Jamison Whiting: We owe it to our kids to do better

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The boys and girls I coach on the Washburn High School football teams look and act just like you’d picture: loud, joyful, slightly rebellious, and full of optimism. Coaching them has been the most rewarding experience of my life. They remind me daily that a community’s first responsibility is to its young people. That core conviction drives my run to represent Ward 11 on the Minneapolis City Council.

The young people I coach show up for each other. They work hard, learn from mistakes and bring out the best in those around them. As adults, we have a responsibility to mirror that same energy, to show them what it looks like to care for one another, to build systems that actually work, and to make sure no one is left behind.

That starts with the basics. Minneapolis needs bold, compassionate leadership that takes care of municipal foundations: the structures that make our city work and provide stability. Stability means a well-supported police department and public safety ecosystem with the right response for every call.

Stability means a city where everyone has a roof over their head that they can afford, schools are funded and safe, parks stay green, and roads are plowed. Our job is to ensure these core city services support all residents, teachers, business owners, artists and our youths so that they can thrive and show up for our city.

I’m running because I know firsthand what it looks like when adults show up. When I grew up on the South Side, teachers, coaches and neighbors took care of what mattered. They made sure the gym lights at Washburn High School stayed on a little bit longer. So even if the streets weren’t safe, the court was. They steered my “spirited” energy toward productive outlets that would eventually lead me to law school, not trouble. They made sure my single mother, working on a teacher’s salary, could feed, clothe and be fully present for her two young children. They ensured that I, and kids like me, had someone in our corner.

Right now, our words and actions matter more than ever. Kids are watching and paying attention. They see when we support each other. They also see when we tear each other down. We don’t build a better future for our kids by fighting ourselves. I genuinely believe that we Minneapolitans share the same hopes and dreams for our city.

Challenges won’t be solved by division or by turning our frustrations inward. The real threats to our communities come from the Oval Office. We can’t afford to waste time fighting fellow Minneapolitans. We must stand together to ensure Minneapolis is a beacon of blue, Democratic excellence. We need to prove our values by doing the hard, often unglamorous work of governing well. We will stay hopeful, remain joyful, and do the job. That’s what DFLers do.

We owe it to the next generation to build a city that works — not just for us, but for them.