My Vision for St. Louis Park
To see St. Louis Park boldly move forward in these changing times, while holding fast to its stated values and goals, and making sure no one feels left behind or ignored. In all of our varying identities, experiences, and ideas, we can be One St. Louis Park.
Affordable Housing
As we all know, St. Louis Park is a great place to live, work, learn, and play, but because of stagnant wages and rising housing costs, it’s not available to many people. Because of this, I will fight to continue our city’s work toward making St. Louis Park an affordable place to live, work and raise a family. While affordable rentals are necessary and important, we must find ways for middle and lower income families to be able to purchase a home here, as home ownership is the primary ticket a more secure financial future.
LGBTQ+ Rights
The LGBTQ+ Community is under attack nationwide. I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that St. Louis Park is not only a safe community for our LGBTQ+ residents, but one where they can thrive. I was part of coalition that led our School Board to adopt a gender inclusion policy. I led a local congregation to officially be an LGBTQ+ affirming and celebrating church, and I have rallied at the State Capitol with OutfrontMN to lobby for a statewide ban on so-called Conversion “Therapy”. As a pastor, I am also trained and educated in how to dismantle the hateful interpretations of the Bible that is the driver behind most, if not all, LGBTQ+ exclusion.
Race, Equity and Inclusion (REI)
I am a firm believer in fighting against racism, both at the personal level and the systemic level. I applaud the SLP City Council for putting its money where its mouth is by not only hiring an REI director, but creating an REI department. I will support moving forward in the Council’s REI goals and initiatives, and I will actively work to center marginalized voices. In the wake of St. Louis Park Resident George Floyd’s murder, I was part of a group of hundreds of Clergy who marched for justice. I also had the honor of being part of the Human Rights Commission team that organized the St. Louis Park Memorial Service for George Floyd at Wolfe Park. I had the honor of dedicating the bench in his memory at Minnekhada Vista Park. We as a city have taken some great steps forward in this regard, but we have many more still ahead of us.
Climate Action Plan
I am deeply concerned about the condition of this Earth, and am a huge supporter of our city’s Climate Action Plan. I plan to advocate for pushing it forward, and making sure it is indeed an action plan. We must do everything we can, personally and systemically, to curb climate change. Mother nature is crying out, and we need to listen and be active. I was honored to join 500+ clergy in 2016 in a march at Standing Rock to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline, and I am excited to back that up by pushing for climate action here in St. Louis Park.