As we close out 2025, I’ve been thinking a lot about how far we’ve come together at Up North Advocacy. In March of next year, we’ll hit our two-year mark, and it surprises me every time I say that out loud. Two years isn’t much in the life of an organization, but when I step back and look at everything we’ve built in that time, it feels like we’ve been at this thing for so much longer.

And honestly, it makes sense. Because for many of us, this isn’t “new work”,  it’s the same commitment we’ve had to our communities our whole lives. For me, UNA didn’t start as a career move. It started because this is my home. These are my people. This place made me who I am, and fighting for it doesn’t feel like a job, but more like an act of reciprocity for a place and the people who have given me so much.

Still, I’m blown away by looking back at what has happened in a relatively short amount of time. Not by our organization, but by you, our friends and neighbors who show up at school board meetings, on doorsteps, at rallies, at Men’s Circles, and everywhere in between. Every time someone volunteers, signs a petition, takes a training, has a tough conversation, or agrees to just sit down with us for their first one to one… it inspires the hell out of me, and shows me we are on the right path.

I feel a deep gratitude for the trust people have placed in us, for the chance to do this work in the place that raised me. And for the reminder, day after day, that our home isn’t just beautiful – it’s powerful. When we organize, when we look out for each other, when we decide that our communities matter, we can do anything.

With that spirit, here’s a look back at what we built together this year.

So much of our work this year came back to one thing: people want their schools to be strong because strong schools make strong communities.

We witnessed parents, teachers, and even young students travel to Lansing to push back on state budget cuts, sign petitions, speak at education rallies, and have honest conversations with their neighbors. One of the moments that really stuck with us was the Sault Area Public Schools bond win. After a string of failed attempts, the community finally said YES to investing in their kids’ learning spaces. That didn’t happen because we ran some fancy ad campaign; it happened because people had a positive vision and set to work together.  They knocked doors, made phone calls, organized a rally and made their case for public investment in their community – and they won!

Beyond the big wins, we also spent the year helping school districts navigate the potential federal and state opportunities to improve aging buildings, heating systems, and energy infrastructure. Whether it was walking partners through grant applications, convening rural superintendents to share strategies, or lifting up the needs of our most isolated districts, we deepened our understanding of what our schools are up against in Northern Michigan and the UP. Even when federal policy shifts closed some doors, the relationships we built made it clear that this work matters, and that people here are eager for long-term solutions that keep their schools strong for the next generation.

Michigan’s land and water are literally a part of who we are, and that showed in the fights we took on together this year.

We stood with folks pushing back against big-money narratives of outside corporate interests on Line 5, crypto-mining near our schools, and the rise of AI and hyperscale datacenters.  No matter what the fight, the message was the same: people here are tired of being treated like our resources, neighbors, and non-human relatives are just a means to a profitable end for monied interests.  Folks feel like they are being taken advantage of, and they want a sustainable, forward-thinking vision for our future that is grounded in protection, transparency, and making sure rural voices actually direct rural futures.

What felt powerful was watching conversations turn into community, not just in isolated towns, but across the entire UP and northern Michigan.  Fighting back brought people together who recognized that noise, energy and water use, and corporate control aren’t abstract issues. They show up in our lakes, our bills, our health, and our quality of life. This is the foundation we’re carrying into 2026 as we build a full campaign around crypto mining and data centers.

This wasn’t a year with a lot on the ballot up north, but people were still energized and thinking hard about the future they want for Northern Michigan. We felt that at our community meetings in the Soo where neighbors come together to talk about their lives, their hopes, and what real participation can look like in a small town.

One of the results from those meetings were the actions taken for that Sault Area Public Schools Bond win, of course, but we carried that same spirit into petition drives, Bridge Walks, voter education efforts, and the everyday conversations that keep folks connected to the democratic process. None of it was flashy, but it built momentum. It helped people feel more confident, more informed, and more invested in shaping what comes next.  With major opportunities for civic participation in 2026 on the horizon that groundwork will matter. People want to engage when they feel ready, welcomed, and part of something real.

Honestly, one of the most powerful things we saw all year was a bunch of men deciding to be brave enough to walk into a space full of other guys they didn’t know and say, “Yeah, I want to do better. I want to show up differently.”

More than 40 men stepped into those circles, many of them for the first time ever in a space like that. They talked about stress, responsibility, family, and what kind of fathers, husbands, neighbors and community members they want to be. Then, they decided what they wanted to do about that, and then agreed to hold one another accountable.

Men who once said they weren’t “political” picked up petitions. Guys who had never been to a rally before volunteered for the safety crew. Others knocked doors, showed up at community meetings, and took real leadership roles in fights that matter to them.  They realized their agency, their power, their worth and their responsibilities.

When people feel grounded and supported, they step up.  This year, we were honored to help make that happen.  It was one of the most moving parts of our work and we look forward to doing it again and again.

2026 is going to be a big year, with elections up and down the ballot, an ongoing education funding fight, and the continued push to protect our land and water from crypto mining and rapid development. We’re also planning to bring Men’s Circles to more towns and roll out a membership structure so even more neighbors can plug in.

But before anything else, we’re heading into the new year with gratitude.  Gratitude for the trust people have put in us.   Gratitude for every conversation, every volunteer hour, every signature, every person who’s said, “Yeah, I care about this place too.” 

Northern Michigan deserves strong schools, clean water, affordable utilities, and thriving communities. And if the past two years have shown anything, it’s that we can get there when we work together.

As we look to 2026, we also need to be honest: this work only happens because people choose to support it. We hope we’ve earned your trust, and shown that investing in Up North Advocacy is investing directly in your community. If you’ve donated this year, thank you. And if you’re one of the folks who set up a recurring gift, just know how much that matters. Those steady contributions keep us moving, planning, and growing.

If you believe in what we’re building, we’d be grateful if you continued, or started, investing in this work.  Every dollar stays right here in Northern Michigan, helping us fight for the future we all want.

We’re proud to be in this with you.
And we’re just getting started.

Thank you for being part of this movement. Let’s keep pushing forward—together.