Muneer Karcher-Ramos has a powerful vision for transformative change. Joining McKnight in March 2024 as the director of the Vibrant & Equitable Communities (“Communities”) program, he and his team work with partners across the state to advance a vibrant future for all Minnesotans. Muneer has spent the last 15 years working in community and systems change—from launching nationally recognized initiatives to erase medical debt, boost income and build assets, and build community wealth in Saint Paul, to leading cross-sector collaborations that tackle systemic inequities at the local, state, and national levels.
In this conversation, Muneer reflects on what brought him to McKnight, his team’s focus on creating equitable economic opportunities for all Minnesotans, and his own motivation in pursuing this work. He also shares what gives him hope as he leads efforts to ensure that power, prosperity, and participation are not left to chance—but made accessible to all.
Q: What brought you to the McKnight Foundation?
Muneer: I was drawn by the Foundation’s commitment to systems change. I’ve long believed that we can’t “program” our way out of the entrenched systemic issues we face. At McKnight, I saw there is a strong willingness to embrace the complexity of systemic challenges, and an understanding that meaningful change requires pulling multiple levers—be it program solutions, policy solutions, narrative change, or convening cross-sector stakeholders. McKnight doesn’t shy away from looking at the whole system, and examining what needs to shift within a system to deliver different results.
I also admire McKnight’s courage to step fully into its sphere of influence. The Foundation’s commitment to tackling systemic challenges—alongside community partners and innovative leaders—is a role I wanted to take on. Working in proximity with impacted populations and visionary leaders, I see a role in building systems for better outcomes in communities and for individuals across Minnesota.
Q: What is the Vibrant & Equitable Communities program focusing on to make an impact in Minnesota?
Muneer: We are honing four key indicators for where we can drive change: affordable homeownership, accessible rental housing, household financial net worth, and family sustaining wages. These reflect what we believe will create the most meaningful impact across Minnesota.
Understanding how to shift these indicators requires a deep systems analysis. For example, what policies, practices, and resource flows influence them? What mental models and relationships need to change? These are the questions we’re asking as we refine our strategies around community wealth building, fair housing, and economic mobility.
We’re also exploring cross-cutting strategies, such as strengthening democratic participation and improving access to capital and the financial system. These areas connect directly to creating a just and fair economy for all Minnesotans, ensuring opportunities aren’t determined by race, geography, or circumstance.
Q: How do you approach your work?
Muneer: One of my priorities since I arrived earlier this year is building strong, intentional relationships—both within McKnight and with our grantee partners and communities across Minnesota. In 2025, our team aspires to deepen this work through engagements and convenings, ensuring we stay in close proximity to the people and places we aim to partner with and financially support.
I also want the Communities program to take a mindset of playing big. At McKnight, we don’t avoid the tough issues. Whether it’s the racial wealth gap or reimagining economic systems, we take on the biggest, boldest challenges alongside our partners to drive change forward.
“Access to social and economic benefits shouldn’t depend on chance or circumstance. I’m committed to creating systems that work for everyone.”– MUNEER KARCHER-RAMOS, VIBRANT & EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES DIRECTOR
Q: Why is this work personal to you?
Muneer: I grew up splitting time between California and Minnesota in a working-class family. While we didn’t face abject struggle, there were moments we didn’t always have access to the same economic opportunities.
I remember my dad once shared a metaphor that sticks with me still today: “potholes are going to be placed in front of you, and it’s up to you to jump in and out of them.” What differs is how deep those potholes are, and that’s often determined by systems—not individual effort. Some of my family members, for example, work just as hard as I do, but the opportunities available to us haven’t always been the same.
Access to social and economic benefits shouldn’t depend on chance or circumstance. That’s why I’m committed to creating systems that work for everyone.
Q: What gives you hope for the future?
Muneer: As we head into 2025, I see both certainty and uncertainty ahead—days that may be both dark and light. What gives me hope is the understanding that we’re in this together. Whether it’s navigating challenges or building the future we want, let’s be in conversation, stand side by side, and build the future we want together. We may not know exactly what we’re going to face, but we’re better off together than we are alone.
I often think about the idea that ‘to know the path ahead, we must ask those coming back.’ It’s a reminder to stay grounded in community, to listen, and to co-create solutions with others. By being present in the here and now, I believe, as Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, that we can bend the arc of time toward justice—and build a just future that works for all Minnesotans.
