Cool People, Good Work

Let me start here: I think the U.S. higher education system is severely damaged, if not fully broken. For decades it has operated on a simple model — federally supported lending allows schools to raise prices while students absorb the risk. The institution’s balance sheet stays protected while the graduate…

This month’s Cool People, Good Work is dedicated to Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Intensive Care Unit nurse at the Minneapolis VA. His life was taken far too soon. I’ve been pretty fortunate in my own health. I haven’t needed long hospital stays or many emergency room visits, and most of…

For this month’s Cool People, Good Work, we’re spotlighting an organization right here in our Minnesota backyard: Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP). Their name reflects their mission, and the impact they create in Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, and surrounding communities is a mission worth celebrating. CEAP is a year-round support…

In honor of Veterans Day, our latest installment of Cool People, Good Work highlights the Veterans Community Project (VCP). VCP’s mission is straightforward and powerful: eliminate veteran homelessness by providing transitional housing and comprehensive, 360-degree wraparound support. Their motto captures the spirit: “Veterans housing Veterans, armed with the strength and…

In this installment of Cool People, Good Work, we’re highlighting the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) — a Native-led nonprofit providing national leadership to end violence against Native women, children, and communities. NIWRC supports grassroots advocates, builds culturally grounded tools and training, and advances policy that addresses the issues…

Cool People, Good Work (CPGW) highlights people and institutions doing meaningful work to uplift their communities. Today, that spotlight is on Shea Serrano. Shea, a proud San Antonio native, is the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including The Rap Year Book, Basketball (and Other Things), and Movies (and…

Welcome to Cool People, Good Work! This is where we get to tell you about people who are doing awesome things out in the world.  They are working to make communities more beautiful, lives a little better, and the world generally a sweeter place to be. Our first article is…