Hi, Ward 9. It’s me, your neighbor, Haji Yussuf.
My new life began 22 years ago in Minneapolis at Cub Foods on Lake Street. I was a Somali immigrant from Kenya with a crumpled Greyhound ticket in his pocket and a dream in his heart. I arrived from sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in cold, but beautiful Minnesota, excited about what lay ahead of me. Since I didn’t have a lot of savings, I had no choice but to spend it wisely. That meant I couldn’t rent an apartment. Instead, I lived with seven others in a small one-bedroom apartment right across from that Cub Foods. It wasn’t perfect, but most beginning chapters aren’t written in gold. Finding work was difficult as was affordable housing. Even though I was optimistic, it was still quite a struggle to find steady ground because there weren’t many Black- or brown-owned businesses in the 9th ward.
One evening in late 2001, after my work shift at Avis Car Rental, I attended a rally in South Minneapolis that was addressed by Paul Wellstone. Paul said, “A politics that is not sensitive to the concerns and circumstances of people’s lives, a politics that does not speak to and include people, is an intellectually arrogant politics that deserves to fail.”
Paul inspired me and his words stuck with me as I joined in the causes of my fellow Black, brown and indigenous people and others who were striving for acceptance, recognition and opportunity. I believe I helped these causes by approaching the work not as a crusade, but as an opportunity to build relationships and community inroads. The experience of activism and advocacy put me in front of the public and drove me to take on easing racial and religious tensions and building a community welcoming to immigrants in Minnesota. In St. Cloud, I briefly attended college and raised my family.
I founded a multilingual advertising agency before joining the Minnesota Department of Revenue. My wife, Anisa, is a program manager at a local nonprofit, which provides chemical and mental health services, career education and employment services. Anisa and I also run a successful online organic cosmetics shop. It was necessary to launch a business to provide for my family. It’s not easy to run a business with a toddler, a two-year-old son, a five-year-old daughter and their seven-year-old brother.
My wife and I learned how to balance our time running the business while taking care of our kids. To make ends meet, I began driving for Uber part-time. Working as a driver gave me the chance to meet the beautiful people of Ward 9 and talk with them about their lives. I was awestruck by their stories and concerns. There was a common story behind people’s lives. They were all trying to live a healthy life while worrying about their job security, public safety, education and affordable housing. They felt Minneapolis officials had forgotten them.
Having a secure job and safety are basic human needs. I’m excited to announce my candidacy for Minneapolis City Council Ward 9 to work toward these goals. I’ve had years of experience in the public eye as an activist and advocate in Minnesota, speaking against racism, islamophobia, and many forms of discrimination. Now I want to contribute in new ways. I feel I can contribute more to the community by initiating conversations on the future of policing in Minneapolis as an activist working as a council member for Ward 9. I’m proud to dedicate my time and resources to run a campaign centered on positivity and progress. My campaign is all about integrity and honesty in every interaction I have with people. I look forward to representing everyone in Ward 9 fairly. I will fight the same for those who support me and for those who don’t support me.
It would be a great privilege to serve our diverse community on the Minneapolis City Council. I would serve our diverse community by being open to the community and by listening to all of the concerns of the community. I understand that we must work together if we are to build a better Ward 9 and a better Minneapolis.