Dear Colleagues,
As we entered 2026, I was ready to turn the page with hope and determination. I did not anticipate the profound shock that would hit Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities. Like so many of you, we are navigating a convergence of emotions and responsibilities: caring for our families, supporting our communities, and responding to urgent threats with clarity and courage.
At the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, we have chosen to center hope, not as a passive feeling, but as an active commitment. We are mobilizing everyone who wants to be part of the solution to the assault on Minnesotans, including immigrants and the allies who stand alongside them. In moments like this, solidarity is not optional, it is essential.
We are working in coalition with fellow funders to raise immediate resources for communities facing harm, while also staying focused on long-term systems change. As part of this effort, we are committed to doubling the current 1% of philanthropic investment reaching Latine-led organizations in Minnesota. Latine Minnesotans are a vital part of our state’s economic engine and social fabric, and investing in their leadership is critical to our shared future.
What we need most right now is visibility, partnership, and action. Our Immigrant Rapid Response Fund is one way to meet this moment with care and urgency. If you are able, I invite you to learn more or contribute here: Immigrant Rapid Response Fund – Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
Women’s funds have always known this truth: we rise and fall together. In this moment, may we choose to rise.
With gratitude and resolve,
Gloria Perez
Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
President & CEO