Question 1: What leadership experience qualifies you for the City Council?
My name is Suud olat, an activist, community organizer, currently serving a congressional district leader of ONE campaign, – a global advocacy organization. My story is an American accomplishment story. With my distinctive mixture of previous work and global advocacy experience and level of commitment makes me an ideal candidate for Minneapolis ye vacant seat of Minneapolis City Council ward 6.
I believe since moving to this great country from a refugee in Kenya biggest refugee camp in the world. I have accomplishment so much in American dream in the last 8 years, since I arrived in this country. I have worked with various international advocacy organizations including currently serving a congressional leader for the ONE CAMPAIGN as well currently serving a member of Filmaid international bosrd of directors in my experience i also worked with International Organization for Migration a highly reputable U.N organization I.O.M office of inspector general on investigating allegation of massive corruption and sexual abuse on refugee resettlement in Kenya. As well city of Minneapolis in various capacity’s.
After a week of protests and unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a
Minneapolis police officer, 9 out of 12 members of the City Council pledged to
defund and dismantle what they consider to be a fundamentally broken police
department.
Question 2: Do you share the assessment that MPD is fundamentally broken?
Its broken and beyond repair. I support abolishing/dismantling the systematic racism within the department and I believe chief Medaria Arradondo is the right person for the job, we know he sued the police department, reallocating funds to housing, social services important to city most vulnerable residents. We need to stop criminalizing mental health, homelessness and putting them in the system. We need to reimagine a city that our kids are not scared when the see the police who are sworn to protect, that our cops are not over worked, because we know that being a cop is a risky, stressful job, and allocate resources to deescalate training for our officers they are seeking mental health support they need.
Question 3: Do you support defunding and dismantling MPD? If so, can you define what that means to you?
We should demilitarize our police. I would like to see funds that are earmarked for para-military style vehicles, equipment and riot gear reallocated to housing, education and social services.The Minneapolis Police Department is broken, maybe beyond repair. Until we dismantle the structure that produces and protects officers like the head of the Police Union, Bob Kroll and George Floyd’s killer, Derek Chauvin, we cannot ensure justice for victims of police violence in our city.
I will push for critical changes, like insisting that Minneapolis police officers live in the neighborhoods that they police; and training law enforcement officers to recognize their racial biases. Our cops need training in de-escalation instead of the “warrior-based” training that Lieutenant Kroll promotes.
On June 26, the City Council voted unanimously for a ballot measure that would give voters the chance to remove MPD from the city charter and replace it with a new department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.
Question 4: What do you think are the most important structural changes that would be made by this charter amendment if approved by voters? Would you vote for or against the charter amendment, assuming it makes it onto the ballot in November?
I will vote for the charter amendment.