Alright – so, Governor-Elect Tim Walz has been preaching lots of sugary words. He campaigned with one slogan that at the time seemed sincere – One Minnesota. He heavily saught Somali votes as well as other minority votes. He kept promising things that he has not delivered thus far including having his administration’s leadership reflect Minnesota. There are twenty-three state agency commissioners that Walz needed to appoint. He and his Lt Governor at first seemed genuine and pretended to care and hear communities of color by adding them to their advisory council. I think this was just a show and a token. Here is why..
First of all, Walz appointed 22 commissioners out of the 23. 8 are white men, 9 are white women and 5 are minorities. Current Governor Dayton has 24 which 13 are white men, 7 are white women and 4 are minorities who head the education department, human rights department, economic and employment department and metropolitan council. In other words, Walz hired five minorities and Dayton hired 4 minorities a difference of ONE. Let me write that again – the difference measly ONE. Yet, Walz has preached diversity diversity diversity like it was holy water or something making us think he was going to hire more diverse commissioners. The fact is NOPE. Yes, there are more white women but I hope he does not think white women speak or understand minority issues and disparities.
In fact, Dayton had minorities in-charge of critical agencies such as education which Walz hired a white teacher, economic/employment is now led by a white man. How lovely and equity!
Walz is making it seem as though he is soooo diverse and has hired so maaaany diverse commissioners but he has not. He preached one Minnesota but is practicing the same old BS that created Minnesota’s horrible racial disparities. He preached sugar when Minneapolis Council Member Abdi Warsame so graciously endorsed him but is now practicing salt. I was there on this day and do not see the fruits of his words.
When will we minorities learn to vote wisely and negotiate with our votes before they win? Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
While even I bought his One Minnesota Lies, I am not surprised. The idea of appointing a white female teacher to the education department alone tells me he is clueless about how students of color are treated by white female teachers who fail our kids and suspend them disproportionately. Every time I see MDE’s new commissioner, I am reminded my son’s white female autism teacher Kelly Morris with the Bloomington school district who suspended my son after she failed to teach him or understand that autism is a behavior disorder. I can’t even explain what the heck the minority Lt Governor is doing by allowing this crap. I mean really what the heck? There should’ve been more minorities appointed to commissioners. To make matters worse, Sen Franken’s gatekeeper Alana’s (who stayed on with Dayton’s gatekeeper now sadly Sen Smith) husband is now a commissioner. I know that sounds more like The Young and Restless storyline than state government leadership, but this is what happens when it is who you know rather than what you know. Can someone say nepotism? Quite frankly, Raj Rajan should’ve been hired for the Pollution Control Agency who is actually an environmental engineer. Instead, we got another privileged white woman Laura B.
I for one am waiting for Walz when he comes back to our community looking for votes. Fool us once Walz, shame on you…fool us twice shame on us. Just because he says diversity does not mean he hired fairly and with equity and the proof is in the appointments he made. Shame on you Governor-Elect Walz for telling us empty words to get our votes, clearly you had no intention of hiring fairly.
Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Advocate