Minneapolis Eighth Ward City Council Convention

I am Elizabeth Glidden and I am asking for your vote! I am here today because I believe in the DFL party and I believe that we are stronger when we work together – that is why I will honor and abide by the DFL endorsement.

These last few months have been so intense. Eric, my husband, has worked non-stop on my campaign right along side me. We’ve been married less than a year and, let me tell you, he had no idea what he was getting into! Every day I am reminded of what an incredible responsibility it is to be a city council member. And, I have to say that I am so grateful to you – for sitting on your front steps with me, talking to me on the phone. I’ve learned so much.

I’ve talked about property taxes with Mary, of Field Neighborhood, and housing issues affecting fixed-income seniors. I met with Randy and learned of his tireless activism in Powderhorn on safety issues. I drank coffee with Wizard and spoke with her, as I have with many others, about how to maintain the unique character, diversity, and affordability of our neighborhoods, in light of the dynamic development and growth happening along Lake Street.

For these reasons, the 8th Ward needs a tireless leader, who won’t back down when the going gets tough, who never stops listening to you. I will provide that leadership! Minneapolis has a great past and it will have a great future. A future that is built when we think and act like a community. Community can be our next door neighbors, our blocks, our neighborhoods. Community is as big as the 8th Ward and it is the city of Minneapolis. Community is when we open our minds and our hearts to the needs of all of us, not just one of us! When the governor says “no” to the common good, Minneapolis must say “yes!”

As your city council representative, I will work with you to make our communities livable and make our ward and our city a community that we are proud to pass on to our children!

• I will stand up for community responses to crime and the need for police to maintain personal connections with neighborhoods.
• I will stand up for housing that is affordable to all and for the rights of tenants.
• I will stand up for good schools as vital parts of our communities.
• I will stand up for living wages for workers.
• I will stand up for small local businesses, the backbone of our communities!
• And, I will stand up for neighborhood voices in setting city priorities.

And it’s the people I’ve met over the years who have driven me to do better for our communities. Such as a group of male union workers I worked with, who stood up for their underpaid female colleagues. They stood up despite the consequences to them, and I will never forget that. Like when I sat in a room at Pillsbury House with a group of Somali women, where we talked about how to take action on the problems they had – like child care, finding affordable apartments, and getting jobs! I was asked to serve on the board of this grassroots effort and we did it – we came up with ideas and raised funding and built a social service organization!

I chose my career as a civil rights lawyer and selected my volunteer activities, by making decisions about how I could make a difference in people’s lives. These same passions have driven my decision to run for 8th Ward city council!

• As a worker’s rights activist, I have worked to empower low wage workers and stood up for living wage jobs.
• As a civil rights lawyer, I have fought race, gender, disability, and other kinds of bias.
• As a community leader, I have worked to support immigrants and New Americans.
• As a small business owner, I have balanced budgets and made tough financial decisions.
• I am experienced in collaboration, and mediation, skills I’ve developed from my work as a lawyer and as a leader on board and professional organizations.

Today, I’m asking you to stand with me as we build our community for the future together!

My name is Elizabeth Glidden and I am asking for your vote!