Building Communities That Work for Everyone
Community foundations · civic organizations · faith communities
Brooklyn Center is one of the most diverse cities in Minnesota — Liberian, Hmong, Latino, and African American communities sharing a working-class suburb. Leading it meant building coalitions across communities that rarely shared a table.
This talk is about the practical work of belonging: how institutions can genuinely include the communities they serve, why representation changes what a city prioritizes, and what 'community engagement' looks like when it's more than a checkbox.
What audiences take away
- Practical inclusion — beyond statements and proclamations
- Coalition-building across immigrant, faith, and neighborhood lines
- How diversity changes what a city actually does
Book this talk
Mention “Building Communities That Work for Everyone” in your request — or ask Mike to tailor it to your audience.