Lydia Millard: I’ll bring responsive leadership to Ward 10

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This year, voters in Ward 10 in Minneapolis have a clear choice between re-electing an incumbent who has failed our ward or electing me, Lydia Millard, and moving forward to rebuild our community and restore trust in the Ward 10 City Council office.

The first thing that people should know about me is that I was raised in north Minneapolis by my single mom. As an African American who grew up in this city, I know the structures that need reform because they have impacted the lives of my friends, my family and me. I also know the resilience of our communities and all that we have to celebrate and be proud of.

The second thing people should know about me is that I don’t just talk about advocating for the working person, I am the working person. I started earning a paycheck at 15 in a McDonald’s kitchen. By 21, I was UPS’ youngest woman-of-color supervisor. I’ve worked for Metro Transit and in our city’s service industry. I currently work two jobs while running for office: At Target, I rose to senior business partner and work in large-scale operations; as executive director of Stevens Square Community Organization, I broker real-life solutions between residents and City Hall.

I’ve seen the gaps between city, county and state services where people fall through. I know public safety isn’t fences and fear, it’s neighbors who trust each other. I know “sustainability” can’t stay a headline, it has to power our homes and fuel our buses. I know that leadership shouldn’t be unanswered emails and calls, it means showing up and responding to the big and the small issues that impact our lives. Unlike my opponent, I am not running in alignment with any mayoral campaign because I am not here to play politics, I am running to serve the people of Ward 10.

We have suffered from years of neglect that is felt on every street. Our commercial corridors have been hollowed out — since the incumbent has been in office, well over 50 businesses have closed and Uptown is a shell of its former self. Crime is down in the city, but up in Ward 10 — Whittier has become the neighborhood with the highest amount of gun violence in the city. And anyone who has tried to resolve an issue by reaching out to the Ward 10 office knows what a waste of time that is.

l will address public safety honestly and with urgency. I love living in Ward 10, but it is time for a reality check. Unlike our current council member, I will work with every partner we have in the public safety ecosystem — from public health professionals and violence interrupters to the Police Department.

In Ward 10 small businesses are not just a talking point, they are vital to this ward. Uptown has historically been one of the most vibrant commercial corridors, not only in Minneapolis, but throughout the entire state. That is not the case today. In my experience, what matters is building partnerships with many different kinds of people. Getting to a yes from a no takes work — you have to understand what someone needs, you have to do your research and you have to keep the communication channels open.

At the end of the day, we need a leader who responds and who understands that service is larger than politics. When a resident has a problem, there should not be a test to determine whether or not our ward office solves your problem — every race, gender, paycheck and neighborhood needs to have a seat and a say.

My vision is this: Four years from now, voters will live in a safer Ward 10 with declining crime rates across the board, revitalized commercial corridors and 40,000 residents who know that they have a council member who genuinely cares and will answer their call, no matter how small or big the issue is.

Residents of Ward 10, I ask for your vote. Thank you, and let’s move forward.

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