Turning pain into progress: The Groundbreak Coalition’s work to close the racial wealth gap

After a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, calls for justice were loud and urgent. 

Some community leaders began asking: How do we make real, lasting change — especially when it comes to racial and economic justice? 

That question sparked the creation of the Groundbreak Coalition — a multibillion-dollar effort to close the racial wealth gap by rethinking how we invest in homes, businesses, and communities. 

Listen to a conversation moderated by MPR News host Angela Davis about how a moment of crisis inspired a long-term strategy to build Black wealth — and why economic justice is essential to racial justice. 

The discussion was recorded at a national conference in Minneapolis organized by the Council on Foundations.

Panelists:

• Tonya Allen is president of the McKnight Foundation whose leadership has helped shape a philanthropic vision rooted in equity and systemic change. She is also the chair of the Groundbreak Coalition. 

• R.T. Rybak is the CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation and former mayor of Minneapolis. 

• David Mortenson is the chairman of M.A. Mortenson Company — one of the nation’s leading construction and real estate development firms. He also serves on the board of directors for the Mortenson Family Foundation. 

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.