OK, by now – we all heard Rep Kahn is fighting with tooth and nail to sustain her seat at MN Capitol representing Cedar/Riverside area, otherwise called District 60B.
There is a lot rumors going on around Cedar area whereby Rep Kahn is playing the politics of divide and conquer. Divide our community by promising this grant, that contract and her seat when she retires. You see if you are familiar with American politics then you know it is not by inheritance or giving your elected seat to your friends.
Rep Kahn has been telling some Somalis in Cedar bunch of false information and filling their head with hopeless hopes and unreachable dreams. First of all, Rep Kahn can not transfer her seat to anyone including her family. Whoever wants to represent will have to run in a democratic way and win by votes of the constituents. Therefore, no matter how many times Kahn says you can have my seat when I retire is wrong, false and full of hopeless dream. Rep Kahn, We Reject Your Late and Hopeless Proposal – It is 40 Years Too Late.
2ndly, No one should believe Rep Kahn will grant them some kind of a contract with either the state or with the city of Minneapolis. Think about this for a minute – if Kahn really cared about this district’s well being – they would not be at the bottom of every pit in every area, from education gap to health disparity to high unemployment to low homeownership. See those stats of Minnesota’s embarrassingly racial disparities created or at least maintained by current politicians. Furthermore, what has Kahn done to assure the new multimillion dollar Vikings Stadium includes Somali businesses and Somalis for the new construction.
3rd, If Kahn really cared – why not write legislations to offer funding and resource opportunities, oh I don’t know – maybe couple of decades ago. Rep Kahn currently serves as Chair of the Legacy Committee. In addition, she is a member of the Ways and Means which is a very powerful committee that most important bills must go through. Government Operations, State Government Finance (She could have advocated here for this community) She is also a member of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. Honestly, how are Somalis doing in their retirement and pension plans. Her legislative interests include issues dealing with information policy, natural resources and women’s rights. I am sorry, but women’s rights and information – come on now. How are Somali women doing in getting information about their rights and being empowered. This would be all too funny, if it was not all sadly true.
You see – Rep Kah does not give a horse’s you know what about the women in district 60B, their pensions, retirement plans or their prosperity because if she did – you would not see everyday a Somali or an East African woman in Brian Coyle struggling with her children, with lack of affordable housing, with work and everything else. Really – you would not.
In terms our children’s health which Autism is a big part – as Somali Autism mom and advocate – I can not name one thing Kahn has done to help us with. Rep Kahn has dismissed, disregarded and refused to listen to our voices and our pain with autism. In fact, when she was asked why she voted to eliminate MN Autism Task force which has done so much good for Somali autism families – her response was “well everyone else voted for the elimination”. I can’t think of a more out of touch excuse. It is like your child saying “well – I did it because everyone else was doing it”. What the heck does that even mean. You don’t jump off a bridge because everyone else is jumping from it. Rep Kahn should’ve asked why eliminate a free, all volunteer, parent based and advocate empowered statewide autism task committee that is responsible for several Somali, Latino, Caucasian and Hmong autism studies.
In sum, if Rep Kahn promised you a seat, a grant or a contract – she simply can’t and will not deliver that. They say history is a good indicator of one’s future actions. Well, Rep Kahn’s history is full of despair, disparity and dismissal for district 60B.
It is time for Somali community in Cedar/Riverside area which by the way is the only district we can have any future of sitting at the political table to UNITE behind Mohamud Noor. Noor cares, Noor will listen, Noor will validate, Noor will bring resources and opportunities to everyone fairly and equally. Noor is the right person, it is his moment and we should ALL stand behind him with no hesitation and no reservation.
High unemployment for minorities statistics:
From the cradle to the prison pipeline:
Home-ownership gap for minorities:
Health disparity for minorities statistics:
Worst Education Gap for minority children:
Vikings Stadium and Minorities in the Pie:
Racism, Bias and Prejudice Policies are the cause of Racial Disparity: Think about this, who writes or maintains these bad policies – Kahn, Norton, Cohen, Huntley, there are more, but you get the idea. We can not wait another forty years to wake the heck up. We need to do it now and unite behind Mohamud Noor. He is the right person and this is the right time.
Thanks!
Above words do not reflect any agency, committee or candidate
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate