When Truth Matters Most

How are you doing?

You hanging in there?

I’m sure you’re carrying so much heaviness. It’s a heavy, hard January after a heavy, hard 2025 (and all the other years).

I’m also sure you’ve taken in a lot of news and noise this week — from media outlets, newsletters, Instagram posts, WhatsApp group chats, life.

I don’t want to add to the noise today.

But I do want to share what’s been holding my attention (and my curiosity) lately: how institutions, especially companies, are responding to what’s happening in Minnesota.

This isn’t a passing curiosity for me. For nearly 20 years, my work in corporate social responsibility has involved studying how companies show up, especially in moments of crisis.

Whether they acknowledge it or not, companies hold an enormous amount of power — economic, narrative, and cultural power.

And so I was disappointed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce open letter earlier this week. It said almost nothing. And somehow, that just felt…icky.

Then I read an email from Margo Cramer, CEO of Oiselle, a women’s running brand I’ve loved and supported for years. Her message was clear, grounded, and unflinching. She named what is happening. She shared facts. And she explained how her company is responding in a way that aligns with who they are and what they do — providing cold-weather gear to mutual aid organizations and nonprofits to distribute to protestors in Minnesota.

It was a beautiful alignment of values, truth-telling, and action.

I understand that companies are scared right now. But companies are made up of people. And moments like this call for people, in particular those who lead institutions, to lead with humanity first.

Communications that offer care, clarity, and restraint are welcome and absolutely necessary right now.

I will be a Oiselle customer for life.

Because when companies tell the truth plainly — and show how they’re responding — it reminds us what leadership can look like, even (especially) when it’s hard.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

p.s. — I did a thing. I launched another newsletter, this time on LinkedIn. Because you can never have too many newsletters, right? On the alternate weeks when this beehiiv newsletter doesn’t go out, I’ll be writing there about volunteering, philanthropy, and CSR (from a slightly different angle). You can read and subscribe here.

First time reading this newsletter, Word It Out? Subscribe here for a regular roundup of things I’m thinking about.

👐 RESOURCES: HOW TO HELP IN MINNESOTA

Michael Gast, Social Justice Donor Advisor and writer of Organize the Rich on Substack, has published this resource compiled by colleagues based in Minnesota. Several immigrant and grassroots organizations are listed; please share.

📢 TAG A NONPROFIT TO WIN $25,000

Do you know a U.S.-based nonprofit with annual revenue under $1M that’s creating safer communities? Because the Elevate Prize Foundation is looking to give $25,000 to one nonprofit working to protect and strengthen their community in light of growing threats, violence, and injustice.

Nominations close Monday, February 2. All you have to do is tag that organization on Instagram. (Easiest “grant application” ever!)

🔍 EXPLORE AI TOOLS HERE

I am a super fan of The Communications Network. If you work in social impact and you touch communications, you should definitely sign up for this group’s newsletter.

Recently, The Communications Network launched its AI Toolkit, geared toward philanthropy and nonprofit comms leaders. Lots of great tools referenced in this Toolkit…some I need to explore for myself!

The Toolkit boasts more than just tools though. You’ll also find great info on AI prompts, uses, and more. Definitely something to check out.

🧩 FROM WRITING TO DOING

Many of the ideas I share in this newsletter — about volunteering, philanthropy, social impact more broadly, etc. — also show up in my consulting work with companies, funders, and nonprofits. If you’d like to explore ways to work together, you can find more at Services - Mission Up.

💘 NONPROFIT LOVE

The national nonprofit Citizen University started out as a conference in Seattle years ago. In 2012, the organization was officially born. And since that time, Citizen University has worked with thousands of Americans — and people across the globe — to spread civic practices.

Citizen University inspires and equips people to practice citizenship in ways that feel relational and relevant. CU’s dream is an America in which Americans are steeped in a sense of civic character, educated in the tools of civic power, and are problem-solving contributors in a self-governing community.

Read stories and ideas about how we can live as better citizens here. Explore training and curriculum, plus CU’s other programs, here.