In October, the 2025 Growing Local: Emerging Leaders cohort gathered for the sixth and final session of their leadership journey. The theme for the evening was Visionary Leadership, Action, and Celebration, hosted at Little Theatre Auditorium in New London.
Although program coordinator Khou Lor was unable to attend the final session of Growing Local: Emerging Leaders this year, her influence was woven throughout the celebration. Khou’s thoughtful design and behind-the-scenes work helped shape a supportive and enriching experience for participants from start to finish.
Facilitator Ash Hanson opened the session with reflections on the leadership journey. As the director of the Department of Public Transformation, Ash helps develop creative strategies for increased community connection, civic engagement, and equitable participation in rural places.
Ash led participants through exploring where they’ve been and what they’ve learned throughout the program, drawing their leadership roadmap for the future and mapping their social networks to visualize ongoing connections.
“We need now more than ever more people showing up in our communities,” Ash told the emerging leaders gathered. “I hope your leadership invites you to fall deeper in love with your place.”
2025 Growing Local: Emerging Leaders
Growing Local: Emerging Leaders participants represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, united by a shared passion for local leadership and community impact. Graduates of the 2025 cohort include:
- Erendira Yulieny Cuelle-Rios, Windom
- Brittany Engesmoe, Madison
- Miranda Evenson, Dawson
- Madeline Frank, Redwood Falls
- Kenneth Garcia, Worthington
- Alexandro Mazariegos, Fulda
- Shirley Perez, Worthington
- Susu Ramirez, Worthington
- Tanner Rogers, Worthington
- Shamary Ruiz Bonet, Leota
- Traci Sherman, Hendricks
True leadership starts with listening
Spanish and English teacher, interpreter, wife, and mom Shamary Ruiz Bonet teaches in the Edgerton School District. She applied to Growing Local: Emerging Leaders for the opportunity to connect with others equally dedicated to building strong, culturally responsive communities from the ground up.
“The collaborative discussions helped me see new perspectives and approaches to leadership,” Shamary said. “I learned that true leadership starts with listening — to your community, your peers, and yourself. The program reminded me that growth comes from collaboration, reflection, and the courage to take initiative, even in small ways that can make a big impact locally.”
We all belong to a community
For Alex Mazariegos, Growing Local Emerging Leaders helped expand his network across Southwest Minnesota, getting to know different businesses and meeting entrepreneurial minded individuals.
Alex grew up in Worthington, graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and now makes his home in Fulda. He works as an Ergonomics Manager at JBS in Worthington.
Alex shares how the Emerging leaders program has helped him: “This program taught me a lot about myself, things I didn’t know before. It challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things that will help me to continue growing and developing as a community leader. I also learned that my leadership style is unique, and that uniqueness adds value to the local boards, commissions, and elected positions I may decide to take part in.”
“I enjoyed the variety of lessons taught, each filled with material that can be applied in the real world. Additionally, having sessions in different towns across Southwest Minnesota introduced me to places I had never visited before and reminded me that no matter where we live, we all belong to a community.” Alex Mazariegos
Working with layers of history and place
Rural community leader Bethany Lacktorin manages Little Theatre Auditorium in New London and hosted the celebration, as well as making time to share insights from her own journey.
“I’ve gone through a couple different leadership programs like this one, and it’s super helpful, even though a lot of times you go into it thinking, ‘I’m not sure what I’m going to get out of this,’” Bethany said. “Every time I’ve gotten into one, I’ve met so many really great people who I still keep in contact with. It is so cool to be part of this in the small way that I am today.”
Bethany’s career experience includes time as a performance artist, organizer, media producer and musician. She spent part of her childhood in New London and moved back in 2015 to care for her mother. After her mother passed away, Bethany decided to stay. She set about finding a way to use her variety of skills and experience in the small town.
“I have recently started calling myself a community or social practitioner, which is weird. To use the word practice for the work that I do, feels strange. But I’m getting used to it,” Bethany said. “It was almost as hard as starting to call myself an artist. And even harder to start calling myself a leader.”
With a deep history of performance art-making that reveals, renews and revitalizes places as sacred, Bethany sees Little Theatre Auditorium as a place where people can learn how to express themselves, be vulnerable, and share experiences.
She encouraged the emerging leaders to embrace the inevitable challenges of community leadership while leaning into the little things that spark joy: “Somebody washed the windows. It was a surprise. When I came in today, the windows were so clean, and it made me feel really happy someone cared. That’s what it’s all about.”
Communication, cooperation, and clarity
Before handing out program certificates, Southwest Initiative Foundation Vice President of Community Impact Nancy Fasching shared lessons on leadership from bees. The keys to the hive’s success can also predict a strong leader, focusing on communication, cooperation and clarity, Nancy told the emerging leaders:
“The average worker honeybee makes just one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. In other words, 12 bees together can make one teaspoon. At first glance, this seems small and insignificant, until we consider it in the context of the entire hive and network of bees. Though their work seems small, it directly contributes to a greater goal that’s only possible through team cooperation.”
Nancy shared how at times it can feel like our individual work and pursuit of an individual or small team goal doesn’t matter or carry real impact. However, together our collective work and intelligence can accomplish great things and produce truly valuable and life impacting solutions.
The night concluded with music, cake, and a celebratory toast marking not just the end of a program, but the beginning of a lifelong journey of visionary leadership.
