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GroundBreak is building a lean, powerful team to partner with Adair to unlock capital for equitable economic development. Keep reading to learn more about the positions – and please share widely with your networks!

GroundBreak is building a lean, powerful team to partner with Adair to unlock capital for equitable economic development. Keep reading to learn more about the positions – and please share widely with your networks!

The GroundBreak Coalition proudly announces that Adair Mosley will serve as our first Chief Executive Officer, beginning September 15. This is a pivotal moment in our journey as we begin to scale equitable financial systems change across the region.

KJ Rolenc and Michael Shelton have been doing everything society expects from them. The two men, both single fathers, are present and raising their children. Shelton works for a Minneapolis sports‑related nonprofit that supports kids and, on the side, serves as executive director of another sports‑related nonprofit that’s also focused on young people. Rolenc is one of those people who — if the American myth that hard work alone pays off were actually true — would probably be a wealthy CEO by now. In addition to working as a program manager at a drop‑in shelter for homeless youth, Rolenc has formed his own nonprofit, does consulting and trainings for other nonprofits, and he’s a licensed Minneapolis realtor.

It seems like every week, another beloved small business announces that it is closing — each one a loss not just for the economy, but for the soul of our neighborhoods. Behind many still-open storefronts is a fragile reality: businesses just barely hanging on. In a July 11 article (“What does the closure of beloved restaurants and music stores mean for small businesses in Minnesota?”), the
Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) points to “robust” growth, citing that 50% of businesses opened since 2019 were still operating five years later.

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.

As we reflect on the five-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment—one where the promises made in the wake of that tragedy must be honored through action, not just remembrance. In a time when the very idea of equity faces mounting backlash and long-standing civil rights protections are being rolled back, the GroundBreak Coalition remains steadfast in our commitments.

The Next Narrative Summit gathered thought leaders and changemakers from across the country in Miami late last year and served as the perfect platform to showcase the bold and transformative initiatives underway through the GroundBreak Coalition.

Jeff Aguy joined the GroundBreak Coalition in March 2024 to help implement solutions that will unlock unprecedented capital for aspiring entrepreneurs and commercial developers. A born entrepreneur, Jeff is helping build innovative systems and teams that will enable more financing to flow toward new and growing businesses and neighborhood commercial developments in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region and beyond. We interviewed Jeff to learn more about what he sees on the horizon for GroundBreak.