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Alice Moren: Taking the Big View in Grand Rapids

“We see senior citizens who worked their whole lives but didn’t have a pension — the food support they might get does not last a month. I try to help the community understand all faces of poverty.”

Marvina Haynes: Determined Voice for the Wrongfully Accused

Through her advocacy, Marvina Haynes discovered that wrongful incarceration was common.

Changemaker: Outspoken PFAS critic Amara Strande, who died from cancer in 2023

Originally published May 3, 2023 The photos displayed…

2023 Changemaker Rhonda Martinson: Policing the Response to Domestic Violence

They are not solely a critique of police policies and practices, but a way to understand the “why” behind missing pieces that block support for victims.

2023 Changemaker: Mercedes Yarbrough: Re-Envisioning Education One Comic at a Time

The goal, she says, is to “empower kids of color to see their history through a positive lens.”

2023 Changemaker Hli Xyooj: Bridging the Hmong Community

“How do I empower myself by empowering my community?”

Minnesota Women Labor Journalists Uplifted Working People for Decades

I’m still learning about the writers I’ve mentioned here, many of whom are left out of the usual lists of pioneering journalists and women.

The People Behind the Legislature

The faces of these legislative accomplishments are the Senate and House bill authors. Less recognized are the people behind the scenes who enable the legislative process to operate smoothly.

2022 Changemaker Missy Whiteman: Indigenous Media Innovator

“This is the way we create now — we come together and use art as ceremony.”

2022 Changemaker: UnRestrict Minnesota Coalition

“We have been saying, ‘abortion is not an issue you should be running from, it is an issue you should be running on.'"

2022 Changemaker Kimberly Pilgrim: Champion for Resilience

She witnessed the power of standing up, facing fear, and finding one’s agency — a power she has guided other women to unearth within themselves over the past 25 years.

2022 Changemaker Seraphia Gravelle (Aguallo): Racial Justice on the Iron Range

Seraphia Gravelle (Aguallo) outside of the VEMA Multicultural…