|
Minneapolis is a welcoming city, one that fosters inclusivity, respect and safety for all, regardless of immigration status. We work to connect our neighbors and residents with services and opportunities so that everyone – including those born outside of the United States – feels a sense of belonging and can achieve their highest potential. This is and will remain our goal and commitment.
The City does not participate in immigration enforcement. There are many important distinctions between local and federal government. The City stands with and supports all residents, including those born outside the U.S.
The City of Minneapolis has an ordinance that states it will not operate programs for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws.
Below are links for residents to be aware of their rights and responsibilities:
In the City of Minneapolis, we know that many are impacted by immigration developments and many are committed to welcoming and fostering a sense of belonging for residents born outside of the United States. Working together has never been more important than now.
Please visit the City’s Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs webpage to learn more.
Minneapolis strives to be a welcoming and safe place for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Trump administration has already launched attacks on queer and trans rights and has stated clear plans to escalate these attacks over the coming year.
The city of Minneapolis has connections with community organizations that provide resources including legal service providers, shelter and social service support, trans health and gender-affirming healthcare, and mental health. You can review those resources here.
In the coming months, I plan to work with my colleagues to find ways to expand city support for LGBTQIA+ residents.
Summary: The Public Health and Safety Committee unanimously voted in support of my ordinance to allow the city to put fees on off-duty police work. The Council will vote on the ordinance on January 30th at 9:30am. You can submit testimony in writing any time prior to the vote via email to CouncilComment@minneapolismn.gov.
Background: Minneapolis Police officers are allowed to work “off-duty,” meaning they take private security jobs for which they are paid directly by private entities, but use city weapons and cars, wear city uniforms, and carry city liability while doing so. Minneapolis’ off-duty system has been recognized as fundamentally inequitable by the US Department of Justice.
I have been working for several years to rein in and regulate MPD off-duty work. After a number of unnecessary delays by the Frey administration, I and Council President Payne are moving forward with an ordinance that will allow the city to recoup the costs of all city facilities or materials that officers use while working off-duty for personal profit. For context, in 2024 the city could have recouped up to $1.4 million dollars if there had been off-duty fees in place last year.
This ordinance is required before the city can add any fee to the fee schedule. Currently, the most accurate data available indicates a $19/hour fee for any off-duty that involves a squad car. MPD is currently conducting a fee study to further refine this number to include other costs such as the costs of uniforms, other materials, administration of off-duty scheduling and tracking, and the cost of liability coverage. MPD’s fee study is due on May 1. Should the ordinance pass next week, I will advance an amendment to the 2025 fee schedule based on information provided in the fee study.
Key votes: The Public Health and Safety Committee voted 6-0 in support of the off-duty fees ordinance on January 22nd. Council will vote on the ordinance on January 30th.
Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan (SREAP)
Summary: The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee (AEO) received an update on the city’s Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan (SREAP) including departments’ progress towards meeting equity goals and the plans to formulate a new equity plan for the coming years.
Background: For years, Minneapolis was identified as one of the worst cities in the nation as it relates to racial equity. The Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan (SREAP) was meant to help the city government to think about how our decisions impact people of color and use demographically-informed data to advance racial equity in everything we do. The intention was to bring us to a future in Minneapolis that would be significantly more equitable for all of our residents.
The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee (AEO) received a presentation with updates from a variety of city leaders who were responsible for advancing specific goals around racial equity. There was a range of outcomes, and while some of the goals were met, others were stagnant, or the goal itself had been identified as insufficient without clear metrics. Staff shared that they are planning to formulate a revamped SREAP that can better advance our equity goals over the next couple years.
It’s no secret that there has been a national coordinated effort to discredit and impede organizations, businesses, and government agencies from finally addressing the historical racial harm in our country. In recent years, many cities and states across the country began instituting policies to begin to repair the generational impacts felt by Black, Brown and Indigenous people. This critical work is more important than ever as these attacks are likely to increase under the Trump administration.
Regardless of the challenges and threats from the outside, I want to be clear that racial equity needs to be a central priority for the city and that there need to be specific and measurable racial equity goals for every element of city operations. I stand ready to use the Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee to support that work in every way that I can. That said, we will be working to revamp the city’s racial equity work in the coming months and will have staff come back with updated changes and recommendations on how we can strengthen our racial equity efforts later this spring.
Key votes: No votes taken. The next update will occur this spring.
Background: After attending a meeting held by Indigenous leaders where they asked government leaders to establish winter safety plans, Council Members Chavez, Chowdhurry, Payne, Rainville, and myself have brought forward a legislative directive asking the Frey administration to provide information on their operational plans to keep residents safe during cold months.
Earlier this month, I and city leaders from all levels of government were invited by local Indigenous community leaders to a listening session to hear how we could better leverage our roles to serve our Native communities. One of the key requests that those leaders asked was for us to establish and publish safety plans for this winter that takes into consideration how we are best supporting and protecting our most vulnerable communities including unhoused residents, or residents struggling with mental health disorders and/or substance use disorders. Additionally, it also requests information on what emergency protocols, plans, and resources we have in place as related to unsheltered homelessness.
To honor these leaders' request, Council Members Chavez, Chowdhury, Payne and I worked with staff to bring forward a legislative directive to the Public Health and Safety Committee this week that asked the city to outline their safety plan for this winter, as was requested by our Native community members. That legislative directive passed in committee in a 6-0 vote and will be forwarded to Full Council for final consideration. Council Member Michael Rainville also requested to be added as a co-author to which we approved. If the directive is passed in Full Council, staff will report back on this directive in the Public Health and Safety Committee on February 6th.
Key Votes: The legislative directive was unanimously approved in the PHS committee and will be taken up in Full Council on January 30th for a final vote.
Summary: I look forward to a productive year of collaboration with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee.
Background: The Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee (CJCC) is a multijurisdictional table that brings together leadership from the city, county, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders to strategize and collaborate on matters of criminal justice and public safety. I and Council Member Rainville are the two City Council representatives on the CJCC.
This week, the CJCC had our first meeting of 2025. We discussed initiatives we are intending to advance around youth with complex mental health needs, clearer communications with the public on matters of crime and safety, and other strategic goals for the year. I look forward to advancing these and many other initiatives through partnerships on the CJCC this year.
Key votes: No votes taken.
I had the honor of speaking at the Northfield, MN Celebration honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I attended Carleton College in Northfield, and the city will always be a special place to me. Thank you to the City of Northfield for offering me the opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggle for racial equity with you.
Council Member Wonsley speaking at the Northfield, MN celebration honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Council Member Wonsley with Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell and State Representative Kristi Pursell.
The Seward Environment Committee hosted a community meeting to discuss Rethinking I-94. The event featured a panel of diverse experts and lively conversation about the proposed alternatives. Thank you to the Seward Environment Committee for organizing this event. I look forward to continuing to work with you all to advance the at-grade option and a boulevard that improves all our communities.
The Seward Environment Committee meeting on Rethinking I-94
I had my first quarterly visit to Riverview Tower, one of the largest buildings in Ward 2. It has been great to develop relationships with residents in Riverview and work together to address resident needs. If you live in an apartment or condo building and your building association would like me and my staff to hold office hours in your building, please reach out to us at Ward2@minneapolismn.gov.
Come get a progress update on the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center and Lake Street Safety Center. Hear about services and resources in the centers and how your feedback is being used to shape plans.
There is one more update session left of this series. We encourage residents in Ward 2 to attend, but any Minneapolis community member is welcome.
In person 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 Matthews Park, 2318 29th Ave. S.
City staff will be available for a Q&A after the presentation. Community members can also learn more about other safety programs in the city. A light dinner will be available for attendees.
Learn more on the event flyer in English, Español, Af-Soomaali, Hmoob and Oromo.
Visit the City website to:
- Watch a previously recorded online session.
- Read a summary of frequently asked questions from previous sessions.
- Find more information on the safety centers.
Flyer for Office of Community Safety meeting at Matthews Park on February 5th
Sign up for a paid opportunity to earn a NABCEP Solar Associate Credential.
Are you interested in earning an industry recognized Solar Installer Credential but can’t take time off during the week? Sign up for a weekend and evening training to prepare yourself for a fulfilling career in solar energy with Go Solar Academy!
Participants earn $20/hour for the 80-hour training, earning $1,600 upon course completion. The completion of this course fills eligibility requirements to take the NABCEP test.
Participants must:
- Be a minimum of 18 years old
- Have a basic high school math and reading level
- Be able to lift 50 pounds
Preference will be given to BIPOC youth (ages 18 - 24) living within six miles of George Floyd Square
Class overview - NABCEP Solar Credential class covers:
- Solar careers background and soft skills
- Introduction to solar energy principles
- Fundamentals of solar construction
- Fundamentals of photovoltaics (PV)
- Job site safety
- Working with electricity and electrical circuits
- Solar array setup and operation
- Snacks will be provided
Certification course participants who complete the class (ages 18+) have an opportunity to sit for the NABCEP PV Associate Exam, which qualifies an individual to design, sell, install, or maintain systems in a supervised capacity.
When: Feb. 3 - 20
- Monday, Feb. 3 through Friday, Feb. 7: 4– 9 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 8: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Monday, Feb. 10 through Friday, Feb. 14: 4– 9 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 15: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Monday, Feb. 17 through Thursday, Feb. 20: 4– 9 p.m.
- No class on Sundays
Where: Sabathani Community Center, Room 306, 310 East 38th Street
Visit Sabathani Community Center's website to learn more and register online
Contact Nicole Tyson with questions.
Contact Ward 2
Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward2
Email: ward2@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2202
We've moved while work is being done in City Hall. Our office is in:
Room 100, Public Service Center
250 South 4th St.
Get directions
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users call 612-263-6850. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
