Here in Minnesota, we hold a profound understanding of our connection to this unique land. Our identity is molded by the harsh winters, the frozen lakes, and the enduring camaraderie that emerges when the cold bites hardest. We know that survival through the toughest times isn’t a solitary endeavor; it relies on the strength of our community.
This core belief is not exclusive to the present generation. Many Minnesotans, including my own ancestors, can trace their roots back to courageous immigrants who ventured across vast waters with no promises of success. They navigated using the stars, particularly the North Star, as their guide, providing direction when the landscape was unrecognizable. It not only showed them where they were but also where they needed to go.
This understanding remains crucial today.
Recently, our community has faced significant trials. The deployment of masked and armed ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis has instilled fear within our neighborhoods. The presence of these agents has compelled American citizens of color to carry identification, left children anxious about the return of their parents, and forced families to decide whether leaving their homes is safe for everyday activities such as school, work, worship, or grocery shopping.
Peaceful protesters have been met with violence, tear gas, and arrests, and tragically, two Minnesotans have lost their lives at the hands of U.S. agents.
The arrival of these armed and masked federal forces is a stark message that seeks to prioritize intimidation over human dignity. It suggests that long-standing norms can be discarded arbitrarily to justify broad detentions and that whole communities can be wrongfully viewed as threats instead of neighbors.
And yet we rise. Across our state, people are finding ways to support one another. Community members have organized visible school watches to ensure families are not isolated or caught alone in moments of fear. Volunteers are accompanying children and educators to and from school so daily routines can continue without intimidation. Neighbors are delivering groceries and essential supplies to families who are afraid to leave their homes, making sure no one is forced to choose between safety and survival.
Community organizations and faith groups are hosting know-your-constitutional rights trainings and legal observer sessions to help people understand their protections and provide support when they need it most. Labor groups, nonprofits, and volunteers are coordinating transportation, childcare, and legal support.
That is what real public safety looks like. It grows from relationships built long before a crisis arrives and from communities that refuse to let fear be the organizing principle of daily life. When neighbors are arbitrarily pushed into the shadows, we all suffer. When we support the marginalized, we all do better.
Time and again, Minnesota has stepped forward when the country needed a North Star, a leader in interstate collaboration, in health care, in labor rights, in education, in refugee resettlement, and in the long, unfinished work of racial justice. We did not lead because we were perfect. We lead because we were willing to try, learn and do better.
We know that our choices carry consequences far beyond our borders. In this time of darkness, we will continue to be guided by our long history of making it through the toughest of times.
This is not defiance. It is our continued commitment to who we are as Minnesotans, as Americans. It is who we are.
Nelson is former chair and chief executive officer of Carlson, a global travel, hospitality and marketing company.
