Why De'Vonna is Running
“Our district deserves a leader who will actively listen to people’s ideas and concerns and act to address those issues.” DonateGet InvolvedReducing Disparities
De’Vonna believes equity should be an integral part of quality improvement efforts – from planning to design and implementation.
She is committed to overseeing current efforts focused on reducing disparities across the county.
“I believe that engaged and empowered people create healthier communities.”
”Whether it be property taxes, workforce development, transportation, accessibility, or immigration concerns, I will listen and I will be an authentic voice for our district.”
Real Affordable Housing
A fresh look at affordable housing and equitable funding is a priority for De’Vonna.
We live in a county where three out of four households with incomes below the poverty line struggle to pay their rent or mortgage.
New families, individuals entering the workforce, disenfranchised communities, seniors, and immigrants often dish out more than 30% on housing.
Senior citizens are not able to afford rising property taxes, repairs for older homes, and are unable to age in place.
Workforce Development
For Hennepin County to have a competitive workforce it needs to reduce employment inequities and create innovative employment and training opportunities.
People need access to careers that provide pathways out of poverty.
This includes access to jobs and training programs that people can reach through public transportation.
“The formula doesn’t lie in the hands of the policy makers, it lies in the hands of the people.”
“All community members should be encouraged to participate in solution oriented processes – that is what creates healthier communities.”
Safe Neighborhoods
De’Vonna is committed to having authentic conversations with community members and police officers to ensure every resident feels safe in their community.
We need to begin reaching our youth now because they are the future, we have to prepare them to take care of us and our communities.
Read De’Vonna’s statement on Law Enforcement Reform.
Transportation
De’Vonna is committed to taking the lead on engaging community members to talk about the connection between public transportation, the environment, and equity.
Public transportation is important to individuals and families who opt out of owning cars, or to those who simply can’t afford the expenses that having a car brings.
It’s time to reimagine Bottineau. We need a leader on blue line expansion who is focused on helping communities along the line thrive.
As your commissioner, I will be a champion for a transportation system that provides community members with access to living-wage jobs, educational opportunities, and high-quality housing.
“When the people are in the room with decision-makers, the outcomes will favor the people.”
People for Pittman
3 days ago
I am looking forward to presenting to the Attorney General’s Women’s Economic Security Task Force Thursday night.
My lived experience and professional learnings relative to policy that negatively affects women, their families and communities is one worth noting.
I’m honored to present to the task force and look forward to hearing about their work as a result of what they’ve heard from others before me. ... See MoreSee Less
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You rock!!
People for Pittman
2 weeks ago
Our Statement Regarding the Verdict Rendered
in the Trial of Derek Chauvin
(April 20, 2021) -- There is no amount of justice that can justify the violence that George Perry Floyd, Jr. suffered on May 25, 2020. Yet, today, we honor his life, taken without right or cause, and breathe with gratitude for the jury that saw fit to convict Derek Chauvin on all three counts of murder.
For almost one year, we have collectively held our breath, while also holding onto hope. As this verdict is read, we long to breathe sighs of relief, yet we know they are followed by deep, heavy breaths that carry the weight of fear.
We exhale breaths of relief honoring the brilliant prosecution led by Jerry W. Blackwell, founding partner and CEO of Blackwell Burke P.A., the steadfast and fearless fight of the family of George Floyd, Jr., and the tireless advocacy of freedom fighters at George Floyd Square and similar squares throughout the country. We thank them for their tremendous bravery and relentless pursuit of justice.
We promise, George Floyd, Jr. will never be forgotten. His life mattered.
With gratitude, we thank our youth, community activists, and leaders on-the-ground, in board rooms and court rooms who have led and continue to lead this national reckoning, joining generations before us demanding justice for George and for every Black life extinguished on the road to freedom.
While this verdict is for Derek Chauvin, America must reckon with the charges of systemic racism and policy violence that are used as weapons of mass destruction against Black people every day. The last 335 days must serve as a mandate for action and systems change across every sector in our nation – economic, criminal justice, health, wealth and homeownership gaps, education, and more -- that continue to devalue, harm, and take Black lives.
This is not the end of the story. The final chapter will come when racial equity and inclusion are achieved. As a community, we will continue to rise, lead, and demand change. We do it for George, for Daunte, for Breonna, for Philando, and for Jamar. This national reckoning will continue.
At the Center for Economic Inclusion, we stand in solidarity with leaders committed to the principles of anti-racism, equity, inclusion and belonging who are willing to reckon with the depths of change and power yielding required to build an economy that works for everyone. We walk in relentless pursuit of that goal every day. ... See MoreSee Less
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People for Pittman
2 weeks ago
The guilty verdict was common sense. The jury represents our desire to move forward, to heal, to recompense.
If Jeff Lunde doesn’t have a statement after this, we must question how he plans to move forward and if he plans to lead us moving forward. He was financially supported by the Police Union, so pay close attention.
A real leader cannot miss what's happening in this moment, a moment that has the potential to make the United States the most powerful country in the world.
Y’all better hold these nice white boys accountable. ... See MoreSee Less
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I see what page this is coming from. Oh yes. 🌺🌺🌺
Won’t he be up in 2022 because of census redistricting?
I started the question!
People for Pittman
4 weeks ago
Today, we grieve for Daunte Wright, a son, a father, a Black man worthy of every opportunity life affords each of us.
We mourn for the innocence that has been robbed from Daunte, Jr. as he watched an entire community mourn for his father, in the face of officers armed in riot gear, after an officer killed his father after a traffic stop, a violation thousands of Minnesotans have risked over the past year alone.
We mourn for justice that can only come from the creation of new, racially equitable and just systems.
While we are weary, we must continue to hold space for collective healing, collective learning, and collective reckoning with empathy for the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian people and communities.
Join us tomorrow to love, to reckon, to heal, and to build. Public policy must be a tool for justice. Together, we will rise. ... See MoreSee Less
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Reckoning to Create an Equitable and Inclusive Economy: Federal Policies & Actions. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
centerforeconomicinclusion-org.zoom.us
APRIL 13, 2021 / NOON-1PM CT How can new federal funds and actions help promote an inclusive recovery in Minneapolis-St. Paul cities and counties? Join the Center for Economic Inclusion on April 13 as...Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email
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People for Pittman
4 weeks ago
Curfew in Minneapolis in effect
7 p.m. April 12 to 6 a.m. April 13
Today, April 12, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued Emergency Regulation 2021-2-1, which establishes a city-wide curfew in Minneapolis. The law goes is in effect at 7 p.m. tonight, April 12 and will last until 6 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday April 13. The curfew comes after Frey declared a local State of Emergency, as is required under the City’s Charter before establishing a curfew.
Gov. Tim Walz has also issued a curfew 7 p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. tomorrow for Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties
During the curfew, you must not travel on any public street or in any public place.
The curfew includes exemptions for:
Members of the press
Law enforcement
Emergency responders
Those traveling to and from work
Those seeking medical care, including COVID testing and vaccinations
The following community patrol organizations:
A Mother’s Love
Center for Multicultural Mediation
Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI)
Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach
Change Equals Opportunity (C.E.O.)
Restoration Inc.
We Push for Peace
"Travel" includes, without limitation, travel on foot, bicycle, skateboard, scooter, motorcycle, automobile, or public transit, or any other mode of transporting a person from one location to another.
"Public place" means any place, whether on privately or publicly owned property, accessible to the general public, including but not limited to public streets and roads, alleys, highways, driveways, sidewalks, parks, vacant lots, and unsupervised property. ... See MoreSee Less
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People for Pittman
1 month ago
The Center for Economic Inclusion and Ramsey County worked together to present the first Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion plan in the state of Minnesota after one year of planning and design.
Ramsey County plans to levy a nearly $12 million property tax that will help fund a first-of-its-kind plan to build and preserve affordable housing and support minority-owned small businesses.
“I just wanted to express my excitement for this and acknowledge this will probably make some folks uncomfortable," said County Commissioner Nicole Joy Frethem. "There are folks who are just uncomfortable when we talk about things about race equity and diversity."
"While we cannot totally erase the harm caused to past generations by racial discrimination in housing and employment, the county commits to our role in forging a better path forward," said County Board Chairwoman Willetha Toni Carter in a letter at the beginning of the draft plan.
The county collaborated with the Center for Economic Inclusion, a St. Paul-based nonprofit focused on driving racial equity and inclusion, which provided consulting services. ... See MoreSee Less
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Glad to pay taxes to create a better future driven by equity and inclusion.