programs
Agnes Yellow Bear (Kawacatoose First Nation) wants families to be at the center of the movement to prevent violence against Indigenous Peoples. A national advocate for initiatives focused on murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls, and two
