The letter below appears in our summer newsletter, Journeys: Leading the Way to Hope, published in July 2025. You can read the whole newsletter at tubman.org/summernewsletter.
If I’ve ever had a conversation with you about the work we get to do at Tubman, you’ve probably heard me say how fortunate I am to get a front row seat to hope every single day.
I’m usually referring to how the people we serve in their most scary, life-threatening, heartbreaking, trauma-filled, messiest moments do the incredibly hard work of moving forward— sometimes slow and steady, sometimes in fits and starts, occasionally by taking one big leap, but rarely on a smooth trajectory. Bearing witness to the sheer magnitude of change survivors create for themselves and their families with the support, resources, and expertise that Tubman can provide fuels our team’s sense of purpose, something that not everyone gets to experience in their work.
When I talk about hope, I’m not talking about wishful thinking or denying the horrific realities of what’s happening all around us or waiting to be rescued by some savior. I am talking about active hope, a term coined by Joanna Macy. Active hope is what aligns us in action to make things better.
At this year’s Starlight Soirée (see page 3), we talked about the very real risks to Tubman’s funding and the impact cuts will have on the people we serve (page 6). The love, energy, and generosity in that room was absolutely astounding! You stood with and stood up for survivors…and you gave me hope. Afterward, many of you shared that sense of community and collective action was exactly what you needed too.
At Tubman, we are not backing off from our equity, inclusion, diversity, access, and belonging work. We serve in the name of the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, and our very mission is to create change so that every person can experience safety, hope, and healing. Tubman’s Board of Directors has unanimously voted to uphold our values by agreeing that we will not sign any grant agreements that would limit who we serve—even with funds from other sources—based on gender identity or immigration status. I am, however, keenly aware that active hope isn’t without risk.
This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of MN Speaker of the House Melissa and Mark Hortman and their beloved dog Gilbert, who were murdered in their home in an act of politically motivated violence and to MN Senator John, Yvette, and Hope Hoffman on their long road to recovery. I am incredibly grateful for all our elected leaders who work tirelessly to serve the greater good each and every day.
To be clear: the issues we advocate for are bipartisan, and I am very proud of the relationships we’ve built with elected officials on both sides of the aisle. The people we serve and our supporters all have a range of beliefs, yet one thing we can all agree on is that every human being deserves safety, and policies that include such drastic cuts threaten our ability to serve the people who need us most.
In the pages ahead, you can follow the journeys of a just few of the thousands of people we serve and the different services that your support makes possible (pages 4-5) as well as learn what’s new in our programs (page 6).
I’m thrilled to share that we are about to cross the finish line of our three-year Great Dreams Campaign (page 7)! The new elevator is done, new windows should arrive in September, and construction began right after the Fourth of July on two new restrooms, additional fire sprinkling, and Harriet’s Haven for Pets. My deepest gratitude to every one of you, whether you are a longtime supporter or one of the 1,200 new donors to Tubman, who has invested in our long-term sustainability by making our great dreams come to life.
Whether you are a survivor, volunteer, donor, partner organization, team member, or some combination of these, thank you for being part of the Tubman community. We are so much stronger together.
As always, you have a standing invitation to contact me anytime at jpolzin@tubman.org or 612-767-6697. I’d love to listen and learn what inspires you to support Tubman, what we’re doing well, and where we can do better.
In gratitude, hope, and action,
Jennifer J. Polzin
Tubman CEO
