An Oral History of the Founding of MN's PACER Center

All of the measurable outcomes were achieved or exceeded.
1) A consultant was hired within grant procedures and PACER hiring policies. Though an unexpected death in the PACER family created a delay in the start timeframe until July.

2) Permissions were obtained and interviews were successfully conducted. The eight founders each represented 20+ years of experience with PACER. And each represented a different aspect of PACER's founding, e.g. seven were parents of children with different disabilities and each told his/her personal story of challenges and joys in changing the educational system in MN.

One, male Hispanic, told about working with Latino families over the years as this population has increased in MN.
Another, an African American woman, told about raising a child with disabilities during the civil rights challenges of the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Another African American woman talked about working regionally and nationally, often being the only black woman among many white males in power positions.
A father, now a District Court Judge, told about being board chair, working together at the state legislature and developing a strong infrastructure and a sustainable future for a successful nonprofit - PACER Center.
The original co-directors, shared how their vision evolved over the years from being inexperienced mothers to being successful entrepreneurs in a changing world and building a $10M endowment. One of the original co-directors is now the current director and she shared PACER's impact in MN, across the nation, and internationally.