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The events unfolding in Minneapolis transcend politics, instead tapping the much deeper wells of morality and justice. During a NationSwell “Meet the Moment” conversation, peer leaders on the ground in Minnesota and elsewhere gathered to share what they’re asking, doing, and anticipating during a pivotal moment, and how we can lead at our best for the communities we serve and for the future of our nation. A selection of takeaways from the conversation appears below.
Key takeaways
Center responses on lived experience and local leadership. At times, national narratives can flatten crises. Effective action starts by listening to those on the ground. Local leaders and community organizations best understand the scale, nuance, and human impact, and therefore should shape priorities, messaging, and solutions.
Treat fear as a systemic condition. When people cancel medical care, stop working, and remain confined to their homes, fear becomes a public health, economic, and civic crisis. Responses must restore safety, trust, and dignity alongside legal or policy efforts.
Invest in mutual aid and community infrastructure as essential systems. Grassroots networks delivering food, transportation, and care are critical infrastructure. Sustained funding and coordination can strengthen these systems beyond moments of crisis.
Recognize economic harm as intentional, cascading, and local. Overly aggressive enforcement actions destabilize small businesses, drain municipal budgets, and shift costs to cities and states, especially harming businesses of color. Leaders should frame interference as an economic issue as much as a moral one.
Protect information integrity as a form of community safety. Citizen documentation and local journalism have become vital accountability tools, while misinformation actively endangers people. Supporting trusted media, rapid fact-checking, and responsible data use is now a core leadership responsibility.
Understand and use emerging data to guide action. New polling and research show shifting public sentiment on enforcement, accountability, and institutional power. Leaders should engage proactively with credible data and use it to inform strategy, challenge misinformation, and ground decisions in evidence rather than assumptions about public opinion.
Be explicit about structural limits and push responsibility upward. Cities and states face material legal and fiscal constraints while absorbing the consequences of federal action. Effective leadership requires coordinated pressure at the federal level, not expecting local systems to shoulder unlimited burden.
Match moral clarity with institutional courage and future-focused action. Individuals have shown extraordinary bravery; institutions must do the same. Business, philanthropic, and civic leaders should speak up. Grounding their actions in workforce realities, demographic needs, and long-term economic health can help move beyond political framing.