The Social Mission of Synapse is to Connect Diverse Twin Cities Influencers and pick their brains for the Greater Good

The Purpose of Synapse is to form a diverse new community devoted to improving the Twin Cities by connecting the brightest minds, the most passionate hearts and the most effective doers in the region, across all divisions of industry, society, economy, race and national background. We are gathering entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, authors, nonprofit executives, community leaders and other influencers to put their heads together to create new ideas and solutions for social and economic challenges.

Diversity is the New Normal: With the increasingly diverse population, America will soon become a minority majority country. Synapse is getting ahead of the curve by aiming for events where half the attendees are People of Color. We are stepping into the future to be more culturally competent for the global environment of the 21st century.

The Friendship Gap: PRRI Research shows the average white person knows only one black person, and 82% of white midwesterners don’t know any blacks — or any other person of color! The average black person knows six white people, but no Asians. We have a Friendship Gap in Minnesota, along with the academic achievement gap, the income gap, the employment gap and the housing gap etc. Synapse aims to bridge the communication gap, the socialization gap, and the friendship gap.

The Synapse Agenda: The first order of business is to get together to converse, socialize, and become friends through Synapse events. Once we become acquainted, we can begin to understand each other’s perspectives.
How: We will do this through parties, dinners, picnics, programs, podcast, potlucks and social media. We will chronicle our progress online in pictures, stories and video to bear witness to the growth of the Synapse community.

The Brain Trust: The Brain Trust includes our Advisory Council and our Advisers-at-Large. Synapse will pick their brains to find new members, get feedback on events, ideas for new events, and suggestions for sponsors. The only way we can offer free events is to find sponsors. Brain Trust benefits are making new friends, both professionally and socially. We are organizing a network of diverse Think Tanks through which members of the Brain Trust can express their perspectives, opinions and ideas. Synapse will collect these ideas and disseminate them through its online newspaper, podcasts and video programs.

Our Common Quest: The premise of Synapse is that we are all in this together. And so it is together that we will create a new mindset for the Twin Cities Region and beyond. This question unites us with common purpose: What can we do to make our region better, together?