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Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here. 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. I’m running to bring back the vibrancy and livability of Ward 10 by prioritizing public safety, supporting small businesses and serving as a responsive leader.
