“Equality says we treat everyone the same, regardless of headwinds or tailwinds. Equity says we give people what they need to have the same access and opportunities as others, taking into account the headwinds they face, which may mean differential treatment for some groups.” Dolly Chugh, The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias
The spirit of the late George Floyd has been the nation’s tailwind since May 25th, 2020. With each chapter of the Chauvin trial, the conviction, and sentencing, the upcoming trials of the three accompanying police officers who did nothing to stop the televised murder of an unarmed Black man citing ‘following the chain of command’, and pending federal civil rights charges against all four officers, the city and its people must move forward with that nudge behind them gaining strength enough to face the headwinds that will certainly lie ahead.
Leadership Monday, presented by “Conversations with Al McFarlane” and co-hosted by the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council welcomed City Council candidates incumbent Jeremiah Ellison of Ward 5, Teqen Sj-Aida, Ward 7, and Mickey Moore, Ward 9. Two subjects emerge as the ‘conversations’ begin: Candidate; impressions regarding Chauvin’s sentencing of; and research affirming that the racial homeownership gap in the Twin Cities is the highest in the nation. The research revealed a surge in single-family rentals in Hennepin and Ramsey counties is eliminating options for minority and low-income buyers. The study said only 20% of minorities own their homes in comparison to 75% of whites.
Regarding the Chauvin sentencing, Mickey Moore suggest we first look at the unprecedented events having transpired over the past year all in context. “We’ve made a lot of progress over time. If this had been 10 years ago, or even 5 years, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. This person who committed this heinous crime would not have served any time. The legitimate jail time handed down by the judge gives us hope. We must stay the course continuing to push for justice.” Moore said the 22.5 year prison sentence generated positive feelings from the people who live or have come to 38th and Chicago. “They really didn’t have high expectations.”
“If you read Judge Cahill’s explanation as to how he came to decide on the punishment to match the crime, there were laws in place that prevented him fromadding more time even if he wanted to,” said Andrew Bornhoft, Housing Administrator for HNC. Politicians must step up, analyze the rules in their areas of charge, and change what’s not working and hasn’t for quite some time. The state can no longer be removed. Cahill put a lot of emotion into his decision, especially in light of the torture George Floyd experienced at the end of his life and probably the life-long effects of the children standing by watching as the events unfolded. For many, the judge exceeded expectations.
In response to the question of racial gaps in homeownership, Bornhoft cited the density findings in Minneapolis’ 2040 Plan which said there will be whiter, wealthier people in single family homes. “In the Hawthorne neighborhood, we want our residents to believe they can own perhaps a duplex or tri-plex, live in one unit, and rent out the other. That’s the beginning of wealth building.
Seventh Ward candidate Teqen Sj-Aida said Judge Cahill could have and should have done more. “But there are policies with barriers attached to guidelines preventing caring and competent people from making righteous choices positively changing the direction of reform winds in the cities of our fragile nation. Minnesota shouldn’t go around patting itself on the back,” Sj-Aida said. “‘The worst racial disparities in the nation in home ownership.’ How will leadership respond? It’s not just this incident or one aspect of being alive but not given fair opportunities to live. It’s a question of truth-telling about how we’ve gotten to this dismal state of affairs; and explaining what will happen next?”
Sj-Aida said, “Leadership has an ethical responsibility to inform residents in meaningful ways about issues affecting their livelihood, their children’s safety and education, health care discrimination, and hurdles preventing people of color from gaining generational wealth through land ownership and other investments.”
He said there’s a bigger concern involving public safety and the surge in youth and young adult violence. Police departments nationwide are reporting they are having a difficult time finding officer recruits to join their forces due to low morale following a year of racial justice demonstrations against law enforcement.
Moore said leaders must shift their priorities. “The city council members appear to be focusing on politics, selfishness, and greed wanting funding to go to their particular ward. They are still redlining in certain communities of color, and not opening avenues where a new generation can have a head start with an inheritance provided by a passing generation,” Moore said. “We need to have a public awareness campaign on the benefits of homeownership which is a fundamental remedy for so many ills of our city, including public safety and crime prevention, education, and heath care disparities. It’s hard work. It takes discipline, and perseverance.”
“I’d like to hear a well-rounded, city message to the people,” said the Ward 7 candidate. “That’s what’s been missing all along. They need to connect with the people immediately and frequently describing what we plan to do about public safety, reforming the police department and the criminal justice system, improving our schools and teacher training, and equity distribution of funds available for economic development and commercial land ownership. We don’t need just documents that say what we’re going to do to change things. We need immediate action, figuring out how we can ‘un-disenfranchise’ hardworking, deserving people who just want day to day living to be safe, free, and more joyful and fulfilling.”
5th Ward incumbent Jeremiah Ellison, said North Minneapolis has always been the target for investment groups that come with cash in hand. “But there are also programs in place that can assist in credit worthiness to enable renters to purchase homes and assire existing tenants first rights to purchase when landlords sell,”.Ellison said.
