Tane Danger Asks “Why” for a Living

Gustie Alum Tane Danger loves to build bridges and ask important questions that spark conversations and create lasting bonds. Danger credits all of this to his liberal arts education, something we as Gusties are extremely proud of, and are so excited to offer our athletes day in and day out!

by Dana Melius

Tane Danger—yes, that is his real name—bursts with excitement.


Listen to those who recently played a role in hiring Danger, a communication studies graduate—and how that energy and excitement has touched others he’s bounded into during a diverse public policy career in the Twin Cities—and you’ll catch a sense of both his drive and entrepreneurial spirit. After leading a Twin Cities improv group for the last decade, the 2007 Gustavus alum was recently named director of the popular Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis.

For more than 40 years, the Westminster Town Hall Forum has brought world-renowned speakers and writers to Minneapolis “to engage the public in reflection and dialogue on the key issues of our day from an ethical perspective.” Past speakers have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Vice President Al Gore, Maya Angelou, and Gwen Ifill.

“He was born for this role,” says Megan Dayton, chair of the Forum Advisory Board that led the search for a new director of the 40-year-old public policy forum held in Westminster Presbyterian Church.

“I’m super excited,” Dayton added. “We’re just thrilled to have him. He’s full of energy.”

Danger at Bryant Lake Bowl, where T2P2 regularly offers improv-based civics lessons to sellout crowds.

That creative energy Danger is full of is in part due to nearly a decade as co-founder of The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2), which the Star Tribune once referred to as “C-Span being swarmed by the cast of SNL (Saturday Night Live),” adding that “Tane Danger is on a mission to make good things fun.”

Danger himself called his group “Minnesota’s best loved, most successful, and coincidentally only civics-inspired improv comedy company.” Since 2011, Danger’s goal was to add some excitement to “interviewing newsmakers.”

But Danger’s early dive into theatrical fun came first during his undergraduate studies at Gustavus, where he founded the LineUs Improv Comedy Group. While he admits that serious theatre arts students often wondered what these improvisational efforts were and why they might be drawing bigger crowds—as in “Who are these yucksters going up and doing whatever they want?”—Danger loved it.

“That’s one of the wonderful things about Gustavus,” Danger says. “It’s a place where you could come up with your own ideas…and then do it.”

But there was also a serious side to Danger’s collegiate days; he served two years as editor of the Gustavian Weekly, which later prompted a couple years writing for the Mankato Free Press.

And “the value of rhetoric and truth” rings particularly important in today’s world, in these moments, he noted.

“It was learning in real time on how to engage in real issues. I learned a lot during that time. It’s still a huge underpinning of everything I do,” Danger said. “Gustavus was really where I learned the importance and value of working together to achieve a better world…We have to be able to actually talk to each other.”

That has been particularly important after issues which rocked the political and social justice world during 2020.

“We’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of the George Floyd murder,” Danger stressed. “I feel morally compelled to be spotlighting voices of conscience on racial justice issues a year after that horrible event. I believe that the whole world is going to be noting that day on May 25th.”

Dayton says Danger is perfect for the Forum director position, for “the fact that he’s been doing essentially this work his entire career.”

“He’s incredibly energetic and full of ideas,” she said. “He’s a good connector, with ideas.”

In his role as director of the Westminster Town Hall Forum, he’ll be able to continue those dives into serious public policy issues and discussions. The Forum events, which traditionally drew crowds to the historic Minneapolis church at 1200 South Marquette Ave., have been holding virtual discussions during the pandemic.

The Forum’s first first three speakers booked for 2021 include Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (January 28), noted marine biologist who “works at the intersection of climate, policy, and race”; Barbara Coombs Lee (March 23), a respected end-of-life advocate for “compassion and choice”; and Walter Isaacson (April 20), former president/CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute and editor of Time.

Danger at Gustavus with his parents, Terry ’69 and Jana ’71.

Danger’s path to Gustavus may seem a bit atypical, growing up in Florida, but his parents are natives of Grand Rapids and Waseca—and both are Gustavus graduates. The family moved to Florida early in his life, where Danger graduated from Hollywood Hills High School, southwest of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami.

“My parents were pretty much pushing Gustavus,” Danger admits. And after growing up in southeast Florida, the “go someplace different” pep talk worked. And he’s glad it did.

“I really do think that Gustavus was a big part of why I am and where I am,” he says. “I’m really a booster for the liberal arts education.”

Awarded a Bush Fellowship in 2014, he earned a master’s in Public Policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School. Danger also hooked up with the U of M’s School of Design and taught a new course, “Improvisation for Design.”

Danger is currently is all over the Twin Cities in a variety of unique public policy avenues. He’s also been a contributor to the popular public affairs show “Almanac” on public television, hosted the Give to Gustavus Day fundraising event, and works with Metro Transit on a fun, educational web series called, “Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?,” talking to riders in pure improv fashion.

But now it’s a slight detour into the Town Hall Forum role. And he’s driven again and excited.

“My job today is keeping up on current events, and it’s to be building relationships in the community. And a fundraiser. And a writer. It’s a million and one different things, which is what a liberal arts education helps bring out. It provides a powerful background,” Danger stressed.

“I love working on things that really matter, as squishy as that sounds.”

Resilience, Care, and Advocacy

 Kojo Addo '12 exemplifies what it means to persevere through hardships and find motivation to keep moving forward. His success story and continuing journey are so inspiring to us, both as athletes and as students going through college! 

Kojo Addo '12

by Dana Melius

Kojo Addo ’12 recalls a rough first semester at Gustavus Adolphus College in the fall of 2008. He failed one class, barely managed through a second course, and then hit academic probation.

“My first year at Gustavus is perhaps the most defining period of my academic and professional journey,” Addo says. “I failed Chemistry, barely passed World Geography. I hit a low. I was ready to transfer out and re-evaluate my future.”

But people around Addo encouraged the Wayzata High School graduate to hang in there. And he credits Gustavus’s intimate academic environment, its counselors, and his family and friends for pointing him in the right direction.

“My family, Gustavus friends, Virgil Jones, and on-campus counselors encouraged me not to give up on myself and persevere through the failure.”

Addo’s parents are Ghanaian immigrants, and Kojo reflected on that journey, rallied around solid encouragement and support, and moved forward with a renewed vision of what might be.

Addo with classmate Evan Taylor ’12

“There is an old Ghanaian adage that translates to ‘persistence guarantees success.’ I actually incorporated that into my Gustavus personal statement when I applied. That is exactly what I did.”

The fact that Addo even applied to Gustavus was surprising, he recalls.

“When it came time to tour colleges, I envisioned myself attending a large Midwest university,” Addo says. “A small private school in southern Minnesota was not on my radar.”

On top of that, Addo said he “visited on a gray, slushy, spring day in March”—not the perfect setting to attract a prospective freshman.

“But the moment I stepped foot on the campus, I felt at home. I saw myself walking around, eating at the Caf, and being a part of the Gustavus community.”

After that tough first semester, spring classes “clicked with me,” Addo says. He especially enjoyed Introduction to Sociology and Political and Legal Thinking. Friends, too, connected with Addo.

“This is exactly where I needed to be,” Addo recalls thinking. “I needed to be a part of this community. I felt connected. That’s what I needed at that point in my life.”

A change of direction
Addo’s sophomore year at Gustavus helped reveal that new direction as he dropped thoughts of being a doctor and instead chose to be a communication studies major and management minor.

“I recognized that my skills were geared towards advocacy and consensus building. I will forever be grateful to Professor Leila Brammer, Professor Patricia English, and the rest of the communication studies faculty for their commitment to inspiring students…They had a very significant impact on me.”

As Addo’s Gustavus academic career flourished, he cites others who continued to make significant contributions to his growth. His good friend, Matthew Wasson, joined him as an intern in then-President Jack Ohle’s office. Barb Larson Taylor, then assistant to the president, was their supervisor.

“She is gold, an amazing woman,” Addo says.

Wasson, a Duluth native now living in St. Louis Park, was one Gustie who became close friends early on with Addo.

“We became friends the first week of college,” Wasson said. “We’ve been close friends ever since…He’s just one of those people that you meet that you’ll never forget.”

Addo’s final semester at Gustavus brought him into Securian Financial as an assistant analyst, with mentor Gary Christensen, general counsel of the company.

“Gary and I had many conversations about the doors that a legal education would open for me,” Addo says. “My conversations with Gary and my uncle, Fred Adiya (also a lawyer), played a large part in what motivated me to apply to law school.”

Addo attended William Mitchell College of Law, later becoming the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. After year one there, Addo clerked in 2015 for the Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben law firm in Minneapolis. The firm’s emphasis on personal injury cases drew him into the field.

“At the end of that summer, I knew very clearly what area of law I wanted to practice, the clients I wanted to help, and the people I wanted to work with.”

Addo joined the firm as an attorney in October 2017. James Ballentine became one law firm mentor.

“Kojo is one of the best-liked lawyers in our law firm,” Ballentine said. “The support staff loves him. He’s kind. He’s a gentle soul. He’s just a joy to work with.”

But in the legal world, it’s the client who counts most, and that’s where Addo truly excels, according to Ballentine.

“He’s got a good sense of what his clients want and need,” Ballentine said. “He’s a wonderful attorney. He’s a great advocate for his clients… And he’s fearless.”

Kojo Addo (right) with Gustavus friends and classmates Matthew Wasson, Steve Dow, Dan Brockberg, Doug Frey, and Tyler Grey (l to r).

Advocacy on current issues
Addo’s parents were Ghanaian immigrants, settling in Newark, New Jersey in the 1980s. His family roots in Ghana were more upper-middle class by “African standards,” Addo says.

“A lot of Ghananian immigrants arrived there and found success there.”

So when immigration became a hot topic on the political front over the past few years, Addo says it affected him. And it helped reignite his passion for advocacy.

“It’s been difficult,” Addo says, seeing immigration become such a controversial issue. “I count myself really lucky (as a first-generation United States citizen). I’m a part of that story. I’m a product of immigrants.”

But it wasn’t easy for his parents as they began their U.S. way of life. They struggled to find safe, suitable daycare options. Because of that, Addo was sent back to Ghana and cared for by his grandmother for three years.

“It’s like the best of both worlds. It makes me stronger in a way. This is who I am and I’m better for it. Nothing can shake you. That land (Africa) flows through me.”

But the George Floyd killing prompted even deeper emotions for Addo. It shook him.

“This is something that shakes the whole country, the whole world to its core. Seeing it happen in broad daylight, on Memorial Day, was really heartbreaking.”

Addo’s growing advocacy on the issues of race had previously rose with the February 23, 2020, killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased down and shot while jogging.

After both incidents, Addo said he emailed his legal colleagues and expressed his anger and emotions despite being relatively new to the firm and the lone Black attorney on staff. And his colleagues responded.

“The outpouring of support was really high and I felt so good about that,” Addo says, and he began to lead and join vigils calling for change.

“We all have histories. We’re all George…George Floyd has made me do things I didn’t think I’d be doing…We need to continue the conversation.”