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12/9/2019 https://www.savmn.com/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/1551 https://www.savmn.com/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/1551 2/3 What skills or personal qualities do you possess that would make you valuable as a council member? I have decades of work in government, politics, and nonprofits and I want to put that experience to work for the people of St. Anthony. My government work spans several levels and two states, both the Michigan Legislature and more recently the Minnesota Legislature. I know how to navigate the many layers of government to get things done for those I am working on behalf of, I want to do that for the city of St. Anthony. My years working in politics, organizing communities to be involved in the process and more importantly providing people with the skills and knowledge to keep them involved and make the change they want to see. And for the past six years, I have been working with community-based nonprofits in the Twin Cities around issues of affordable housing, business development, and community organizing. How does your background add value to your role as a council member? In the Fall of 1990, a coworker of mine asked me to volunteer with him at the campaign office of Congressman John Dingell and it changed my life forever. At the time I wasn’t at all involved in, nor did I care about, politics, I was majoring in elementary education and I had no idea how much my worldview, and how I saw myself in it, was about to be forever altered. It was there that I met people that were very involved in their community and not just in a political sense. I wanted to be involved too, and the route I chose was to make a difference through the political process. It was at that time I began to reflect on my life and the options I had growing up and how different things could have been for me, had it not been for the people and community that surrounded me in Detroit, MI. I was suddenly seeing for the first time where my life had taken me was not just a random series of events, but a strong effort on the part of many people and institutions that laid a path for me to follow. I’ve now seen what kind of impact can be made in the lives of others when communities come together. Growing up in one of the poorest and underserved areas of the country, the southwest side of Detroit, MI, I was raised by my mother and grandmother, both of whom had strong beliefs in giving back to the community. From this early foundation, I internalized their words and actions by engaging in political and government career opportunities so that I could be a part of positive change. Since then, my life has been filled with opportunities to work with everyone from Presidents to those living on the fringes of our society, and I learned something from them all. From the time I graduated college most of my adult life was spent working in government and managing political campaigns, including Congressman Keith Ellison’s first successful run for Congress in 2006. But a few years ago I decided to take my love of community, my desire to create positive change and pivot my life path from politics to nonprofits. I spent the next year consulting with several nonprofits, using my experience and expertise from decades of political and marketing work to help my clients, including the Muslim American Society of MN and ASSEST Campaign. In January of 2016, I began working as the Executive Director for Nonprofit Organization in North Minneapolis, the Harrison Neighborhood Association and this year I started a position as Executive Director of the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition. What strengths or abilities do you believe you will add to the council? - Strong community organizing ability - Experience working with diverse communities - Extensive knowledge of government systems - Past work on housing - proven track record of creating partnerships - Business development experience - Knowledge of Twin Cities government and foundation funding sources - My Master's Degree in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University Are you able to prepare for and attend meetings including work session and liaison/affiliation meetings? Yes I swear or affirm the above to be true. Affirmation* I swear or affirm that: I am a St. Anthony Village resident. I am eligible to vote in Minnesota. I am or will be on assuming office, 21 years of age or more. I will have maintained residence in the city for at least 30 days before appointment. I have all civil rights in place or restored.