You're going to love Emma, our new Young Adult Leadership Action Manager!
If you identify as a young Jew in the Twin Cities, chances are you’ll be meeting Emma Dunn soon.
Emma joined the Federation team last month, working out of both the Minneapolis and St. Paul offices, as the Twin Cities Young Adult Leadership Action (YALA) Manager and she’s eager to get started. “I’m excited to start having conversations,” she told us, “and to hear the trends and new ideas for empowering young Jews and strengthening our community.”
We talked to Emma about, well, everything—here’s what she had to say:
On her Jewish journey
As a Jew by choice, Emma says her unique perspective helps her relate to finding community in unique ways and empathize with the diverse journeys of other young Jews.
On the Twin Cities Jewish Community
“I’ve heard from many people that the Twin Cities is an insular community—but I’m also hearing that our community is starting to recognize and address it. I understand that it’s hard for people on the periphery or newcomers to make connections, and I’m eager to play a part in helping to change that.”
On getting her Master’s
Emma just completed her Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. “My passion is community engagement and using both lived experience and data to drive our solutions — and I needed a break from politics,” she says.
On Israel
“I’m very connected to Israel. I cherish the complexity and helping others wrestle with it. There are no easy answers in life, but we must dig into the hard questions.”
On the Minnesota weather
“My favorite weather in Minnesota are the first fifty-degree days when everyone is outside—or the weeks in September and October when everything on the North Shore is maroon and gold.”
On the best place she’s traveled
“I studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa for seven months, but half of my academic semester was canceled due to student protests. I learned a lot more about activism—and the beach—than I bargained for.”
On her favorite place to meet for coffee
In Minneapolis, it’s The Lynhall (a woman-owned spot that highlights local changemakers and has a killer shakshuka). In St. Paul, you can catch her at Café Astoria or Quixotic Coffee for a dirty chai or smoothie bowl.
Get in touch with Emma if you...
..are new to the Twin Cities and looking to build community, if you have a great Jewish idea, or if you just need to kvetch. She’s looking forward to elevating the voices and leadership of young Jewish adults and can’t wait to meet you. Yalla!