Minneapolis Designer Navigates Duality of Beauty and Resistance

Anne McDonald shares how she's balancing creative work and community activism amid ICE raids in her hometown.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 2:07pm

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Interior designer Anne McDonald, who was named one of AD's New American Voices in 2024, is grappling with the duality of her work creating beauty and her role in resisting the ICE raids that have disrupted her Minneapolis community. While attending a design event in London, McDonald was constantly checking in with her family back home, navigating the fear and uncertainty of the police state-like conditions in the city. She's now working to support her neighbors, organize groceries and rent relief, and document the experience, all while continuing her design projects.

Why it matters

McDonald's story highlights the challenges facing creatives and small business owners in communities under siege, as the presence of ICE agents has disrupted daily life, closed local restaurants and halted construction projects. Her experience also underscores the resilience and community organizing efforts emerging to support vulnerable residents and resist the crackdown.

The details

McDonald, who was born and raised in the Twin Cities, has seen her hometown transformed by the influx of an estimated 3,000 ICE agents operating under 'Operation Metro Surge.' The agents, dressed in tactical gear and driving unmarked vehicles, have conducted raids that have led to the disappearance of longtime residents, including two painters McDonald has known for years. This has forced many immigrants to stay hidden, impacting small businesses and the local economy.

  • On January 7, Renée Good was shot.
  • That same afternoon, ICE agents stormed Roosevelt High School, where McDonald's son has friends and where one of her close friends is a social worker.

The players

Anne McDonald

An interior designer from Minneapolis who was named one of AD's New American Voices in 2024.

Renée Good

A Minneapolis resident who was shot on January 7.

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What they’re saying

“I don't know if I'm doing enough. I don't know what the consequences of speaking out might be. But I know that looking away isn't an option.”

— Anne McDonald, Interior Designer (Architectural Digest)

What’s next

McDonald and her community are continuing to organize groceries, rent relief, and protests to support vulnerable residents and resist the ICE crackdown in Minneapolis.

The takeaway

McDonald's story illustrates the difficult balance creatives must strike between their professional work and their civic duty to resist injustice, as well as the resilience and community-driven response emerging to protect vulnerable residents in the face of a heavy-handed law enforcement presence.