Community Resilience Amid Crises Across the U.S.

Humanitarian leader calls on fellow White men in power to respond to injustices impacting marginalized communities

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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As the CEO of a humanitarian relief organization, the author reflects on the recent crises impacting communities across the U.S. - from the devastating winter storm in the South leaving many without power, to the deadly unrest in Minneapolis. The author emphasizes the disproportionate impact these events have had on marginalized, predominantly non-White communities, and calls on other White men in positions of power to speak up, organize, and join the response efforts to support those in need.

Why it matters

These crises highlight the systemic inequities and injustices that continue to plague the U.S., with marginalized communities bearing the brunt of the impact. The author's call to action underscores the importance of those in positions of power using their influence to address these disparities and support the most vulnerable.

The details

The author describes the deployment of mobile microgrids by their organization, Footprint Project, to provide relief in North Mississippi following Winter Storm Fern, which has left over 80 people dead in some of the poorest, predominantly non-White communities. Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, the author notes the videos of U.S. citizens being "wrongfully arrested, detained and forcibly removed" amid the unrest, with the full scope of the issue still unknown.

  • As the author writes this, Footprint Project's Gulf Coast response team is deploying mobile microgrids in North Mississippi.
  • Over 80 people have died from Winter Storm Fern.
  • In Minneapolis, the deadly storm and unrest are ongoing, with businesses closed and families sheltering in place.

The players

Footprint Project

A humanitarian relief organization led by the author, which is deploying mobile microgrids to provide assistance in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern.

William Heegaard

The CEO of Footprint Project, a White, Minneapolis-born man living in New Orleans who is leading the organization's response efforts.

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What they’re saying

“There is a reason why rich White communities have already gotten their power restored after Winter Storm Fern, while legacy slave and sharecropper families shiver in the cold. It's the same reason why U.S.-born Brown kids are scared to leave their homes in Minnesota. Call it racism, call it injustice, greed, patriarchy, exploitation, supercapitalism, tyranny, call it whatever you want — you know it when you see it, and you know it's wrong.”

— William Heegaard, CEO, Footprint Project (theadvocate.com)

“As a White, Minneapolis-born man living in New Orleans, leading a humanitarian relief orginization, I feel a duty to respond. These disasters are connected, and I implore other White men in positions of power to speak up, to organize, and to join the response. U.S. citizens are being tread on up North and shivering in the dark down South. They're out of power. They need you. Respond.”

— William Heegaard, CEO, Footprint Project (theadvocate.com)

What’s next

The author calls on other White men in positions of power to speak up, organize, and join the response efforts to support the marginalized communities impacted by the crises across the U.S.

The takeaway

These interconnected crises highlight the systemic inequities and injustices that continue to disproportionately affect marginalized communities in the U.S. The author's call to action underscores the importance of those in positions of power using their influence to address these disparities and support the most vulnerable.