Happy Saturday, and welcome to Inside Voices, a weekly newsletter that features a collection of ideas, perspectives and solutions from across Utah — without any of the vitriol or yelling that’s become all too common on other platforms. Subscribe here.
What’s happening in Minnesota has Utahns speaking out.
Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, was killed by Border Patrol agents on Jan. 24 — just weeks after Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent in the same city.
Meredith Gardner and Sherilyn Stevenson with Mormon Women for Ethical Government wrote in an op-ed published this week that, “as peace-loving Americans and women of faith, we feel compelled to speak out.”
They call on their fellow Utahns to remain vigilant and speak out — and on elected officials to enact “more measured, targeted and humane” enforcement of immigration laws.
“As we all process any feelings of anger, frustration or grief, Americans must be vigilant. We must be clear on the need to preserve states’ rights, human rights and due process for all,” they write. “We must continue to speak out, and any exercise of our right to protest must be impeccably peaceful. We must not meet violence with violence, not only because doing so would compromise our moral integrity, but also because a commitment to peacemaking requires recognizing and nurturing the humanity of those with whom we find ourselves in opposition, including members of ICE and political leaders.”
Annie Caplan and Becca Kearl with Living Room Conversations also called on readers to continue speaking with each other — even when “listening can feel like surrender.”
“Refusing to engage comes at a cost. When we stop talking to one another, fear fills the vacuum. And there are plenty of others who are more than willing to shape the ‘truth’ for us,” they write in a new op-ed. “In a culture that rewards speed, certainty and outrage, slowing down feels almost radical. But without that pause — without conversation — we surrender our power to the loudest voices in the room. We owe each other more than slogans and certainty. More than instant judgment and moral posturing. More than the comfort of choosing sides without listening. We owe each other the practice of dialogue.”
This topic is top of mind for many of you, and more op-eds are coming. In the meantime, let me know what you think. Learn more about how you can share your perspective.
Utah Voices
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Cache County Library in Providence, at risk of closing due to a proposal to defund it starting in 2026, is pictured on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.
The following excerpts come from op-eds recently published in The Tribune.
I’ve watched library decorum slip away. Here’s how you can help bring it back.
“As an employee at a Utah public library, I spend more time asking children not to jump on our furniture than I do referring people to educational materials, and it is a rare occurrence that I get enough silent time to think through a project,” writes Greysen Gill. “If you take a visit to any public library in the state of Utah, I think you’d be surprised to find just how much the expected library decorum has begun to slip away. There are several factors that play into this issue, but I think the most pressing is a lack of free, public third spaces. Trying to plan and budget regular activities for a family is very challenging, and the library appeals as both a free and educational option to spend a few hours at play a couple times a week.” Read more.
Utah can’t host the next Olympics until it has a major cultural shift
“The Olympics are often discussed in terms of economics — tourism revenue, infrastructure investment and global visibility. But at their core, the Olympics are an exercise in cultural diplomacy,” writes arts advocate Payton Rhyan. “They are a country’s opportunity to present itself on a global stage, to tell a story about who it is, what it values, and how it understands community, identity and belonging. When the United States hosts the Olympics, that responsibility does not fall on a single city or state alone. But make no mistake: Wherever the Games land becomes a symbolic stand-in for the nation. Utah will not just be hosting athletes. It will be representing America. That is where my concern lies.” Read more.
A southeast county in Utah has a target on its back
“Like the radioactive waste itself, some bad ideas won’t disappear,” writes Zak Podmore. “Southeast Utah is in the crosshairs once again, aided by a $2 million Biden-era grant given to two pro-nuclear nonprofits based in California, Mothers for Nuclear and Native Nuclear, along with North Carolina State University.” Read more.
Sundance offers Utah a breath of countercultural fresh air we desperately need
“Without the annual presence of the festival each year, I see Utah to be a less welcoming place for artists and filmmakers. Even though it was the decision of the Sundance Institute to leave, it does raise important questions about whether the state could have done more to demonstrate its commitment to keep the festival here,” writes festival regular Ian Scott. “We lose something valuable when we don’t make room for the arts — particularly art that challenges our way of life. Which is exactly what the festival did. It stood for inclusion, progressive thinking and looking at life’s challenges through an artistic lens. Although the arts are still available to us, it’s different when we are no longer the ones curating the experience.” Read more.
Share Your Perspective
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Holy Cross Hospital Chapel in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
What kind of role does faith or spirituality play in your life? How does it influence your decisions? Share your perspective.
I’m always looking for unique perspectives, ideas and solutions that move our state forward. Learn more about our guidelines for an op-ed, guest essay, letter to the editor and more here, and drop me a note at voices@sltrib.com.