Reflections from the 2025 Uplifting Youth Convening: Meet(ing) the Moment
On Thursday, September 11, nearly 200 community leaders, nonprofit practitioners, and educators gathered at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis for the third annual Uplifting Youth Convening hosted by the Carlson Family Foundation.
Centered on the theme ‘Meet(ing) the Moment,’ the gathering encouraged participants to reflect on how they respond to immediate challenges while also maintaining long-term commitments to youth and community. The stylized parentheses served as a reminder that meaningful change requires both quick action and ongoing engagement rooted in shared values.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in keynotes, breakout sessions, and peer-to-peer discussions centered on youth power, equity, healing, and systems change.
“Meeting the moment is not a one-time act.”
Carlson Family Foundation Executive Director David Nelson started the day by welcoming participants and highlighting the Foundation’s mission to create opportunity, hope, and a sense of belonging for every young person. He described the theme as a commitment to show up with care, humility, and consistency, especially during times of complexity and uncertainty.
Poet and author Daniella Gonyoe delivered the morning keynote, inviting attendees into a space where beauty, grief, and joy could coexist. Through spoken word and personal reflection, she explored what it means to be seen, to belong, and to hold onto hope even in uncertain times. Her presence set the tone for the day, reminding us that connection, care, and storytelling are essential parts of how we support each other.
Breakout sessions explore power, healing, and transformation
Morning and afternoon breakout sessions gave participants chances to explore ways of supporting young people in sustainable, community-based approaches. In the morning, sessions looked at how to empower youth in leadership, align evaluation with purpose, and create structure and safety for students who trade sex. Afternoon sessions included discussions on participatory design and schoolyards, a youth panel on voice and belonging, and a youth-led experience focused on pause and reflection.
Throughout sessions, participants received practical strategies and space for reflection. Youth leaders and practitioners shared how they navigate real-world challenges while building ecosystems of care based on trust, relationships, and accountability. Common themes included the importance of investing in authentic relationships, prioritizing community and youth voice in decision-making, and recognizing rest and reflection as essential parts of the work.
Nonprofit sector facing pressure, but also opportunity
After the morning breakout sessions, Nonoko Sato, President and CEO of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, delivered a talk on the current state of the nonprofit sector. Using MCN’s 2025 sector data, she highlighted increasing demand for services, financial instability, and a shifting policy landscape.
Sato emphasized that despite rising pressures, nonprofits remain an essential force for equity and community well-being. She encouraged participants to stay courageous in their advocacy, build civic trust, and protect the sector’s ability to speak out and act.
Youth voices at the center
After lunch, Dr. Jamal Adam introduced two young authors from 826 MSP who read excerpts from ‘Meeting the Moment: An Anthology of Youth Voices.’ The anthology was created through a partnership with the Carlson Family Foundation, 826 MSP, and Wiseink, and features stories, reflections, and poetry from young people across the Twin Cities.
Their readings served as a powerful reminder that youth are not only the future but also active leaders today.
Closing keynote centers on equity, justice, and courage
The closing keynote was given by Arshia Hussain, a policy advocate and community strategist. With her background in philanthropy, grassroots organizing, and public policy, Hussain urged attendees to examine the systems that maintain inequality and to pursue justice with both courage and persistence.
Following her remarks, Arshia Hussain joined Daniella Gonyoe for a conversation moderated by LaCora Bradford Kesti, Vice President of Community Impact at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. A longtime leader from North Minneapolis, Bradford Kesti guided the discussion with warmth and humor, inviting both speakers to reflect on shared accountability, community-driven solutions, and the importance of staying rooted in lived experience. Together, they also highlighted the value of finding joy, laughing whenever possible, and not taking themselves too seriously, even during serious work.
A call to continue the work
In his closing remarks, Carlson Family Foundation Board Chair Alex Muresanu encouraged attendees to carry the lessons of the day forward. He reminded everyone that change often starts in small, quiet moments and is maintained through collective effort.
“When things feel uncertain or difficult, remember this moment and the people around you,” he said. “Let them remind you that your efforts matter, and that you are not alone.”
The 2025 Uplifting Youth Convening provided a space to reflect, reconnect, and renew the commitment to supporting young people in meaningful and lasting ways. The Carlson Family Foundation will continue listening, learning, and acting alongside its partners, understanding that real change takes time, strong relationships, and a sense of community.