January 27, 2026
Dear Readers,
Over the weekend, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was shot and killed by ICE agents after trying to help a woman those same agents shoved to the ground. Pretti, in his parents’ words, “wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.” Such are the times we live in, where everyday citizens—Pretti, Renee Nicole Good, and the countless others who peacefully protested, who stood up for their community members—are met with violence for acts of basic humanity and solidarity.
But we, the people, have power. What we also saw over the weekend was a massive “ICE Out” march and general strike against the federal agency in Minneapolis. While this is but one, albeit city-wide instance, it signals to others to keep pushing.
Communities across the country are responding to escalating state violence not with despair but with organized resistance. Yet these resistance movements require sustainable infrastructure. The question now facing nonprofit leaders is not whether to resist, but how to build organizations resilient enough to sustain resistance over the long term without sacrificing the people doing the work.
In this week’s Nonprofit Leadership newsletter, we look to articles that collectively reveal the infrastructure of resistance—from strategic organizing and legal protections to human relationships, care practices, and organizational cultures that make sustained struggle possible.
In solidarity,
Coty Poynter
Senior Editor
Newsletters
