Today, Minnesota State Representatives Aisha Gomez and Jim Davnie joined TakeAction Minnesota, Faith in Minnesota, the Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH, MN350, Our Revolution Minnesota, Home 2 Stay, and other local advocates for a press conference to urge Minneapolis residents to create a fairer, more democratic city by voting NO on the mayoral control charter amendment and YES on the public safety and rent stabilization initiatives.
Speakers highlighted that despite months of undemocratic attempts by Mayor Frey and his cronies to silence the voices of Minneapolis residents, people of all races, ages, incomes, and zip codes are coming together to create a city that’s safe and equitable for all of us. Speakers also stressed that by voting NO, YES, YES this election season, Minneapolis residents can strengthen their local democracy.
📺 Watch the press conference here, and keep reading for highlights!
Minnesota State Rep. Aisha Gomez 
Elianne Farhat, TakeAction Minnesota Executive Director 
Brian Fullman, lead organizer with the Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative
“We have a vision that we all know we deserve. We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect with whoever we partner with to have safe neighborhoods. We deserve to have sustainable and affordable housing, places we can call home without worrying and stressing every day if we can afford to be here. We deserve to be at the core of the movement and transformation that is happening in Minneapolis—what we don’t deserve is to have a selected few people with resources that are in abundance and money making all the decisions for us in Minneapolis. We don’t believe in consolidated power; we believe in power that’s distributed evenly amongst us,” said Brian Fullman, lead organizer with the Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative.
“I believe in building an accountable public safety system, in ensuring people have access to affordable and dignified housing, and that our democracy remains vibrant and close to the people. That’s why I’m voting no, yes, yes on the Minneapolis charter amendments and I invite everyone to join us,” said State Rep. Aisha Gomez, Minnesota State House of Representatives
“Absent the passage of Amendment 2, where we can actually start to have an accountable, responsive, and responsible process of public safety in Minneapolis we will not get the change we need and deserve. The only way that we get to have a discussion about housing costs is with the passage of Amendment 3. And the only way to make sure that every vote in the city is valued equally is to vote no on Amendment 1, the only question on the ballot not put forward by engaged citizens, but instead a small group of unelected and unaccountable charter commission members,” said State Rep. Jim Davnie, Minnesota State House of Representatives
“This election season I am voting no on mayoral control power grab. I’m voting yes on creating a department of public safety so we have all the tools and resources at our disposal to keep our communities safe. And I’m voting yes on a pathway to rent stabilization so that every single person in Minneapolis has a safe place to call home and a roof over their heads,” said Elianne Farhat, TakeAction Minnesota.
Take action and join us to build the Minneapolis we need and deserve – one that includes, protects, and values all of us. Sign up for a deep canvass shift on the phones or the doors, and have meaningful conversations with voters across our city about the future of public safety in our city.
