City of Minneapolis – Ward 6 Special Election Voter Guide
A special election has been called to fill a vacancy in the Minneapolis City Council – Ward 6 seat, which includes parts of our Stevens Square neighborhood. The special election will be conducted Tuesday, August 11, in conjunction with the State Primary. Stevens Square Community Organization created a questionnaire for the candidates running to represent Ward 6 and has compiled their responses in the following voter guide.
Please note: SSCO is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse or support any candidate running in this election. Participation in the voter guide has been requested from all 12 registered candidates running to represent the 6th Ward. All answers have been compiled as they were received, no editing of any kind has occurred. Each candidate had the exact same access to participation.
Name: Nebiha Mohammed
In which neighborhood you live:
1. Provide your general background. Please include any neighborhood organizations you have been involved with or provided leadership.
Like many people in our city I am an East Coast transplant. I was born in Philadelphia and I grew up in New York City. In high school, I joined the ROTC program and subsequently enlisted in the United States Army in 2001. In the Army, I learned leadership, discipline, and perseverance; these lessons have served me well later in my life. In 2006 I graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor’s degree in international business and in 2008 I completed my Master's degree in international business. I worked with multiple nonprofit organizations in New York City, from Habitat for Humanity to my local soup kitchen. I then went on to do international development work in Africa where I worked as foreign investment coordinator for the Ethiopian Government as part of a regional administration. After moving to Minneapolis, I started my own business and become involved with other East African businesses, lending them my experiences to help them better coordinate their goals, activities, and operations. These interactions along with the needs in the community that I’ve seen have pushed me to seek to be the change that I want to see for the sake of our fellow residents.
2. What are your plans to provide safer street infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists?
I believe that making our city pedestrian and cyclist friendly is not only beneficial for the quality of life of our city but that it is a key aspect of our environmental goals. The city has made tremendous strides in expanding the bike lanes of many of our major streets. This growth has not corresponded with an increased awareness by the motor vehicle drivers of our city and this has resulted in many tragic accidents. I would push for an information campaign to educate both cyclists and drivers on the rules of the road that will help keep them safe, such as cyclists riding with the traffic, drivers respecting the specific red lights and stop signs, and both groups following the marked lanes that are available in our city. This would be done in coordination with MnDOT and other transport agencies in order to reach as many of our residents as possible. It is my sincere hope to see an increase in the pedestrian and cyclist traffic in the coming years and this increase corresponds with a commensurate decrease in our motor vehicle dependency. Our green future depends on it.
3. What is your stance on the future of the Minneapolis Police Department? How can communities keep themselves safe without a traditional police force?
My stance on the future of the Minneapolis Police Department is that MPD, as it existed previously, must end. We are past the point of reforming the police department. Over the years the City of Minneapolis has paid millions of dollars on settlements because of police misconduct while city officials tell us there is no funding for many social service needs. We need to change the recruitment and training of peace officers as well as reducing the scope of their areas of responsibility. We also must also get rid of the militarized hardware that the force has acquired over the years. Liability must also shift, and peace officers must carry personal liability such as doctors; this will ensure that they cannot hide behind the badge when they commit crimes. These changes and many others are needed to ensure the safety of the community and to ensure them from police misconduct. With regards to the impact of these changes on how community safety is maintained it will be a welcomed transition. The safety of the city’s residents is of paramount importance to me and I will a strong voice against violence and brutality in all its forms.
4. How will you keep housing in the ward affordable and continue adding affordable and accessible housing? How will you address the large rent increases across the city?
I believe that housing is a human right and I will fight for it on the behalf of our people. Our current housing crisis stems from decades of underinvestment, since 2000, Minneapolis has lost more than 15,000 affordable housing units. Minneapolis affordable housing crisis is as clear as daylight, look no further than the homeless encampments throughout the city. To address the affordability problems first we must find temporary shelter for the homeless, for example retrofitting existing buildings throughout the city. I do not have to tell you how brutal Minnesota winters are especially for someone without shelter. We also need to increase the affordable housing units by working closely with city, state and federal agencies to get the necessary funding. Finally, we need to create pathways to homeownership for long term renters by expanding the down-payment assistance program. These solutions and the many other options available to us will not solving the housing crisis in our overnight. This problem has been growing for a long time and it will take a long time to solve but if we begin now with can make some serious progress for our fellow residents.
5. How will you advocate for marginalized populations? Specifically, the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, low-come and houseless individuals.
As a black/Muslim/woman I’ve faced my share of discrimination. It is cruel and unjust to vary the treatment of individuals based on traits outside their control. I’ve also seen that when well-meaning individuals attempt to tackle the unjust treatment of minority groups the results often fall short. This is because when policies are not explicitly inclusive, then we must know that they are implicitly exclusive. This means the design of all policy frameworks intended to alleviate disparities must at their heart have programs that tackle the intractable problems rather than settling for easy yet frequently ineffective solutions that are commonly proposed. This means that we need to have people of color, LGBTQ+, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds in all of our discussions and at the leadership table. Without inclusivity marginalized communities will continue to suffer at the whims of the dominate groups dictates without their concerns being taken seriously by the true decision makers. More practically will push for funding of programs that are targeted at alleviating some of the worst disparities that exist in minority communities. From the housing crisis amongst our Native American communities to the health access crisis amongst our LGBTQ+ communities. I will be their champion.
6. What specific strategies will you employ to advocate for and amplify the voices of grassroots arts and cultural businesses as well as neighborhood organizations and the physical spaces they need to build community?
As a small business owner and as someone who has been involved with grassroots organizations my whole life, I understand the funding and physical needs of these institutions in our communities. For arts and cultural businesses specifically, I will work on allocating funding to help support their missions and advocate for their crucial services. I will also push for expanding the city’s technical assistance program by small ventures free legal advice for lease negotiations and low-interest loans from trustworthy community lenders. As part of my agenda to reduce that level of gentrification that our city is undergoing, I will also support commercial rent control to ease the annual rental burdens that they face and to ensure the diverse nature of our community organizations.
Name: Jamal Osman
In which neighborhood you live: Cedar Riverside
1. Provide your general background. Please include any neighborhood organizations you have been involved with or provided leadership.
My childhood was spent in Somalia, and I came to Minnesota via a refugee camp in Kenya when I was 15. I graduated from Metro State University, and spent time playing soccer collegiately. I am a father of 5 beautiful children, most recently a boy in February 2020.
I have spent 15 years in the Ward 6 community, serving as a Resident Advocate in the Social Services Department for CommonBond, the biggest affordable housing company in the MidWest. Currently, I help provide affordable housing and renter education for the Seward Towers on Franklin Ave. I am a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. My course teaches how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The training helps identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. I work with the Seward Neighborhood Group. I also served on the board for Phillips Community Clinic, an organization that helps immigrants receive healthcare.
2. What are your plans to provide safer street infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists?
As Minneapolis works to become more bike friendly and walkable in recognition that climate change is real, we have recognized the importance of effectively planning alternative transportation routes that allow for increased walkability and biking. The Minneapolis 2040 plan includes extensive planning for adding more biking, bussing, and sidewalks - we need to make sure that this planning is carried out in a way that engages the communities of Ward 6 to best meet their needs.
New construction should include adequate parking (in a convenient manner) and the addition of new bike lanes should be thoroughly vetted through community meetings. It should allow for increased bikeability as long as other issues that affect Ward 6 (like parking or flow of traffic) are not compromised.
I believe that these new infrastructure projects will only bring about effective transportation strategies and increase the accessibility of the city if the community it travels through are the ones who make the plan. I would establish forums for people to speak their minds on new projects, and to aid in the planning of new biking/pedestrian networks.
3. What is your stance on the future of the Minneapolis Police Department? How can communities keep themselves safe without a traditional police force?
I have spoken extensively to the people of Ward 6, & the majority of people are against the abolition of policing in our city. There are still fears regarding the safety of people & property. However, almost all are in favor of a reimagining of how policing looks and functions.
I think that the way the police operate needs to be drastically altered. In my opinion as a Minnesota certified mental health first aid trainer, there needs to be less cops responding to issues of mental health, homelessness & substance abuse. Cops are not adequately trained to respond to these types of situations. More mental health responders will significantly reduce police violence, & a route to recovery emerges to help those suffering from these issues. I also believe the MPD needs to reflect the community it serves, meaning making incentives for more black & minority officers on the force. It also means implementing residency restrictions, so that the cops who serve & protect us live among us.
Abolishing the police is not the right answer for our residents. We need to reform the way that police function in order to establish trust in our communities & to create public safety that is representative, transparent, & effective for ALL.
4. How will you keep housing in the ward affordable and continue adding affordable and accessible housing? How will you address the large rent increases across the city?
We need to protect current residents of Ward 6. ~91% of Ward 6 residents are renters. We need to protect their rights by making sure that eviction protections are in place, & that mutual lease termination agreements are mandatory in situations where eviction is necessary due to public health or safety concerns. Especially for those hard hit during COVID-19, we can educate residents about their rights and programs available to them to help with rent increases.
We NEED more affordable housing. I will incentivize builders to come to the district & build affordable, low-income housing. I will also look to strengthen the recently passed City Council ordinance that says that all new market rate developments must include units that are set aside for affordable housing. With the right policies, we can increase the amount of housing available to all. Finally, I would enact legislation that would require building owners to increase safety
inspections, & would have harsher penalties for those who do not protect the safety of their residents.
5. How will you advocate for marginalized populations? Specifically, the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, low-come and houseless individuals.
As a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, I work with (majority) Somali youth in the community to provide them with an extensive toolkit to recognize, deal with, and overcome mental health issues. I continue to create opportunities for our youth (providing recreational centers, jobs, career training opportunities) so that they have an established pathway that will not lead them into addiction.I have been an advocate for the American Indian OIC, where I helped individuals find jobs, or attend career training programs. Currently, I am working with the Indigenous Peoples Task Force to offer community Naloxone training and distribution. My advocacy for low income and homeless individuals is best represented by my tireless passion for the development of new affordable housing. As a Council Member, I will push back hard on any attempts to cut programs that increase the diversity of City Hall because of budget shortfalls and I will work to expand these programs in future budgets. Finally, I will continue to consult with my community to know what best serves their interests - I will be available to consult with Ward 6 residents to ensure that they are not marginalized or under-represented.
6. What specific strategies will you employ to advocate for and amplify the voices of grassroots arts and cultural businesses as well as neighborhood organizations and the physical spaces they need to build community? (200)
Art is an expression of the environment it comes from - & I believe that some of the city’s best artists come from Ward 6. I believe that our artists help us express the values of our communities & should be allowed to practice their art in a visible way in Ward 6.
To engage artists in my first year in office I will make sure they are an integral piece of the Cultural Districts proposal, which has a goal to highlight our diverse commercial corridors & the communities that surround them. As I say above, we need to ensure that the artists hired to give our community identity are from or have a connection to the community, & that they are a major player as the City continues to look at how to invest more into and highlight our vibrant Ward 6 neighborhoods.
Our neighborhood organizations are the most vital parts of a functioning district within a city. Through attending national night outs, resident forums, & interacting with constituents I learn the important priorities that they have for furthering the development of Ward 6. Ensuring both that they have space to meet, & that I am accessible to them ensures the health & future of Ward 6.
Name: Alex Palacios
In which neighborhood you live: Phillips West
1. Provide your general background. Please include any neighborhood organizations you have been involved with or provided leadership.
Born in Honduras and raised in The Bronx, my formative years were filled with challenges: readjusting to a complete cultural shift, enduring harassment at school, and grappling with low self-worth as they explored themselves and their place in the world. Later in life, I faced homelessness and addiction, creating a feeling of profound separation from myself and my community. Through all my obstacles, and after much work in self improvement and the grace of faith and community, I have been granted the privilege to overcome and emerge as a leader.
I have lived and served in Minneapolis since 2016, providing HIV testing and education at The Aliveness Project since 2018 after a year of service on Aliveness’s Board of Directors. They are also a member of the Minnesota Council for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention and until recently served as Membership Director for Stonewall DFL, the LGBTQ+ community caucus of the Minnesota DFL Party.
2. What are your plans to provide safer street infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists?
I live on Portland and 28th Street, a corner of our ward infamous for traffic-related accidents. Adjusting crosswalks and creating temporary quick builds along thoroughfares like Park and Portland Avenues will provide greater safety for pedestrians, encourage vehicles to slow down sooner and bring down the number of traffic accidents without disrupting traffic flow or being a burden during snow clean up. I would also seek to enforce parking violations along snow routes and add intermittent bike lane protections across the ward.
3. What is your stance on the future of the Minneapolis Police Department? How can communities keep themselves safe without a traditional police force?
The relationship between the police department and the residents of MInneapolis is an abusive one, and the path to healing can only be paved by the community, and especially those people directly impacted by the expression of racism. The goal is to provide communities in Minneapolis alternatives to deal with conflict and violence when it happens, and to prevent escalations whenever possible. This means that communities get to appoint the armed and, only in extreme cases, unarmed responders tasked with their protection, who are highly trained in anti-racism, de escalation, and violence prevention; it means that the community is centered in accountability proceedings that are not punitive but rather lead to restorative justice; it means decriminalizing nonviolent offenses, as well as homelessneess and poverty. And, in the interim, it means implementing mental health and conflict interventions by the community, for the community. This, of course, is all part of a first effort to overhaul a criminal justice system that is anything but just.
4. How will you keep housing in the ward affordable and continue adding affordable and accessible housing? How will you address the large rent increases across the city?
The development of housing that may be affordable for some but leave our most vulnerable neighbors behind cannot continue. I will not rest until there is a home for every Minneapolis resident, that is affordable, safe and accessible, along with the tools and education necessary to maintain their place of residence. I will prioritize housing contracts that keep up with us, not the other way around. This means rethinking the 30% threshold, as that no longer denotes affordability.
We all want great amenities in our communities, but not at the expense of displacing residents-- I will help maintain that balance; neighborhood storefronts sitting empty waiting for gentrification to occur and sell to the highest bidder instead of caring for our own neighbors. This is not good for our economy, or safety as it attracts illicit activity. I will push to tax empty storefronts, reversing this harmful trend, and redirecting those funds directly to the communities that host them.
5. How will you advocate for marginalized populations? Specifically, the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, low-come and houseless individuals.
The homeless that are housed in hotels, most of whom are BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and indigenous, need more support. I would make sure those folks get free mental health services, job training, and access to technical school education that can help rebuild and maintain our city; once again, I believe that anyone who receives keys to a new home should also be provided livability tools and skills to be able to sustain their housing; trauma-responsive and culturally-tailored social services as they intersect with mental health and addiction interventions will be imperative; providing business startup resources, including grants and incentives, for marginalized communities, and minority-owned businesses, will help level out the damage of COVID-19; ; strengthening the neighborhood 2020 plan, as delineated before; and investing youth programs that address implicit bias and violence prevention while providing relief for struggling families.
6. What specific strategies will you employ to advocate for and amplify the voices of grassroots arts and cultural businesses as well as neighborhood organizations and the physical spaces they need to build community?
Neighborhood associations could and should function as hubs for public health and safety, as resource centers, and conduits of communication between residents and the city council. My vision is that they can be centers that provide direct public health access; alternatives to policing as public safety; elimination of food deserts; supplemental education and job training; sustainability; cultural exchange opportunities. Adequate funding to power and empower Neighborhood associations, and a dedicated liaison between these associations and city leadership, are essential.
The disparities that myself and my communities have long seen and felt have deepened and become even more apparent as COVID-19 continues to take hold. I strongly believe that investing in educational and cultural centers, local arts (and artists!), our roads and bridges, technological infrastructure and small businesses run by our neighbors, with a deep commitment to public health, equity and social justice, is the only way for us all to move through and past the crisis the still-developing pandemic is leaving in its wake.
Name: Saciido Shaie
In which neighborhood you live:
1. Provide your general background. Please include any neighborhood organizations you have been involved with or provided leaders?
My name is Saciido Shaie, and I have lived in Minneapolis for the last 20 years. I have been organizing with marginalized communities, especially East African refugees. I have had the privilege of Serving in the Minneapolis Neighborhood Community Engagement Commission, helping to make our community more resilient and foster stronger community bonds.
More about me:
2000-2006: Teacher of Arabic and Islamic studies at Abubakr al-Sadiq Islamic Center
2006: National Community Award from Children and Family Services
2009-2015: Member of the Parent Leadership for Child Safety and Permanency
2009-2015: MN Department of Human Services Children’s Trust Fund (CTF)
2011-2015: Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commissioner
2012- Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee
2015: Minnesota “National Hero of the Year for Somalia”
2015- Co-Founder and member of the Cultural Ethnic Communities Leadership Council
2016: DFL Women Hall Of Fame: “Rising Star Award”
2017: Appointed by the MN Governor, Young Women's Initiative Council
2017: National Coalition of the Juvenile Justice
2019: appointment to serve the US Global Leadership Coalition MN chapter
2. What are your plans to provide safer street infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists?
Creating an equitable city requires that we invest in infrastructure that makes Minneapolis safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Residents should be able to walk safely through their neighborhoods, cyclists should be able to travel through the city with road systems that provide convenient, and safe thoroughfares. I support initiatives that will make our neighborhoods walkable and bike able. It not only makes our city safer, but it also will help put a dent in Minneapolis carbon footprint.
3. What is your stance on the future of the Minneapolis Police Department? How can communities keep themselves safe without a traditional police force?
I believe that public safety and justice issues impact us all. There is a false narrative that in order to have safety, we must abandon justice reform; or for justice reform we must compromise safety. This is simply untrue. The truth is that we all desire safe spaces. We all desire a life free of violence and harm. As the mother of an 18 year old black son, I am concerned as every mother of a child of color, that sends their kids into society everyday. As mothers, we cannot protect our children from everything, but our kids shouldn’t come to harm from the group of people tasked with protecting them. I am a firm believer in defunding, dismantling, and rebuilding the Minneapolis Police Department. There is an inherent need for public safety officers to maintain peace and security, but it should never come at the cost of Black lives. We need to commit, after dismantling and defunding, to establishing a police force that serves all of us; not just the wealthy and privileged. We need a police force that sends mental health professionals and social workers to mental health calls; not armed officers. We need community resource officers that walk neighborhoods and build relationships; not armed officers in patrol cars. Minneapolis is one of the most diverse cities in the country, yet our police force is mostly white. This cannot continue any longer. Our police force needs to look like the community it serves, and this needs to start as we rebuild our police force. I believe that our police officers need to reflect the diversity of our community. That is why I believe we must have racial parity among our peace officers. Many police officers who have harmed communities of color have done so under qualified immunity. If you violate someone's civil rights, you should be financially and criminally liable in court. Not only must we rebuild our police force, but we must demand that we hold every officer accountable for their actions. We must end qualified immunity.
4. How will you keep housing in the ward affordable and continue adding affordable and accessible housing? How will you address the large rent increases across the city?
I will organize with neighborhood groups to keep gentrification from occurring within ward 6. I believe that rent needs to stay affordable for all, and that our neighborhoods are at their best when they are diverse. Gentrification does not happen in a vacuum, it is assisted by the city in the form of tax abatement, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and development permits. I will commit to fight this corruption at city hall, diverting subsidies from developers to the neighborhood groups themselves. I believe the only real way we can keep rent affordable is through introducing Rent Control. We must prioritize the need of renters and not the profits of wealthy developers.
5. How will you advocate for marginalized populations? Specifically, the LGBTQ+, BIPOC, low-come and houseless individuals.
As a Black, Muslim, refugee, i understand what maraganilzed communities go through. I have had to fight my entire life to make life possible for me and my three children. Like my family, countless others in our community have to deal with economic hardship, and prejudice. I will fight for every member of our community regardless of their race, faith, sexual identity, and housing status. I believe that marginalized people like myself don’t need saviors, but real opportunities to be leaders and help solve these issues that plague our city.
6. What specific strategies will you employ to advocate for and amplify the voices of grassroots arts and cultural businesses as well as neighborhood organizations and the physical spaces they need to build community?
I believe that arts and culture is a necessity for our communities, and the vibrance immigrant and indigenous businesses provide to our city, as such we need to help our local artists practise their craft. I support investing in artist collaborative work spaces and housing. I also support building community spaces for community gatherings, events, and cultural festivals. I am a professional Henna Designer as well! That is why the art world can count on me!
