Born in St. Paul, Jim Bear is a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation, an American Indian tribe located in central Wisconsin. A sought-after keynote speaker for events like The Overcoming Racism Conference and Coming to the Table National Conference, Jacobs is a thought leader who contributed chapters to the books “Reparations and the Theological Disciplines,” “Dialogues on Race,” and “Gone for Good.” His work is featured in Robert P. Jones’ book “The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy” and in the PBS documentary “Religion, Racism and Reconciliation.”
Jacobs is a cultural facilitator in the Twin Cities who works to raise the public’s awareness of American Indian causes and justice. He is founder/convener of “Healing Minnesota Stories,” an initiative dedicated to creating events of dialogue, education, and healing, particularly within faith communities. He is a program director for Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, and member of Washington National Cathedral’s “Sacred Spaces: Racial Justice and Spirituality in Action” cohort. Jacobs has a B.A. in Pastoral Studies from North Central University and M.A. in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary.