One non-performative action I am proud of is my ability to get out in the community to speak with the citizens of ward 11 to learn what keeps them up at night, and to learn ways that we can better work together to get our city back on the right track.

Public Safety

How will you keep young Black and brown kids safe — those who are simultaneously the most at risk from gun violence but also most at risk during interactions with the police? What do you believe are best practices for solving these issues in tandem, and how will you involve the communities most affected in problem solving and determining next steps?

I plan on keeping young black and brown kids safe by helping to strengthen the families that support / care for these young kids. I plan on supporting organizations in the community that specializes in teach our young black and brown kids what to do and how to act if they are ever stopped by the police. We must ensure that we help the parents of these kids with basic things like housing, food, employment, and transportation to put them in a better position to be a better parent to their kids. We must invest in after school programs to keep our kids engaged, we must invest in programs that actually pay kids money to volunteer and do small jobs within the community, because most black and brown kids at the end of the day want to make some money and it’s our job to provide them with avenues to make that money without them going out in the community to commit a crime to get money they need.

People of color in Minneapolis are killed or otherwise harmed by law enforcement at disproportionately high rates, despite many attempts at reform over several election cycles. How do you intend to reshape a policing system that has been resistant to change, and slow to show meaningful strides toward equitable community outcomes?

Yes, it’s true that people of color in Minneapolis are killed or otherwise harmed by law enforcement at disproportionately high rates. I feel that there are bad cops and good cops on our police force. I know for sure that there are more good cops than bad cops on our police force. I plan on identifying those officers who go out in the community to harm and cause trouble to people of color and work with the police chef to get them off the force and out of our community – But in no way possible should we defund or dismantle our police department. I will not vote to dismantle or defund our police department that’s a promise. I strongly believe in reform, and I feel that’s the way we need to go, Yes, reforming the Minneapolis Police Department in the past, but I feel that after the Gorge Floyd incident our Police department is finally ready to be reformed.

What are your stances on memorializing public spaces when our community is grieving, and/or demanding action through constitutionally-protected protests? What policies would you put in place or what organizations would you engage to ensure residents can do these things safely?

I feel that if we should go out and get the communities input and make decisions that the community agrees on, but in no way should we infringe our own personal ideas or opinions on the community.

Housing

Rental assistance from the federal government has helped keep people in their homes through the pandemic. This funding is not permanent, however, and inability to pay is the leading cause of evictions. What is your stance on more permanent rental assistance, rent stabilization, and/or rent control measures in Minneapolis?

I feel that everyone should have affordable housing and we should do everything that we can to help keep people in their homes. We should enact policies that protect families from being evicted during this horrible pandemic. As a former homeless guy, I know how important it is to have a home and we will work with the council and the community to do all that we can to ensure families have a stable housing.

Gentrification results in cultural loss for communities and major economic impacts for those priced out of their longtime neighborhoods. As our city grows, what plans do you have to combat gentrification and increase the amount of affordable housing available in Minneapolis?

I plane on working with members on the city council to come up with ways to ensure that as our city grow, we keep housing affordable for everyone.

In the last few years, Minneapolis has experienced a spike in encampments of unhoused people on public land — a high percentage of whom are Black and/or Indigenous. Many of our unhoused neighbors see this as their best housing option over shelters (for reasons of personal safety, pet ownership, or having to abandon property). What will you do to protect these neighbors and connect them with safe and stable housing?

I feel that it’s a bad representation on our city to have parks and our communities filled with tent cities. It’s unsanitary, and unsafe. We need to do all that we can to make sure we are helping provide these folks with the necessary resources they need to get them stable permanent long term housing and get them out of our parks and off our streets with tents encampments. We have so many programs already that exist, we need to send a team out to all encampments to help provide the information and support people need to get them housing or the help they need.

Jobs and Economy

Black, Indigenous, and Minneapolis residents of color pay local taxes and contribute to our local economy, but often do not receive the same shared economic benefits as their white counterparts. Through generations of oppression via policy and unequal systems, wealth has been chronically and systematically extracted from BIPOC communities—how do you envision addressing this legacy of economic harm, in both the short term and the long term?

I feel that this isn’t something that can be undone overnight. I feel that we should invest money in these communities to balance the wealth gape so that black and brown residents enjoy the same benefits from the city that their white counterparts enjoy.

The power dynamics of work are heavily tilted against low-wage workers, especially immigrant workers. What actions have you taken or what plans do you have to protect and support these workers?

I plan on working with members across the aisle in the council to figure out the best ways we can improve our labor market to work for immigrants just like it works for all Americans. Immigrants are the back bone of our economy and we must pay them the money they deserve.

Racial Justice

Explain your understanding of systemic racism, and how—or whether—you believe it affects Minneapolis’s education systems & outcomes, our housing market, our environment, public safety, healthcare, or other major systems.

My opinion of systemic racism, is road blocks that was purposely put there to stop another race from achieving their goals and dreams. I will work with the city council to remove those road blocks so that all races and colors have the right to pursue their own happiness without road blocks standing in their path.

Our community suffers from some of the greatest racial disparities in the country across many social, educational, and economic metrics—and has for some time. If you’re in government now, what have you done to address this, and do you feel your efforts have been enough despite the lack of change? And if you’re seeking office for the first time, what ideas are you going to put forward that haven’t already failed?

I will listen to the community and work with the council to try and enact polices that balance racial disparities in our city.

Climate

Climate change is already upon us, and its causes are on such a large scale that we can’t expect everyday Minneapolitans to recycle or LED bulb our way to a solution. How would you encourage businesses in our city to adopt practices to mitigate climate change, and/or hold them accountable for practices that worsen it?

When it comes to climate change I will listen to the scientist and follow the facts were ever they may lead me. I will work with the council to ensure that we are in fact following the facts and not the opinions of one person.

Voters’ Rights

What have you done or what will you do to protect and expand voter access in your ward/Minneapolis?

I will make sure there is enough polling places for the community to vote, I will work with the council to ensure that every ward has enough polling places for everyone to get a chance to vote. We will push to keep programs like mail-in voting and early voting so that everyone gets a chance to vote. I will not vote on any bill that wants to take away people voting rights, that’s a promise.

Governance

TWho are the people and/or organizations that would be part of your decision making process in office?

Only the citizens in the 11th ward will be a part of my decision making process in office. I will only serve the people of the 11th ward, every decision that I make as councilmen will be with the benefit of ward 11 in mind. I will never make a decision that doesn’t have ward 11 in mind because I am doing this for the people of the 11th ward.

Last Word

What’s one thing you think Minneapolis does well that you’d like to build upon if elected?

I feel that Minneapolis is one of the most vibrant, welcoming, and friendliest cities in the United States and I will do everything that I can to make sure we keep our city in the top 10 places to visit on earth. If I am elected.

Real change depends on policymakers challenging themselves to show up in ways that are genuine, authentic, and community-centered. One example of how I do this is my work in the Bossen neighborhood. I take very seriously the responsibility to represent everyone in my Ward, especially those residents whose voices have not historically been heard. The Bossen area is a diverse, working class family neighborhood which historically has had multiple challenging issues and needs. I changed the law to allow a nonprofit mobile food grocery to park on the street to help increase access to healthy affordable food in the area. I teamed up with the neighborhood association on community events such as a youth soccer tournament and a yearly luncheon with the landlords. Finally, I worked with the residents, landlords, neighborhood association and the police department to fundraise and install two security cameras. This has all happened below the radar and without publicity, but it is an example of my approach to leadership in the ward.

Public Safety

How will you keep young Black and brown kids safe — those who are simultaneously the most at risk from gun violence but also most at risk during interactions with the police? What do you believe are best practices for solving these issues in tandem, and how will you involve the communities most affected in problem solving and determining next steps?

I have been clear throughout my time in office that we need a comprehensive, public health approach to public safety that addresses the root causes of crime and safety issues while respecting and supporting our communities. This means we need to listen to community members most affected by both community violence and police violence, and build data-driven solutions that respect and honor them. This approach led me to support creating the Office of Violence Prevention in 2018 and recently to coauthor the Transforming Public Safety charter amendment to create a new department of public safety, providing us a platform to deploy holistic, proven solutions beyond just police response. As the City moves forward in this direction, we must ensure that community engagement is accessible and inclusive, especially within BIPOC communities that have historically been sidelined in decision-making processes. Good intentions are not enough.

People of color in Minneapolis are killed or otherwise harmed by law enforcement at disproportionately high rates, despite many attempts at reform over several election cycles. How do you intend to reshape a policing system that has been resistant to change, and slow to show meaningful strides toward equitable community outcomes?

The violence we have seen at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department is completely unacceptable. The racist outcomes of our current policing system are clear, and we have to directly and clearly acknowledge them. I’m thrilled voters will get to decide this fall whether to create a new Department of Public Safety, which will give us new tools to increase accountability and transparency for the law enforcement officers. It would also create the broader public safety system that Minneapolis needs, incorporating violence prevention and other critical non-police functions, to replace the one-size-fits-all approach we have now. These changes are important but they are only the beginning. While we await voters’ final decision on that proposal this fall, I continue to press current MPD leadership for transparency and accountability, especially with regard to lacking officer discipline. We have good data, we know what works. It’s time to break the stranglehold of entrenched interests like the Minneapolis Police Federation and operationalize meaningful solutions.

What are your stances on memorializing public spaces when our community is grieving, and/or demanding action through constitutionally-protected protests? What policies would you put in place or what organizations would you engage to ensure residents can do these things safely?

We are living through an important time where numerous crises and opportunities intersect. This requires us to create and preserve space for people to express and process their emotions as we work together to create a city that works for everyone. As such, I support memorializing public spaces and understand deeply that it’s critical to engage a wide cross-section of folks affected by both the space itself and what a space might symbolize to determine the best ways to honor space and the individuals who are physically or figuratively a part of it.

Housing

Rental assistance from the federal government has helped keep people in their homes through the pandemic. This funding is not permanent, however, and inability to pay is the leading cause of evictions. What is your stance on more permanent rental assistance, rent stabilization, and/or rent control measures in Minneapolis?

Despite being a city whose population is majority renters, Minneapolis is only starting to build adequate renter protections and supports. I support rental assistance, rent stabilization and rent control. My hope is that these policies move forward so that it can be approved after the 2022 election. By coupling rent stabilization with policies such as the deeply affordable housing ordinance and inclusionary zoning, we can work to make sure that everyone in Minneapolis has a safe, stable place to live.

Gentrification results in cultural loss for communities and major economic impacts for those priced out of their longtime neighborhoods. As our city grows, what plans do you have to combat gentrification and increase the amount of affordable housing available in Minneapolis?

Combating gentrification requires keeping communities affordable, especially where new development drives up the cost of living. I’ve led on requiring affordable units in new development through the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and making hidden housing costs transparent, I am also coauthoring the forthcoming Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Ordinance, which will give renters the opportunity to purchase the home they have been living in and would allow more Minneapolitans to build generational wealth alongside stabilizing their housing. I’ve supported record funding to add affordable units, as well as improving housing access and opportunity. I’m committed to a future with safe, stable, affordable housing for all. Everyone deserves a safe, stable and affordable place to call home and I have worked tirelessly to move us toward that reality. In addition to providing stable and affordable homes, our housing policies must support climate action. The Sustainable Building Policy I co-authored will ensure that new construction in Minneapolis, including residential projects, will meet higher sustainability standards. This is a benefit to the people who live in these buildings as well as the planet.

In the last few years, Minneapolis has experienced a spike in encampments of unhoused people on public land — a high percentage of whom are Black and/or Indigenous. Many of our unhoused neighbors see this as their best housing option over shelters (for reasons of personal safety, pet ownership, or having to abandon property). What will you do to protect these neighbors and connect them with safe and stable housing?

I would continue my work to increase the housing options available and work for separate responses to homelessness as an alternative to police. Our unsheltered neighbors need a non-police response to connect them with housing and services. Additionally, we need affordable housing across the spectrum from ultra affordable housing with services to unsubsidized affordable home ownership. Shelters are not a long term solution to the housing crisis, housing is and we need to make sure options are available for those seeking housing.

Jobs and Economy

Black, Indigenous, and Minneapolis residents of color pay local taxes and contribute to our local economy, but often do not receive the same shared economic benefits as their white counterparts. Through generations of oppression via policy and unequal systems, wealth has been chronically and systematically extracted from BIPOC communities—how do you envision addressing this legacy of economic harm, in both the short term and the long term?

In the short term, I have worked to support the local BIPOC businesses in the ward and make sure people know that they are there. One of the unique issues BIPOC business owners face is that their business is located in a relatively affluent area. They face the same challenges as other BIPOC business owners but because of their location, they do not always qualify for federal or state programs. I have had to fight to make sure the local BIPOC business owners are not excluded from City aid programs.

In the long term, I have been supportive of opportunities to get BIPOC and women owned business owners to own their buildings. Owning their building gives business owners more stability and options for expanding their business.

The power dynamics of work are heavily tilted against low-wage workers, especially immigrant workers. What actions have you taken or what plans do you have to protect and support these workers?

I formerly was the policy director for the Service Employees International Union Healthcare IL & IN where I represented over 80,000 low-wage home healthcare and home childcare workers. At this position I was able to raise the state minimum wage and win healthcare for workers who previously didn’t have healthcare. I’ve continued my dedication to raising the standard of living for all working families. During my time on City Council, the most important policy changes have been the addition of safe and sick time as well as increasing the minimum wage. It is in the interest of everyone that workers are able to stay home if they or a family member are ill. Additionally, I have used my position on the planning commission to push back on contractors and projects which did not follow fair labor practices.

Racial Justice

Explain your understanding of systemic racism, and how—or whether—you believe it affects Minneapolis’s education systems & outcomes, our housing market, our environment, public safety, healthcare, or other major systems.

Systemic racism is a part of everything in the city and the racial disparities in Minneapolis show that we have a long way to go. The reality is that Minneapolis has close to the worst income inequality in the country, a rate of black home ownership that is one third of white residents, and unemployment that is roughly three times higher. Minnesota also ranks near the bottom of the nation in racial disparities in high school graduation. These numbers are abysmal, and reflect the urgent need for community investments that will address these issues.

Our community suffers from some of the greatest racial disparities in the country across many social, educational, and economic metrics—and has for some time. If you’re in government now, what have you done to address this, and do you feel your efforts have been enough despite the lack of change? And if you’re seeking office for the first time, what ideas are you going to put forward that haven’t already failed?

I was part of the creation of the first ever strategic and racial equity plan to reduce involuntary displacement in rental housing, increase the number of BIPOC owned businesses in Minneapolis, and increase enrollment in high quality youth programs. This is the first time Minneapolis has ever incorporated a racial equity framework into its strategic planning. I have also supported the Truth and Reconciliation ordinance, a cross-cultural commission that will examine the experiences of American Indians and Black/African descendents in order to tell the truth about the harm each group has endured. I supported declaring racism a public health emergency in Minneapolis, and support the transformation of our public safety system. Much of this work has no precedent in Minneapolis, but it is still not enough to tackle an issue of this magnitude. We need to continue to evaluate the factors that are driving racial disparities and where meaningful action can be taken.

Climate

Climate change is already upon us, and its causes are on such a large scale that we can’t expect everyday Minneapolitans to recycle or LED bulb our way to a solution. How would you encourage businesses in our city to adopt practices to mitigate climate change, and/or hold them accountable for practices that worsen it?

I am proud to be one of the leaders on the City Council fighting for environmental justice. I was the co-author of the Residential Energy Disclosure Policy which mandates that home buyers and renters will receive the energy efficiency of their possible new home. I worked with realtors to create a policy which gives a market incentive to have a more energy efficient building. Due in large part to this policy, Minneapolis moved up to the #4 ranking on the City Clean Energy Scorecard. I co-authored the Sustainable Building Policy to incentivize new construction that meets higher sustainability standards than the outdated building code requires. Furthermore, I co-authored a resolution committing the City to shift to 100% renewable electricity in coming years, and see local solar as a huge part of our future. I also co-authored a resolution calling upon the state to divest from fossil fuels. If reelected I will continue the fight for a sustainable Minneapolis.

Voters’ Rights

What have you done or what will you do to protect and expand voter access in your ward/Minneapolis?

Before being elected, I worked for almost 20 years in the nonprofit sector, including working as the Executive Director of Common Cause MN. In this role, I worked on expanding voting access to ex-felons, fighting the dark money influence of Citizens United, and worked on fair redistricting. In my role as a City Councilmember, I worked on ensuring voting was accessible to all. I support early voting and automatic registration of voters. Additionally, I worked to make sure the polling places were accessible during the 2020 presidential elections. Because of social distancing requirements and health concerns of the pandemic, a number of polling places in the City were moved. I worked to minimize the number of sites moved in the Ward and that there was sufficient communication to all residents about any changes.

Governance

Who are the people and/or organizations that would be part of your decision-making process in office?

City government should be the most accessible form of government and I have practiced this belief throughout my term in office. I have held over a hundred public community meetings and publish a weekly newsletter. I have met with people on different sides of an issue and my decisions are pragmatic to reflect the depth of input I receive.

Last Word

What’s one thing you think Minneapolis does well that you’d like to build upon if elected?

Minneapolis is a place where people address problems when those problems still can be fixed. When it comes to addressing the problem of our shameful racial disparities, the time is now. When it comes to addressing the problem of the climate emergency, the time is now. When it comes to addressing the housing crisis, the time is now. Minneapolis has led the state in addressing these problems, but we need to look in the mirror and realize that being ranked #1 means nothing, that addressing these problems is about fulfilling our obligation to our fellow humans.

As a candidate – I bring a different kind of experience to the table – experience working with our community.

I served on the Hale School Site Council, I am involved at my kid’s schools, I volunteer as a basketball coach at Pearl Park, and I am always out connecting with neighbors.

I am a member of the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Leadership Council, a Member of the Minneapolis Public Schools Parent Legislative Committee, and in the past I served as a Board Member for 261 Fearless, a Board Member of the Waite Park Community Council, and the Waite Park School Site Council.

I worked at Target Corporation in downtown Minneapolis. I owned and operated a small business based in Minneapolis for 13 years. And, in my current role, as a Director of Client Development for a consulting and staffing firm, I work with dozens of businesses small to large throughout the Twin Cities to connect them to marketing and communication experts.

My experience shows the perspective I will bring to City Hall, it shows that I will work for this community – because I am a part of this community. It is because of my dedication to our community, and the people in it, that I am running for Minneapolis City Council – Ward 11.

Public Safety

How will you keep young Black and brown kids safe — those who are simultaneously the most at risk from gun violence but also most at risk during interactions with the police? What do you believe are best practices for solving these issues in tandem, and how will you involve the communities most affected in problem solving and determining next steps?

I believe this issue displays the complexity we will face as we work to reform our public safety system. We must work simultaneously to reform our public safety system, and to keep our communities safe.

Public safety is a basic human right. All of us, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, orientation, or economic status have the right to feel safe in our homes and in our community. We must reform our public safety system so that it works for everyone.
As your City Council Member, I will be your partner at City Hall and will work with you to strategically address public safety issues in our community. I will work to make our communities safe and address the structural, systemic racism that causes injustices and inequalities in our public safety system.

It is essential that as we work to reform our public safety system, we partner with our disenfranchised and marginalized communities to bring their voices to the table and create a space where their voices can not only be a part of the conversation, but can lead the conversation.

People of color in Minneapolis are killed or otherwise harmed by law enforcement at disproportionately high rates, despite many attempts at reform over several election cycles. How do you intend to reshape a policing system that has been resistant to change, and slow to show meaningful strides toward equitable community outcomes?

I believe in a both/and approach to reforming our public safety system. I believe that we must take a comprehensive approach to reforming our public safety system.

We must reform our public safety system, by addressing structural and systemic racism, implementing deep structural change, and creating public safety alternatives beyond traditional policing; and, we must continue to perform the core components of our public safety system, which requires adequately staffing and funding our police department.

We must re-evaluate our recruitment standards to cultivate a workforce that reflects our population, meets higher standards, and shares our values; and, we must work with our government affairs staff and state legislators to pass laws that better enable the City to remove bad police officers from the job and prevent rehiring.

We must also implement Crisis Intervention Team Programs/Co-Responder Programs to respond to mental health crisis calls, expand and invest in the Office of Violence Prevention, and ensure that all 911 calls are met with the appropriate response, which means that not all calls would be met with an armed police officer response.

What are your stances on memorializing public spaces when our community is grieving, and/or demanding action through constitutionally-protected protests? What policies would you put in place or what organizations would you engage to ensure residents can do these things safely?

I support memorializing public spaces, and protecting the constitutional right to peacefully protest. As I have said before, it is imperative that our government, and our justice system, protects our freedom of speech and right to assemble, as well as protects our communities and residents. As we do so, we must also weigh the effects on the community when considering the following. We must make sure that our communities and residents feel safe.

Housing

Rental assistance from the federal government has helped keep people in their homes through the pandemic. This funding is not permanent, however, and inability to pay is the leading cause of evictions. What is your stance on more permanent rental assistance, rent stabilization, and/or rent control measures in Minneapolis?

I support more permanent rental assistance, rent stabilization, and other forms of tenant protection such as just cause protection, pay or quit, and city-funded legal services for those facing eviction.

I support the Rent Control Charter Amendment proposed by the City Council. The Rent Control Charter Amendment proposed by the City Council would give future City Councils and Minneapolis residents the option to adopt a rent control policy through methods allowed under state law. I support the Rent Control Charter Amendment because I support the voters in Minneapolis having the right to choose if they support rent control or not.

Gentrification results in cultural loss for communities and major economic impacts for those priced out of their longtime neighborhoods. As our city grows, what plans do you have to combat gentrification and increase the amount of affordable housing available in Minneapolis?

Creating a just, equitable, and inclusive Minneapolis will require intentionally inclusive and equitable development plans. Part of this work will include combating the racially restrictive housing practices and current lending practices that have reduced housing opportunities for our BIPOC
community. It will also include working to expand accessibility to transportation throughout the city.

As Minneapolis’s population grows, our housing sector must grow as well to accommodate for more people, and the City Council should use this as an opportunity to take action towards creating more affordable housing opportunities and employing justice and equity in our housing sector. I believe that as we work to accommodate our growing population, we must take steps to increase not only housing supply, but diversity and affordability in all neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis.

As a City Council Member, I will prioritize the development of affordable housing, and work with developers to produce more homeownership and housing opportunities across the city. Further, I will work to diversify our housing sector to meet the needs of Minneapolis residents – i.e. variation in size, type, affordability, and location of housing.

In the last few years, Minneapolis has experienced a spike in encampments of unhoused people on public land — a high percentage of whom are Black and/or Indigenous. Many of our unhoused neighbors see this as their best housing option over shelters (for reasons of personal safety, pet ownership, or having to abandon property). What will you do to protect these neighbors and connect them with safe and stable housing?

We must protect the residents of Minneapolis that are living in encampments and work to connect them to safe and stable permanent homes. Homelessness is a public health crisis, and it is imperative that our City Council addresses it as such.

We must prioritize the development of affordable housing in addition to protecting and maintaining the existing affordable housing options. Further we must work to make our affordable housing opportunities as accessible as possible and take specific care in connecting our homeless and unsheltered residents with these opportunities.

Further, the City Council must address the root causes of homelessness. We must continue the City’s partnership with NAMI and other mental health services providers in a way that leverages creative problem solving. We must address the social determinants of health that lead to homelessness by making services of food support, workforce training, and medical services available in city and park-owned facilities. Finally, we must provide financial support for up-stream medical services that identify crisis moments early.

Jobs and Economy

Black, Indigenous, and Minneapolis residents of color pay local taxes and contribute to our local economy, but often do not receive the same shared economic benefits as their white counterparts. Through generations of oppression via policy and unequal systems, wealth has been chronically and systematically extracted from BIPOC communities—how do you envision addressing this legacy of economic harm, in both the short term and the long term?

I believe in investing in our BIPOC communities to combat the generations of oppression through policy and unequal systems that has resulted in wealth being chronically and systematically extracted from BIPOC communities.

I believe we must work to support our BIPOC business owners and workforce, especially as we attempt to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe we must address the environmental racism that exists in Minneapolis and build an inclusive clean energy economy. I believe we must address the deep racial inequities caused by our housing history and ensure justice and equity in our housing practices. I believe we must ensure that all economic benefit in Minneapolis is just and equitable.

As a City Council Member, I will support initiatives that are aimed at addressing the legacy of economic harm on BIPOC communities, in both the short term and long term.

The power dynamics of work are heavily tilted against low-wage workers, especially immigrant workers. What actions have you taken or what plans do you have to protect and support these workers?

There are no shortages of tremendous challenges facing our community as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move forward we must work to support and strengthen our workforce. The past year has had a disproportionately negative impact on our communities of color; small businesses, and our downtown corridors. As we rebuild, we must support and utilize our minority and BIPOC businesses in the process. In order for us to support our workforce we must increase the amount of living wage job opportunities city-wide. We can start by expanding the tax base by aggressively partnering with local and state economic development organizations with a singular focus of adding jobs to our city.

We also must work to protect our workforce by ensuring safe work standards, and making sure that everyone has the on job protections they need. We can start by partnering with unions to ensure that all of our workforce has the ability to collectively bargain.

Racial Justice

Explain your understanding of systemic racism, and how—or whether—you believe it affects Minneapolis’s education systems & outcomes, our housing market, our environment, public safety, healthcare, or other major systems.

Without question – systemic racism affects Minneapolis’s education systems & outcomes, our housing market, our environment, public safety, healthcare, and other major systems.

All people deserve justice and equity in their everyday lives. It’s time we partner with all members of our community and take action to address the systemic, structural racism that exists in each sector of our city.

The fight for justice and equity for all doesn’t stop at public safety. We must commit to building, and enforcing, a system that supports broad, shared prosperity and equity in transportation systems, environmental impact, the housing market, and educational achievement.

We must address the structural, systemic racism that causes injustices and inequalities in our public safety system and seek dramatic improvements in race-based public safety inequity. We must address the environmental racism that exists in Minneapolis and build an inclusive clean energy economy. We must address the deep racial inequities caused by our housing history and ensure justice and equity in our housing practices.

Our community suffers from some of the greatest racial disparities in the country across many social, educational, and economic metrics—and has for some time. If you’re in government now, what have you done to address this, and do you feel your efforts have been enough despite the lack of change? And if you’re seeking office for the first time, what ideas are you going to put forward that haven’t already failed?

As a candidate who is seeking office for the first time, I plan to combat the racial disparities we see in the City of Minneapolis – across our social, education, and economic metrics – by approaching the issue with a holistic lens.

We need to start treating the racial disparities we see in the City of Minneapolis as a crisis – and approach remedying these disparities with the same urgency with which we would handle any crisis. This means approaching all policy through the lens of racial justice and equity.

As I said above, we must commit to building, and enforcing, a system that supports broad, shared prosperity and equity in our public safety system, transportation systems, environmental impact, housing market, and educational achievement.

Climate

Climate change is already upon us, and its causes are on such a large scale that we can’t expect everyday Minneapolitans to recycle or LED bulb our way to a solution. How would you encourage businesses in our city to adopt practices to mitigate climate change, and/or hold them accountable for practices that worsen it?

Climate change is a crisis – and as such there is no such thing as “doing enough” when it comes to addressing the issue. We have delayed addressing climate change for far too long, and it will take serious action to respond to the current – and future effects of climate change. This is not the time to be taking pause in regard to climate change. We are in a moment that requires us to be continually thinking about what else can be done to respond to our climate crisis.

We must take a holistic approach to environmental sustainability and climate awareness. We must take bold action, have unwavering commitment, and see all policy through a climate centered lens. We must work to build an inclusive clean energy economy, implement sustainable and efficient energy practices, and educate our community on climate change.

Voters’ Rights

What have you done or what will you do to protect and expand voter access in your ward/Minneapolis?

It is imperative that we continue to protect and expand voter access throughout the City of Minneapolis. We need to work to remove existing barriers to voting. Additionally, we need to continue the work that has been done so far to make voting as accessible as possible. As a City Council Member, I will support any common sense reforms to protect and expand voter access throughout the City of Minneapolis.

Governance

Who are the people and/or organizations that would be part of your decision-making process in office?

Our community doesn’t just want a representative on the Minneapolis City Council, we want a voice on the Minneapolis City Council.

I believe in putting people first, putting our community first. I believe that our communities are strongest when we are brought together. We need to bring all voices to the table – the voices of our community, our leadership, organizations, and experts.

Representing Ward 11 is about being a part of the community, being aware of the issues that affect our neighbors, leveraging the power of the city so that it helps all people, and being dedicated to hearing all voices from all sides regardless of the topic. Our community wants to be involved in the process, through inclusive leadership and inclusive policy making.

It is my personal goal, as a candidate, and as a City Council Member – to have each member of this community seen and heard. I will continue to immerse myself in our community, engage in open conversations, earn trust, and bring your voices to the table. As your City Council Member, I will be focused on working with our community and being the leader that our community deserves.

Last Word

What’s one thing you think Minneapolis does well that you’d like to build upon if elected?

I believe that the strength of Minneapolis comes from the strength of our communities.

When we build bridges across industries and sectors, amongst city leadership and elected officials, and across all of our communities success is made possible because of this partnership.

We need to be looking forward – we need new leaders, leaders who will work together, bring all voices to the table, and find real solutions.

Our leadership should not be operating in a vacuum. No one person, no one City Council Member, can single handedly solve every challenge, and address every issue that faces our city. Our best chance, our best path forward – is one that brings all of us together.

I’m running for City Council because I believe in this community and I have decided to put my values into action. Now is the time for us to unite – to work together to build a Minneapolis we are all proud of.

For over 10 years, I served the residents of Minneapolis as Director of Safety & Security for Twin Cities Pride, focused on creating a safe and inclusive for all members of our community and visitors. In addition to this work, I have been a community volunteer the majority of my life serving meals, packing meals, fundraising for charities, stocking food shelves, driving awareness, and helping to create solutions to challenging issues facing residents throughout the city.

Public Safety

How will you keep young Black and brown kids safe — those who are simultaneously the most at risk from gun violence but also most at risk during interactions with the police? What do you believe are best practices for solving these issues in tandem, and how will you involve the communities most affected in problem solving and determining next steps?

The question specifically highlights the key component, involving communities/individuals most affected in the solution-based approach. It is clear that gang & gun violence is plaguing our city. We need to identify some of the avenues in which guns are getting into our communities to address that. We also need to invest in youth engagement/programming to allow pathways and create options to stay engaged in the community. In addition, we need to increase our training within our police department as it relates to interacting with youth, specifically black and brown youth. In my experience, taking a multi-prong approach is typically the most successful.

People of color in Minneapolis are killed or otherwise harmed by law enforcement at disproportionately high rates, despite many attempts at reform over several election cycles. How do you intend to reshape a policing system that has been resistant to change, and slow to show meaningful strides toward equitable community outcomes?

I believe we need a 21st century approach to public safety — one that is mindful and respectful of everyone involved. Let me be clear, I do not believe defunding or abolishing the police will accomplish this. The message is clear from residents across this city, we need comprehensive police reform and we need to provide tools to our police department to tackle the violent crime that we are experiencing. Public safety is more than policing, policing is the reactionary part of public safety. We have to be willing to work together to identify the path forward that includes investments in violence prevention, youth focused engagement, mental health support, officer training and wellness, community engagement expansion, re-thinking how we handle non-emergency calls, and other critical steps. We must involve ALL communities in the reforms that we intend to make as a city to ensure they are inclusive. Change is going to happen and it is already in progress, we need to ensure we provide the tools for the change to be effective.

What are your stances on memorializing public spaces when our community is grieving, and/or demanding action through constitutionally-protected protests? What policies would you put in place or what organizations would you engage to ensure residents can do these things safely?

I respect the pain the community is feeling and situations such as the murder of George Floyd make it clear that we need to find a balanced solution to allow grieving/healing to occur within the community and to create a memorial. I fully support peaceful protesting and will continue to do so. I however do not support closing off roads in our city to prevent access to critical emergency services, I do not support looting, rioting, destruction of property under the description of protesting. Creating more harm to community members will not create the space needed to heal as a community.

Housing

Rental assistance from the federal government has helped keep people in their homes through the pandemic. This funding is not permanent, however, and inability to pay is the leading cause of evictions. What is your stance on more permanent rental assistance, rent stabilization, and/or rent control measures in Minneapolis?

As a renter, I know first-hand some of the challenges that renters face in our city. I personally have experienced being un-housed upon my start in Minneapolis and throughout the time that I have been a renter, I have experienced landlords that have provided substandard living conditions. We must hold our landlords accountable to providing housing that is clean, safe, equitable while also supporting our residents. There are programs in existence through the county that could use enhancement as well as I would be committed to exploring what a longer term, city-wide program may look like to allow for emergency assistance. There are some rent control measures I would support and others that I do not think will create a solution to our challenges. Just as much as I do not think just building fancy developments will solve the affordable housing crisis we are facing.

Gentrification results in cultural loss for communities and major economic impacts for those priced out of their longtime neighborhoods. As our city grows, what plans do you have to combat gentrification and increase the amount of affordable housing available in Minneapolis?

Creating affordable housing needs to go beyond just saying that phrase. I do not believe by continuing to only build nice apartment developments that this will address our housing crisis. Often times, these developments leave out multi-generational families, communities of color, individuals living with a disability and our aging population. I support a balanced approach to growing our housing footprint. I believe we need to invest in creating pathways to home ownership, building single family homes, building condos/townhomes, in addition to creating apartments that are affordable. There are a number of incentives that can aid our city in accomplishing some of these ideas. We also need to ensure we are investing in pathways for our homeless/un-housed population to be able to acquire long-term safe, clean, and equitable housing.

In the last few years, Minneapolis has experienced a spike in encampments of unhoused people on public land — a high percentage of whom are Black and/or Indigenous. Many of our unhoused neighbors see this as their best housing option over shelters (for reasons of personal safety, pet ownership, or having to abandon property). What will you do to protect these neighbors and connect them with safe and stable housing?

We need to leverage resources and programs that exist through the state, county, federal, and city government. I would invest in navigators to further connect individuals to resources that we currently have while also committing investment into longer-term solutions. Projects such as Avivo village are great shorter-term solutions to assist individuals with temporary safe housing, but creating longer term and permanent housing options is the key. I feel engaging these individuals to bring them to the decision making table will help us to fully understand the challenges they face, the ideas they may have, and could help identify pathways forward that city officials may not have thought about.

Jobs and Economy

Black, Indigenous, and Minneapolis residents of color pay local taxes and contribute to our local economy, but often do not receive the same shared economic benefits as their white counterparts. Through generations of oppression via policy and unequal systems, wealth has been chronically and systematically extracted from BIPOC communities—how do you envision addressing this legacy of economic harm, in both the short term and the long term?

Having a focus on making our city departments and services equitable is a good place to start. We spend a lot of time talking about reform as it relates to public safety but I believe we need to do this to every level of city government. We need to analyze the way we deliver services and support to BIPOC communities. Investing in tools such as resources for small businesses, supporting BIPOC owned businesses, creating avenues to home ownership through various styles of housing (Condos, Townhomes, Single Family Homes), and making investments in utilizing BIPOC vendors while doing business as a city will continue to help create wealth in BIPOC communities.

The power dynamics of work are heavily tilted against low-wage workers, especially immigrant workers. What actions have you taken or what plans do you have to protect and support these workers?

Throughout my professional career, I have spent the majority of time in leadership positions where I have personally fought for safe, equitable treatment for all employees. We must continue to support workers rights to safe and fair employment across our city. As a city council member, I will support programs, legislation, and budget lines that continue to support the rights of workers in our city.

Racial Justice

Explain your understanding of systemic racism, and how—or whether—you believe it affects Minneapolis’s education systems & outcomes, our housing market, our environment, public safety, healthcare, or other major systems.

Systemic racism has been instituted in our government for generations. As a white man, I recognize my level of privilege that I have possessed but I also have been fortunate enough to have a first-hand look at some challenges that former relationship partners have had in their everyday lives, being men of color. Systemic racism affects each one of the systems above in similar and very different ways. Environmental impacts are different than public safety for example. As I shared in a previous answer, we focus a lot on reform in just our police department but I believe we need to look at every layer of delivery of services/city departments to identify ways to be more equitable and to fight systemic racism. As city leaders, although we do not directly oversee systems such as healthcare or education, we can utilize our political capital and through building relationships, we can advance the importance of racial justice/equity across all areas described above.

Our community suffers from some of the greatest racial disparities in the country across many social, educational, and economic metrics—and has for some time. If you’re in government now, what have you done to address this, and do you feel your efforts have been enough despite the lack of change? And if you’re seeking office for the first time, what ideas are you going to put forward that haven’t already failed?

As a candidate seeking office, I continue to be open-minded, engaging communities, and listening to those who experience some of these disparities on a consistent basis. That for me is where it starts. We have to be willing to listen, engage, and have the tough discussions to fully understand what has and has not worked in the past and where we go from here. I am committed to that work. I believe within our city budget, we have leverage a lot of resources to support educational, social, housing, public safety investments that lead to better outcomes for members of our BIPOC communities.

Climate

Climate change is already upon us, and its causes are on such a large scale that we can’t expect everyday Minneapolitans to recycle or LED bulb our way to a solution. How would you encourage businesses in our city to adopt practices to mitigate climate change, and/or hold them accountable for practices that worsen it?

At the forefront of our efforts must be education and investment in resources to support the needs of businesses and residents alike. Holding individuals and businesses accountable to actions that worsen climate change is critical to helping tackle our climate crisis. I support programs and initiatives that will further support homeowners and businesses to convert to green solutions and to reduce their climate impact. Outside of investments in education, resources, and green solutions, we must be willing to hold individuals and businesses accountable.

Voters’ Rights

What have you done or what will you do to protect and expand voter access in your ward/Minneapolis?

We need to continue to create accessible voting options for residents across our city. As I am known for saying, we need to meet people where they are at. This is no different for voting. Creating educational resources that help to educate voters is a critical piece of this. Ensuring we increase the options, locations, and accessibility of these locations to account for all residents is also critical to expanding voter access.

Governance

Who are the people and/or organizations that would be part of your decision-making process in office?

I have always served as a leader knowing I am not the smartest person in the room. Over my career, I have focused on surrounding myself with experts in given subject matters and building teams of highly successful individuals to support the given mission or goal. This will be no different as a city council member. I will involve the individuals who serve as subject matter experts, community members, organizations that do the work specific to the issue at hand everyday and average citizens. Having a well-rounded picture of the topic is key to being able to effectively and equitably create solutions that work for everyone.

Last Word

What’s one thing you think Minneapolis does well that you’d like to build upon if elected?

We have made advancements in housing that I am proud of, but I would like to see us build upon this equitably and balanced. I also think we have made strides in the right direction on small businesses, but we have a lot of work to do building upon that. I want entrepreneurs across our city and the nation to think about Minneapolis and think, Minneapolis is open for business.