Celebrating Heroes Among Us

“… unlike a traditional entrepreneur, the social entrepreneur pursues goals that lie in the social sphere, far beyond simple calculations of monetary return on investment.”
-Peter Heegaard

Social entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities are as business savvy as their counterparts in the for-profit industry, but their socially-centric efforts to reduce poverty in their communities makes them pioneers.

Peter Heegaard, businessman and visionary, wrote the book Heroes Among Us, featuring social entrepreneurs whose innovative work continues to change the landscape of Minnesota. ADC’s Hussein Samatar is among 11 individuals profiled in the book.

Heegaard is both well acquainted with the Twin Cities corporate community and deeply invested in urban issues. A native of Minneapolis who is active in various Twin Cities organizations, he is the co-founder of Urban Adventure, an educational program for emerging leaders that exposes participants to challenging urban issues, particularly efforts to reduce poverty, improve neighborhoods, promote economic development and improve schools. The program hopes to eliminate the gap between the private sector and the community as a whole. “The gap in pay between Europeans and people of color is both astounding and unacceptable,” Heegaard says. Baffled by this disparity, he began chipping away at years of economic racial parity through networking, writing and organizing.

Urban Adventure grew from this need, and continues to exist as a hub for individuals Heegaard identifies as “social entrepreneurs,” those who take risks for the common good by investing their talent and resources and risking their work and reputation to create non-profit organizations. It was at Urban Adventure where Hussein Samatar and Peter Heegaard crossed paths.

“It’s hard enough if you’re a traditional Minnesotan, but the survival skills of new Americans are amazing,” Heegaard remarks. His book shares Samatar’s experience as a young economist whose country collapsed just days after graduation, the flight and struggles of the “lost generation of Somalia,” the refugee experience in Minnesota, as well as the inception and growth of the African Development Center.


3 of 11 People Who Featured in the Book During Launching

Each of the 11 individuals profiled has created sustainable institutions that address poverty in the Twin Cities, and continue to have a lasting impact in the community. Prior to selecting the aforementioned organizations, Heegaard profiled dozens of organizations.

ADC’s history is a piece of the story on breaking poverty in our community. Heegaard’s book gives readers a deeper appreciation of the history and work of Twin Cities organizations, and the social entrepreneurs who founded them.

Heegaard takes a retrospective look at his state of Minnesota. He highlights the heroes of the state who served as catalysts for change, along with those in the business community who reached out to them along the way. The story of Minnesota reflects the state’s changing demographics, as well as its changing social fabric. “The importance of the non-profit has grown,” Heegaard says. “More than ever, people are ready to take risks and make sacrifices on behalf of their community and lead socially responsible lives. Retirement is simply not what it used to be.” Heroes Among Us undoubtedly captures Minnesota’s vibrant non-profit community, and will help Minnesotans recognize the power and potential in the non-profit world.


In the book cover is the list of names of 11 People Who Featured in the Book