Is Gun Violence Actually Solvable? | Maggiy Emery, Protect Minnesota

Maggiy Emery leads Protect Minnesota, the only statewide, independent gun violence prevention organization in the state. Her work sits at the intersection of the most contentious politics in America — and she approaches it with a clarity that's hard to look away from: this is a solvable problem. In this conversation, host Elizabeth Kitzenberg talks with Maggiy about what most people get wrong about gun violence, why she doesn't spend her energy trying to change the minds of her fiercest opponents, and how she makes the case for funding work whose success is measured in lives that don't end. They also talk honestly about the human cost of carrying this work — leading through the aftermath of tragedy, and what it takes to keep going when the stakes never let up. In this episode: Why the story most people carry about gun violence misses the majority of it The strategy of organizing the 70% who already agree, instead of chasing the 5% who never will How gun violence intersects with nearly every other cause funders care about Why she refuses to charge for services that save lives — and how that shapes her funding model Being honest with donors about money, and refusing to apologize for the ask What it costs to lead through tragedy, and the question of resilience she's still working out A conversation about clarity, agency, and refusing to accept that the way things are is the way they have to be. 🎙️ Proof of Impact is a production of Gleam Tower Media, recorded at Picnic Linden Hills in southwest Minneapolis. 📬 Connect with Elizabeth Kitzenberg on LinkedIn, or learn more about nonprofit consulting at thekitzenberggroup.com.