When You Vote, You Claim Your Power

Through our Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute, we have cultivated the leadership of 168 alumni and counting who have gone on to create transformational change at every level. Alum Elvis Rivera, from our 2022-23 cohort, has been boldly leading through the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs. Read his story below!

“When I joined the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) in 2022, I knew I wanted to serve on a state-appointed board. What I didn’t fully understand yet was what that kind of leadership would require. One of the most valuable parts of the experience was the opportunity to learn directly from experienced public servants, community leaders, and board members. Through those conversations, I gained a behind-the-scenes understanding of how public boards function, the responsibilities they carry, and the realities of public service. Just as importantly, I gained the confidence to see myself serving in those spaces. I learned that effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about understanding systems, listening intently, asking better questions, and recognizing that meaningful change takes time and collaboration.

Those lessons prepared me to serve on the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs (MCLA), where I have represented District 3 since June 2023. Serving on MCLA has challenged and strengthened my leadership in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The work has reinforced that public service rarely comes with perfect agreement. More often, it requires bringing together diverse perspectives, navigating complex public issues, and staying focused on serving the public good. I’ve come to realize that advocating for community is less about choosing sides and more about choosing solutions. Whether discussing economic opportunity, issues affecting immigrant communities, or other priorities impacting Latinx Minnesotans, some of our most meaningful work has involved shaping recommendations for state leaders while ensuring community voices remain at the center of difficult conversations. At times, those discussions have reflected the uncertainty and complexity many people are experiencing, particularly within immigrant communities. They have also reminded me that progress depends on our willingness to stay engaged, even when agreement isn’t immediate.

A leadership book I recently finished introduced the idea of staying ‘on the line’ during moments of uncertainty. That phrase has stuck with me because it captures so much of what public service has taught me. I’ve learned that real leadership often begins with listening, building trust, and creating space for people to work through difficult challenges together.

Looking back, BCLI did more than prepare me to serve on a state-appointed board. It sparked a commitment to continually grow as a leader. Since then, I was honored to be selected as a Bush Fellow, and as part of that journey I’ve intentionally pursued opportunities to learn from leaders across the country and around the world. Those experiences have shown me countless examples of people creating transformational change through innovation, grit, and cross-sector collaboration. They’ve also shown me how progress slows when organizations lose sight of the bigger picture or become unwilling to truly listen to one another. More than anything, they’ve reinforced my belief that no single organization, sector, or leader can solve our biggest challenges alone.

It’s a lesson that has continued to surface through my reading and leadership experiences. The more I’ve learned, the more convinced I’ve become that lasting solutions are built by bringing together government, business, philanthropy, education, and community. That belief is also reflected in the focus of my Bush Fellowship. My Bush Fellowship is centered on expanding economic opportunity by helping close the racial wealth gap through greater access, financial literacy, and education. I believe education is the foundation that allows each generation to build upon the sacrifices of those who came before them. To me, that work is one expression of a much broader responsibility we all share to leave our communities stronger than we found them.

I stand on the shoulders of giants who walked so that we could run. They did their part for us. Now it is our responsibility to do our part for those who come after us. Our actions are watched, our example is emulated, and the work we do today helps determine the opportunities available to the next generation. That’s why I often say, ‘Those that can should. I can, so I will.’ I’ve always believed public service is part of our responsibility to one another.

In a time marked by polarization and division, I believe our greatest opportunity is not to retreat into our differences but to lean into collaboration. Leadership is not about having the loudest voice. It’s about bringing people together around a shared purpose, staying at the table long enough to build trust, and leaving our communities stronger than we found them.”

Through our Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute, we have cultivated the leadership of 168 alumni and counting who have gone on to create transformational change at every level. Alum Tim Brewington, from our 2019-20 cohort, is meeting the moment with bold leadership in Woodbury. Read his story below!

“I am a founding member of the Multicultural Advisory Committee for the Woodbury Public Safety Department, established in 2019. From the beginning, our work has required difficult and necessary conversations about pain, trust, accountability, and the possibility of building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community we all serve.

The first true test of this committee and its relationship with the police department came on May 25, 2020, when George Floyd was murdered after a police officer kneeled on his neck during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In that moment, I demanded that Woodbury take a public stance. I insisted that our department clearly name what had happened and create space for real, public conversations with both the committee and the broader community.

There was resistance. Eventually, the Director of Public Safety agreed to sit down with me for an interview to discuss his reaction to George Floyd’s death and to address how Woodbury Public Safety can be held accountable in its responsibility to protect and serve all residents. That moment became a turning point in our work.

Unfortunately, the conversations did not end there. Continued loss of life at the hands of police across the Twin Cities forced us to return again and again to these hard discussions. While these tragedies did not occur in Woodbury, what happens in Minneapolis and Saint Paul affects trust, safety, and community well beyond city borders. It affects us here.

I firmly believe safety is built through relationships. When community members and police officers know one another as human beings, when transparency and accountability are present, trust can grow. Trust is what makes real public safety possible. Change does not happen through silence. It happens one conversation at a time.

I am grateful for the continued commitment of the Woodbury police, fire, and EMS departments and for the men and women who strive each day to serve all residents with compassion, professionalism, and courage.

The Multicultural Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 26—amid a long, violent ICE occupation and in the wake of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti’s murders—was different from any other meeting.

In my eight years of service, I have never witnessed what I saw that night. Officers in full uniform broke down in tears over what is happening in our community. The energy in the room shifted in a way that was unmistakable. The weight of the moment was shared, unspoken, and heavy.

When those sworn to protect a community are overwhelmed by its suffering, something is profoundly wrong. This is not normal. This is not sustainable. And this is not okay. In that moment, I felt both heavy and hopeful. Heavy because of the pain we were witnessing, and hopeful because we were in community. Law enforcement and residents were together, supporting one another and choosing to face this moment side by side.

Real change begins when we refuse to look away from discomfort and instead choose accountability, connection, and action. Every honest conversation, every act of listening, and every decision to demand better brings us closer to the community we are striving to build. This work is ongoing, and it belongs to all of us. If we remain present, engaged, and willing to act, transformation is possible, one conversation at a time.”