Connecting with Community in Rochester
I’m Karina Kpahn, the Wenda Weekes Moore Intern at the Women’s Foundation. I’ve had opportunities to work on a variety of projects with departments across the organization including Advancement, Advocacy, and most recently Community Impact, when I helped the team put together their Community Connect event in Rochester.
Community Connect is a biannual opportunity for WFM’s grantee-partners, community leaders, and staff to network, share resources, and deepen our connections for gender and racial justice. This was WFM’s second year hosting the gathering in Rochester, and we centered meaningful discussions on how Operation Metro Surge affected communities in Southern Minnesota. Being in community provided space for attendees to take a collective breath together and share a meal in an environment for us to dream up what a better Minnesota could look like.
I graduated from Winona State University in May this year, and this was my first time back in Southern Minnesota since graduation. It was so great to connect with some people from Winona who showed up to the event! Being in Winona during Operation Metro Surge was really difficult for me. Even though we ended up not having much ICE activity in town, there was a looming feeling throughout January because we had no idea what was to come. A lot of the people I spoke with felt as if they didn’t know what to do, but watch what was happening in the Metro area and other southern Minnesota cities like Rochester and Mankato that were heavily impacted by ICE activity. During that time, when WFM launched the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund (IRRF), seeing the responses from people across the world was a highlight. It was inspiring to see how community organizations were able to amplify their support for our immigrant neighbors through increased donations, increased awareness, and the IRRF grant.
For Community Connect, part of my role was finding a local catering service. One of the ways WFM practices its values is by supporting small businesses owned by women, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and LGBTQ+ people when hosting events. I intentionally sought out catering companies owned by women of color and learned about the variety of business owners in Rochester. This was my favorite part of this planning experience. Food is a way to share cultures and bring people together, and we chose Francisco’s, a restaurant created by Listette Nunez to bring elements of her Caribbean culture to the city.
This event would not have been possible without the partnership ofKristi Ackley, who has a donor advised fund at WFM and is the founder of Alma, a leadership community for women who are leading — in their careers, families, and communities — often without naming it as leadership. Through retreats, mastermind circles, and coaching, Alma helps women grow into their leadership with intention. Kristi also organizes the Luminary Conference, bringing women leaders together for a day of connection and honest conversation about what leadership really requires. Through her work with Alma and the Luminary Conference, Kristi has made an expansive network of Southern Minnesota women in leadership and she played a huge role helping to coordinate Community Connect.
The day before Community Connect, the WFM team visited an IRRF grantee, the Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans (ACHLA). We spent time with their staff, Caitlin, Gloria, and Miriam. ACHLA provides service navigation to assist aspiring business owners and community members, partnering with local organizations to host Rochester Bike Club and provide tutoring for students, hosting an annual Latino Fest in Rochester, and so much more. Operation Metro Surge had a large impact in Olmstead County, and ACHLA experienced a 217% increase in their services. They became a beacon in their community during this time of need and worked with partner organizations and packed 120 emergency backpacks for detainees with food, clothing, and hygiene products so they could leave detention with dignity.
On the day of the event, we started by sharing a meal and talking at small tables about what brought us to the event. To ground us before breaking into our discussion groups, Crystal Lilya of Tonal Harmony Healing led us in a meditation. After running around to set up the space, I really appreciated having the time to just sit and breathe before venturing off into our groups for the afternoon. Our discussion prompts were split into two parts: in the first half attendees shared the impact that Operation Metro Surge had on communities, clients, and ourselves. Hearing stories from people who work with students, business owners, and vulnerable community members was incredibly eye-opening. The devastating impact of seeing ICE agents roaming in your community and not knowing who they’re after or seeing people being taken from schools or the middle of the street is not something that disappears in six months.
After discussing Metro Surge, we transitioned to talking about freedom dreams. Coined by Robin D.G. Kelley in his book Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination, freedom dreaming is a tool to imagine futures without systems of oppression. Through questions like “What dreams do I have for my community and for the world?” and “What tools, resources, and connections do I need to make my dream a reality?” Our group talked about the importance of working in community with others and how we can be co-conspirators in making greater Minnesota a better place for all of its residents. We also discussed the existing systems in nonprofits that make it harder for transformative work to be done.
Being able to learn from professionals who have been working in their fields for a while was incredibly insightful as someone who is just entering the field of foundations and nonprofits. Our freedom dreams included knowledge-sharing and regularly gathering in community, creating new systems built on trust and agency rather than assumptions and dependency, and living in a world where everyone’s dreams are accessible to them. After our small group discussions, we came back and shared our freedom dreams with the larger group. To finish our day, Crystal facilitated a meditative sound bath, which was grounding and restorative.
As my internship comes to an end, I can definitely say that Community Connect was my favorite project in this experience. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have been a part of the Community Impact team’s amazing work. I am lucky to have had the chance to meet Kristi Ackley and everyone who attended Community Connect, and to work at the Women’s Foundation where I am surrounded by successful women.
About Karina:
Karina Kpahn (she/her) graduated from Winona State University with a degree in Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health and a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Child Advocacy Studies.
As president of her campus’ reproductive justice club, she led significant public health initiatives including the creation of Winona State’s free Plan B distribution program. She also built coalitions with student groups, alumni, and community members to advocate for increased funding for the university’s on-campus advocacy center to better support survivors of sexual violence. Her dedication to reproductive justice extended beyond campus through her internships with Planned Parenthood Generation Action, Advocates for Youth, and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. After her internship, Karina will join the team at Penumbra Theatre as Development Manager.
