The Revolutionaries: 12 Minnesotans who are changing the way we think about the world-and its future
It’s never been harder to think big. From an economy that keeps many of us clinging to crummy jobs to small-minded partisan bickering that puts innovative projects on hold, looking beyond ourselves and this moment can be mind-bendingly hard.
Nonetheless, there are still dreamers out there—and more important, dreamers who take action. We rounded up 12 Minnesotans who are tackling projects that have the potential not just to change their industry, but to change the state, the country, and the world.
Dana Nelson: Gives philanthropy a new twist
When givemn.org hosted its first online event, Give To the Max Day, just two weeks after launching in 2009, nobody could have predicted what happened next. “We raised $14 million in 24 hours,” recalls executive director Dana Nelson. “To date, it is the largest one-day online giving event in the world.”
Laura Zabel: Helps artists stay strong
Artists spend much of their time and attention on creating beauty and exposing hard truths, but they often fail to focus on things that are even more fundamental, like their health. Laura Zabel, executive director of Springboard for the Arts, knew from her research that artists were twice as likely as other Minnesotans to lack health insurance, often because they were self-employed and had low incomes.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.