“At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division.”
"Keep hope alive."
Let’s be real. Last year was devastating. The beginning of this year has been no better. Between federal policy changes that could harm kids’ health and the surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, it’s easy to feel like the mountain we’re climbing keeps getting steeper.
We must “keep hope alive.” We must keep climbing.
On top of that, in some places, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work is a derogatory thing. What was once (and still is at Children’s Minnesota) a business imperative has become an acronym that everyone avoids. DEI was blamed for plane crashes, boating accidents, failed business strategies and many other negative experiences in 2025.
At Children’s Minnesota, we never gave up on DEI (we call it equity and inclusion). Instead, we reminded ourselves that diversity, equity and inclusion, and continuous improvement, are woven into the fabric of our strategic plan and our 10-year vision. We reminded ourselves that growth and business success are inextricably linked to having a diverse workforce poised to provide unique and creative solutions for the health and wellness of patients, families and community. We stayed the course because it is who we are.
At Children’s Minnesota, diversity, equity and inclusion aren’t just a passing trend. They are at the heart of our vision and mission. If we aren’t diverse, we won’t have a wide range of knowledge and experience to best solve the challenges we face as one of the largest independent pediatric health systems in the country. If we aren’t inclusive, we can’t be the authentic and accountable partner our families deserve. If we aren’t equitable, we’re providing health care to some, and leaving others behind.
Looking back, leaning in
We didn’t just weather the storm last year; we leaned into it. In this blog, we celebrated the fact that women make up 80% of our Children’s Minnesota team. We listened to leaders like Dr. Indy Lane on the urgency of Black maternal health, and we heard from community advocates like Commissioner Tikki Brown to ensure our actions were rooted in what adults and children actually need.
We saw that when things get tough, the answer isn’t to pull back. It’s to show up stronger and better than we have before.
No matter what’s happening in the world, our daily work remains urgent and critical for our patients, our families and our community.
- Our Lois Young Legacy Internship Program is opening doors for the next generation of health care leaders.
- Our employee resource groups are an important place for our very diverse staff to lead and find community.
- We never stop working to make our care more culturally responsive so we can best connect with kids and help them be healthy.
- We never stop working to ensure our staff reflects the rich diversity of the patients and families we serve.
All of this isn’t just a corporate strategy. It’s how we ensure every child has the best chance to thrive and that we continue to be every family’s essential partner in raising healthier children.
The path forward in 2026
The commitment this year is “Keep on moving – don’t stop.” My goal for this blog throughout 2026 is to share exactly how we are staying the course and how you can too. In the words of Jesse Jackson, “at the end of the day we must go forward and not backward.”
I invite you to “keep hope alive” and keep dreaming.
“Our dreams must be stronger than our memories. We must be pulled by our dreams, rather than pushed by our memories.”
We’re staying grounded in our vision to be every family’s essential partner in raising healthier children. And we will continue to keep moving forward and not stop.
Thank you for being part of this community. I’m so glad we’re walking this path together.
James Burroughs
Senior vice president, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer
James Burroughs joined Children’s Minnesota as its first chief equity and inclusion officer in 2019. He is responsible for advancing equity and inclusion in all parts of the organization.
Follow James on LinkedIn.
