BusinessJanuary 26, 2026

Minnesota Business Leaders Call for Calm

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

CEO/ˌsiː.iːˈoʊ/

Chief Executive Officer; the top leader of a company.

"The CEO spoke to all employees."

de-escalation/diːˌɛskəˈleɪʃən/

A reduction in anger, conflict, or violence.

"People asked for de-escalation after the protest."

chamber/ˈtʃeɪmbər/

An organization of businesses that work together in a region.

"The chamber posted the open letter online."

Listening

Minnesota Business Leaders Call for Calm

More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies wrote an open letter on January 25, 2026. The letter was posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website and it called for an immediate deescalation of tensions.

The signers include leaders from Target, General Mills, Cargill, Best Buy and UnitedHealth. The CEOs said they want state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions. Many companies have been quiet until now, but they said the recent events hurt families and businesses. They asked for calm so workers can feel safe. The letter listed many well-known Minnesota firms. It named more than sixty leaders.

104 words

Quiz

1. Who wrote the open letter?

2. What did the letter call for?

3. Where was the letter posted?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you worry when local events make businesses close near you? How do you feel?

Have you ever been to a public protest? What happened?

What do you think helps calm a tense situation in your city?