>>24119615 PB

>NATIONAL ICE WATCH

>& COMMUNITY DEFENSE

>REGISTER NOW!

"

States at the Core" (STAC) is a non-profit organization focused on strengthening state and local democracy by supporting grassroots efforts with resources and expertise to build trust in institutions, led by figures like Co-Directors Jill V. Garvey and Darren Sandow, aiming to defend democratic processes and counter authoritarianism.

What they do:

Support Grassroots: Provide strategic help and resources to local groups.

Build Trust: Work to increase faith in democratic institutions and processes.

Combat Authoritarianism: Organize trainings, such as ICE Watch & Community Defense, to empower communities.

Key People (Leadership):

Jill V. Garvey (Co-Director)

Darren Sandow (Co-Director)

Ben Bowens (Sr. Communications Strategist)

Jessica Acee (Senior Organizer)

Their Mission:

STAC aims to establish a strong digital presence and brand to effectively launch and coordinate efforts in a complex political landscape, securing funding and collaborating with national partners to protect democracy

https://statesatthecore.substack.com/about

https://statesatthecore.substack.com/p/community-defense-and-ice-watch

Community Defense and ICE Watch

★ BOOKMARK THIS PAGE ★ A running list of upcoming trainings from STAC & Protect RP

Ben

Jan 12, 2026

➢ January 14, 2026 - MN Community Defense and ICE Watch

➢ January 19, 2026 - Community Defense and ICE Watch

➢ January 29, 2026 - Building for Community Defense: NE Ohio

>>24120199

>Key People (Leadership):

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The Advisory Board of

States at the Core (STAC) is composed of veteran civil rights strategists and philanthropic leaders dedicated to protecting democracy at the state level.

Advisory Board Members

Eric K. Ward(Co-Founder & Chair): A nationally recognized expert on authoritarian movements and hate violence. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor for the Western States Center and is a former Executive Director of that organization.He is also a Senior Fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)and the Race Forward Executive Vice President.

Nora Ranney: A social and economic justice strategist with over 20 years of experience in advocacy and electoral campaigns. She has held leadership roles at the Open Society Foundations and previously served as the Executive Director of the National Priorities Project and Director of State Advocacy for the ACLU's LGBT Project.

Andrew Smith: A current member of the Advisory Board supporting the organization's mission to strengthen state-level democratic institutions.

Ted Wang: An Advisory Board member who brings a background in civil rights and social action to the organization's leadership.

Organizational Context

STAC operates as a project focused on building long-term infrastructure to resist hate and strengthen democratic faith. It often partners with grassroots leaders and community foundations to provide "new tools" for navigating political and social divisions.

Would you like to know more about STAC's specific programs or their partnerships with local community foundations?

>>24120199

>States at the Core" (STAC)

>>24120224

partnerships with local community foundations?

States at the Core (STAC) works with local community foundations to provide them with the strategic expertise and resources needed to respond to threats to democracy and build long-term democratic infrastructure.

Key Aspects of the Partnerships

Empowerment: STAC aims to provide "new tools" and capacity to local communities that previously felt alone in navigating complex political challenges, such as coordinated white nationalist activity.

Expertise and Guidance: STAC provides local partners, including community foundation leaders, with research, analysis of data (local, statewide, and national), media insights, and training to guide them through new and challenging political terrain.

Capacity Building: By stepping in to build the capacity and expertise of local organizations,STAC enables them to be more proactive and effective in their resistance efforts.

Trusted Source: The goal of these partnerships is to support community leaders who are consideredtrusted sources of information, helping them to de-escalate polarizing narratives and share reliable information within their communities.

Example Partnership

A community foundation president,Randi Hewit, is cited as a partner who felt supported by STAC's involvement, stating that she is now hopeful about implementing a plan of action to counter hate in her community.

In essence, STAC acts as a strategic support system for these local entities, helping them to leverage their deep community ties for maximum impact in protecting democratic institutions.

more example partnerships in minneapolis and other states

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States at the Core (STAC) often keeps specific local partnerships private to protect the credibility and safety of community leaders

.However, some details of their work in Minnesota and Ohio have been made public.

Minnesota and Minneapolis Partnerships

Immigrant Defense Network (IDN): STAC has partnered with the Minnesota-based Immigrant Defense Network, which is a statewide network of over 100 nonprofits and grassroots groups.

This partnership involves developing rapid response strategies and coordination. STAC provides training to help residents become"constitutional observers" (sometimes referred to as "ICE watchers")to monitor and document the activities of federal law enforcement like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Following a local event, over 1,000 Minneapolis residents reportedly signed up for these community defense trainings.

UNIDOS MN: STAC is listed as a partner to UNIDOS MN, a grassroots organization working for social, racial, and economic justice for Minnesota's working families.

Partnerships in Other States

Tennessee (Nashville): STAC worked closely with community leaders in Nashville to help them navigate the response to coordinated white nationalist activity and parades staged downtown.

Ohio

: STAC assistedan interfaith coalition in Ohiowith the fallout from an incident where a man borrowed and burned 100 public library books that focused on African American, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ life.

General "Swing State" Strategy:STAC cultivates relationships with local stakeholders (from faith, business, government, and athletics sectors) across the country, especially in swing states. The goal is to provide these trusted local influencers with early warnings about polarizing disinformation to help them de-escalate narratives and share accurate information within their communities.

>>24120199

>>24120224

>>24120270

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In the Minneapolis area, "trusted messengers" are community-anchored leaders and organizations that leverage deep-rooted relationships to de-escalate tension, provide accurate information, and foster civic engagement.

Consistent with States at the Core's (STAC) strategy of partnering with established local infrastructure, several entities serve as vital messengers in Minneapolis:

Core Community Messengers

The Minneapolis Foundation:A central hub that partners with nonprofits and community leaders to address civic and economic needs. It acts as a trusted facilitator for local research, advocacy, and grantmaking.

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation:Heavily involved in democracy-building, this foundation invests in grassroots leaders to promote a vision of a just Minnesota beyond the voting booth.

Hennepin County Trusted Messengers Program:A unique public-private partnership where trusted leaders from diverse cultural groups provide reliable information and address disparities within their specific geographic areas.

Key Advocacy & Faith Messengers

Minnesota Council of Churches: Co-hosts the annual "Countering Hate" gathering, which brings together faith, philanthropic, and community leaders to discuss white supremacy and social resistance.

Unidos MN: A primary grassroots messenger for immigrant rights and social justice, frequently partnering with other groups for "Know Your Rights" and raid response trainings.

Communities Combating Hate Coalition: A statewide coalition that includes messengers from Jewish Community Action and the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) to advocate for safety and report incidents of hate.

Sector-Specific Influencers

Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI): Led by Robert Lilligren, this group serves as a trusted voice for Indigenous communities in the urban core.

Minneapolis Downtown Council: Represented by figures like Steve Cramer, this group serves as a messenger for the local business and government sectors.

Interfaith Collaboratives: Groups like Mental Health Connect use faith-based networks to destigmatize sensitive issues and share resources across diverse religious congregations.

>>24120294

>In the Minneapolis area, "trusted messengers" are community-anchored leaders and organizations

Here is the contact information for the organizations mentioned.

Core Community Messengers

The Minneapolis Foundation:

Phone: 612-672-3878

Email: e-mail@mplsfoundation.org

Address: 800 IDS Center, 80 South Eighth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation:

Phone: 651-224-5463

Email: info@spmcf.org

Address: 370 Wabasha Street North, Suite 300, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Hennepin County Trusted Messengers (via Community Engagement):

Email: ocs@hennepin.us

General Directory: 612-348-3000

Key Advocacy & Faith Messengers

Minnesota Council of Churches:

Main Phone: 612-230-3200

Justice Advocacy Email: rsvolunteers@mnchurches.org

Address: 122 West Franklin Avenue, Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Unidos MN:

Phone: 612-455-2526

Website: unidos-mn.org

Jewish Community Action (Communities Combating Hate):

Phone: 651-632-2184

Website: jewishcommunityaction.org

Sector-Specific Influencers

Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI):

Phone: 612-813-5066

Address: 1414 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Minneapolis Downtown Council:

Phone: 612-338-3807

Email: info@mplsdowntown.com

Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners:

Phone: 763-489-7500

Address: 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth, MN 55447

States at the Core (STAC)

General Inquiries: info@stacup.org

Leadership/Substack: statesatthecore.substack.com

Would you like assistance drafting an outreach email or a partnership proposal for any of these organizations?

>>24120304

>Here is the contact information for the organizations mentioned.

While

States at the Core (STAC) does not officially list individual politicians as partners to maintain its nonpartisan status,their work in Minnesota involves direct coordination with state and federal leaders on issues of civil rights and democratic infrastructure.

Direct & Indirect Political Connections

Attorney General Keith Ellison:STAC and its Advisory Board(notably Eric K. Ward) have long-standing tiesto Ellison’s work on civil rights and combating extremism. You can contact the Attorney General's Office at 651-296-3353.

Walz-Flanagan Administration: STAC provides strategic expertise to regional foundations thatpartner with the state government on data-driven decision-making and racial equity initiatives. Contact the Governor's Office at 651-201-3400.

Legislative Advocacy (DFL Caucus): STAC’s partners, such as Unidos MN and TakeAction Minnesota, are primaryadvocacy drivers for lawmakers like Rep. Samakab Hussein (651-296-5158) and Rep. Kelly Morrison, particularly regarding immigration and democratic access.

Hennepin County Leadership: STAC’s "trusted messenger" model is akey component of Hennepin County’s Community Engagement strategy, which connects local community leaders directly with county officials.

State Government Contact Resources

If you are looking to engage with specific political offices regarding STAC-aligned topics (such as anti-hate or democracy building), use these directories:

Minnesota House of Representatives Member Directory: Find individual contact info for all 134 state representatives.

Minnesota State Senate Roster: Direct links to "Contact Me" forms for state senators.

Who Represents Me?: A search tool to identify your specific state and federal legislators by address.

Strategic Messengers for Outreach

For community-led efforts, reaching out to the Minnesota Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution (OCDR)is often more effective than direct political cold-calling, as they assist local officials in working together on civil discourse.

>>24120344

muh insurrection

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States at the Core (STAC) coordinates with state and federal leaders primarily by serving as a bridge between high-level policy and local, on-the-ground implementation. Their work often involves providing the strategic research and rapid-response training that government leaders use to protect civil rights.

1. State-Level Coordination (Minnesota)

Rapid Response Strategy with the DFL Caucus: STAC is a recognized partner of the Minnesota House of Representatives DFL Caucus, specifically listed as a resource for their "Immigration Resources Toolkit". STAC provides the strategic planning that allows state leaders to help communities face everything from school board takeovers to political violence.

Civil Rights & The Attorney General: STAC’s Advisory Board Chair, Eric K. Ward, has a long history of working with government and law enforcement leaders to establish anti-hate task forces. In Minnesota, this aligns with Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office, which frequently collaborates with civil rights coalitions to issue guidance on diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools and businesses.

Countering Extremism: STAC provides "customized support" for front-line groups that state officials rely on to de-escalate community tensions, such as those caused by white nationalist rallies or threats against local officials.

1. Federal-Level Coordination

Congressional Testimony: Advisory Board Chair Eric K. Ward has testified before Congress regarding anti-democracy extremism and the threats posed by the January 6th Capitol attack.This testimony helps inform federal policy on domestic terrorism and the preservation of democratic institutions.

Intervention in Federal Enforcement: STAC coordinates with local groups like the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN) to train residents as "constitutional observers" to monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. This coordination serves as a local check on federal enforcement actions, ensuring they adhere to constitutional standards.

Policy Advising: Members of STAC leadership serve as advisors to broader initiatives, such as the President’s Leadership Council for the Search for Common Good, influencing how federal entities approach social cohesion and national security.

1. Cross-Sector "Bridge Building"

Trusted Messenger Support: STAC identifies and supports "trusted messengers" (faith leaders, business owners, and local officials) who can act as intermediaries between government mandates and skeptical or polarized communities.

Data and Research Sharing: STAC provides data and media insights to local and state-level government partners to help them understand emerging threats to the rule of law before they escalate into crises

>>24120380

>muh insurrection

projection much

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Eric K. Ward was invited by the

House Committee on Homeland Security to testify about the January 6th attack and the broader rise of domestic terrorism.

Testimony Details

Date: February 24, 2021

Hearing Title: "Confronting the White Supremacist Terrorist Threat to the Homeland"

Inviting Body: The Committee was chaired at the time by Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS), who also later chaired the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack.

Summary of Testimony

In his testimony, Ward framed the January 6th insurrection not as an isolated riot, but as the culmination of a decades-long strategyby white nationalist movements to undermine American democracy. Key points included:

Strategic Insurrection: He argued that the attack was a deliberate attempt to use political violence to overturn a democratic election, fueled by "The Big Lie."

Mainstreaming of Extremism: Ward warned that white nationalist ideology had moved from the fringes of society into mainstream political discourse, making it a persistent and systemic threat to national security.

Policy Recommendations: He urged Congress to treat white supremacist violence as a form of domestic terrorism and emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot solve the issue; it requires strengthening civil society and democratic institutions at the state and local levels—a core mission of organizations like Western States Center and States at the Core.

Ward also provided a written statement for the record for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties later in 2021,continuing to advise federal leaderson the intersection of hate groups and anti-democratic activity.