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Dear neighbor,
I write this update with mixed emotions. This morning, I spent my day at Powderhorn Park for the 27th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and it was nice to see our community together with so much joy and celebration. I also visited the MN Indian Women's Resource Center who alongside organizers have opened up a warming space for our unhoused neighbors. This continues to highlight how community-led solutions work and deserve support from the government.
It’s imperative that we continue and put MLK Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech into practice. His speech outlined the long history of racial injustice in the United States and brought a call to justice, freedom and equality. Issues and disparities we still see impacting Minneapolis.
It’s not lost on me that, at the same time, we are bracing for the Trump Administration that creates uncertain realities for many of our neighbors and is expected to sign a variety of Executive Orders that are harmful. I've heard from many of you about the concerns of potential mass deportation raids and the target on our immigrant neighbors, the continued attack on our trans, non-binary and 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and the further marginalization of our Black, Brown, Indigenous community.
I will not compromise on protecting our neighbors. Unprecedented times call for local governments to take "unprecedented action". I’m committed to using our policymaking and budgetary authority to push back against this and to protect our most vulnerable community members. With an unfriendly federal government, a complicated state government, it's clear that local governments will need to establish a strong first line of defense. I'm committed to working and building on that alongside you.
My office is working on a variety of new ordinances, policies, and proposals with community to create a sense of stability for our neighbors. Please be on the lookout for community training sessions we will host and visioning sessions to best respond to the needs of our neighbors.
In community,
Jason Chavez |
