Wednesday’s mayoral forum, hosted by the African American Leadership Forum, opened with a performance by singer Kennadi Watkins, who sang ‘Hold on (Change Is Comin’)’ by Sounds of Blackness. 

The AALF focuses on community mobilization, leadership development and policy driven by community wisdom, said Dera Beevas, AALF’s interim CEO. The forum, held at The Capri Theatre in North Minneapolis, featured incumbent Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, top challenger Sen. Omar Fateh, DeWayne Davis, Brenda Short and Jazz Hampton. 

The event brought together residents, organizers and candidates with a focus on North Minneapolis neighborhoods. The discussion centered on youth services, public safety and economic prosperity for all through affordable housing, homelessness prevention and small business development.  

Amber Jones, AALF’s managing director of policy impact, said community power will shape Minneapolis’ future. 

“The city we see today does not define what it must become,” Jones said. “Our opportunity lies in harnessing the collective power in this room and beyond it. We are not waiting on a single leader to decide our future.”

Candidates answered questions from the community and audience members. Dr. Yohuru Williams, a prominent academic and activist, moderated the discussion. 

Housing and Homelessness

All candidates said affordable housing, homeownership and homelessness prevention are key priorities. 

Frey highlighted his 4d Affordable Housing Incentive program, which reduces property taxes for property owners who keep rent low. Fateh called for rent stabilization and the implementation of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, which gives tenants the first opportunity to purchase their building when it is put for sale. 

Davis said it is important to build infrastructure through non-profit and public developers, especially in neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment. On homelessness, he said the first thing he would do is expand the homelessness response team and move it to the Department of Health. 

Frey said the city takes a housing-first approach, and homelessness has gone down in Minneapolis. He added that it is righteous to say the city needs to be doing more. 

Fateh called for culturally competent care, ensuring people have access to treatment services within their neighborhoods. 

Police Accountability and Public Safety

A Minneapolis resident and college student asked about their plans to ensure police accountability and safety for Black residents. The question also addressed youth programming, mental health support and violence prevention. 

Candidates were asked whether they would support a crime bill to address Black hate crimes and police violence. All candidates said they would support the legislation. Candidates agreed on the need to invest in and expand services that expand youth jobs and programs. 

“These ‘bad’ kids you’re seeing in the media that are being portrayed negatively, they’re not failing us, it’s us failing them,” Fateh said. 

Fateh called for redirecting more 911 calls to mental health workers. Hampton also called for diverting 911 calls through higher investment in alternative public safety services.

Frey said the 911 mental health response is 24/7, and the city invests about $3 million annually into kids’ recreation already. 

“Do we need to be doing more?” Frey said. “The answer is absolutely, and we can do that together, but the progress is very real.”

The Minneapolis Police Department is under a court-enforceable agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that aims to reform the department. 

Davis said this is the city’s chance to embed the change. 

“One of the things that I would do right away is to task the public safety commissioner and the chief of police to have an annual comprehensive violence intervention and reduction plan,” Davis said.

Economic Growth

Short said more needs to be done to inform business owners about available resources, such as grants and free business classes.

“If we want to stay here, we need to work together to stay here,” Short said.

Fateh said the city must stay in conversation with local businesses and keep them informed about support services.

“We need to update them. We need to talk to them. I just had a conversation in my office with a black owner who had a business on Hennepin that had to close the doors because he lost foot traffic,” Fateh said. “That was not only his business, that was his livelihood.”

Davis called attention to the Northside Forward investment plan, a 10-year anti-displacement framework and plan for growth in North Minneapolis. 

“Really make sure that we’re building capacity, that we are providing technical assistance to make sure that entrepreneurs are able to take advantage,” Davis said.

Overall, North Minneapolis has faced redlining, segregation and disinvestment. Black people were intentionally carved out of benefits, Davis said.

“Those were intentional actions that were taken,” Davis said. “We need to have intentional actions to undo it.”