What Social Cohesion Looks Like: Lessons from Minneapolis
- Sheila Maloney
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
One of the four pillars of the Brazilian Blueprint is social cohesion, the difficult but essential work of building trust across differences and strengthening democratic communities.
This week, I had the privilege of attending the 7th World Conference on Remedies to Racial and Ethnic Economic Inequality, hosted by the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
The conference brought together scholars, advocates, government officials, artists, and community leaders from the United States, South Africa, Brazil, and India to explore how societies can address historical inequities while building more just and inclusive futures.
What struck me most was that the conference did not remain inside the walls of the university.
Participants traveled into Minneapolis neighborhoods to learn directly from community members. We stood before vibrant murals that tell stories of resilience and resistance. Residents shared their experiences organizing in the aftermath of ICE raids and the challenges immigrant communities continue to face.
I was particularly moved when visiting the community-created "Say Their Names" Cemetery, a memorial that honors lives lost to racial violence and reminds visitors that remembrance itself can be an act of justice.
These experiences underscored an important lesson:
Social cohesion is not built by ignoring painful history. It is built by creating spaces where communities can tell their stories, acknowledge harm, and imagine a shared future together.
The conference itself reflected that same spirit. Interactive workshops encouraged collaboration rather than lecture. Panels featured voices from Brazil, South Africa and the United States, while a virtual session connected participants with advocates in India, reminding us that the pursuit of justice transcends national borders.
One of the most memorable sessions was the conference film festival. Short documentaries examined issues ranging from the lives of Baltimore's "Squeegee Boys" to the enduring consequences of the United States' failure to fully integrate formerly enslaved people after emancipation.
These films illustrated how history continues to shape present-day opportunity, and why confronting those legacies remains essential to strengthening democracy.
Another highlight for me was spending time with the 15-member Brazilian delegation. Throughout the conference, we exchanged ideas about innovative approaches to addressing disparities in our respective countries. Their experiences, perspectives, and commitment to justice reminded me why international exchange matters so deeply.
Democracies do not become stronger by working in isolation; they grow stronger when practitioners learn with, and from, one another.
That spirit of mutual learning is exactly what inspires the Brazilian Blueprint.
When our own delegation travels to São Paulo this October, we hope to create many of these same opportunities: bringing together people from different countries, professions, and lived experiences to learn from Brazil's vibrant civil society and to deepen our collective understanding of democracy, social cohesion, and inclusive leadership.
Sincere thanks to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs for convening such a thoughtful, inspiring, and collaborative gathering. In a time when many democracies are experiencing division, bringing people together across borders to listen, learn, and build relationships may be one of the most important remedies of all.
Sheila Maloney
Director, Brazilian Blueprint
August 6, 2026
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