Meet your neighbor Greg Henningsen

Braver Angels/Braver Politics

The polarization in our politics ignited a passion in Henningsen to find a way to turn down the heat. He joined Braver Angels, a group created to help instill civic trust and heal the wounds between left and right.

He is in the group’s Braver Politics Initiative which seeks to build relationships and make government work.

The Golden Rule and justice

Henningsen subscribes to the late Sen. Paul Wellstone’s well-know saying “we all do better when we all do better.” Henningsen describes himself as an unapologetic supporter of people of any gender identity, skin color, class, religion, or ability.

He stresses that equity doesn’t mean equal outcomes. Equity is a recognition that not all groups have had the same access to opportunities.

The death of George Floyd has had a profound impact on Henningsen, as it has for so many. It led him to challenge his assumption that “not being racist” was enough. He sought personal growth through SURJ, an organization that is a “home for white people working for justice.”

As most people are not “just one thing,” Henningsen is also a strong supporter of law enforcement. He places priority on getting officers the training and tools they need to serve as guardians of our communities and earn the respect they deserve.

Henningsen points out that the current public discourse  is causing officers and public school teachers to suffer an all-time low in morale.

In addition, many face heightened mental health challenges. In both professions, he says, policy changes are often handed down without the officers or teachers having had a seat at the table.

Too often these changes are demanded without the resources necessary  to implement them. Henningsen supports fully-funding public education.

Coming together to move forward

Henningsen believes that we shouldn’t let the red or blue colors of our partisan jerseys determine how we think. Instead, we should seek out everyone’s ideas and develop solutions that do the greatest amount of good and the least amount of harm.

Adding to the challenge is a world operating on a 24-hour news cycle. Too many media outlets (and social media) are tailored to reinforce beliefs instead of informing and educating. Yet Henningsen sees hope, starting with the conversations we can each have with family, friends and neighbors.

Land acknowledgment

Henningsen acknowledges we live on the Indigenous lands of the Dakota people. He volunteers with Makoce Ikikcupi (Land Recovery)which is building a village of wellness on a 21-acre parcel in Granite Falls, Minnesota.*

The Henningsen Family

Henningsen and his wife Lisa, a school teacher, have two children. Their family loves Minnesota’s state parks and paddle boarding. He is also an avid mountain biker.