by Mohamud Dulyadeyn
Friday October 29, 2021
Minneapolis, MN (HOL) - Jamal Osman received an endorsement from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. As a result, Osman’s campaign continues to pick up momentum in the last week before Nov 2nd. Osman has been representing the ward, one of the most diverse pockets of the city, for almost a year after Abdi Warsame resigned.
Ellison has been campaigning in the state this week and his endorsement further cements the communities support behind Osman’s re-election campaign as early voting continuous and with Election Day less than a week. “I am happy to endorse Jamal Osman because we share the same vision for the future”, said Ellison.
“I am so honored and proud to be endorsed by Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General”, Osman said. “Indeed, we share vision that values justice and equity for all. I am also thankful to have Keith’s support.”
During a recent interview conducted by HOL, Osman, an East African, Somali immigrant, discussed the challenges of representing the people of Ward Six. The last few months were tough on the ward due to ongoing budget shortfalls, but Osman stayed on top of these issues, and to his credit, accomplished much in a short period of time.
"This has been an incredible learning curve" admits Osman, “I came into office at a time when the city was grappling with the ongoing pandemic alongside a host of other social challenges including, but not limited to, homelessness and food insecurity.”
Indeed, Osman filled the recently vacated seat during a tumultuous period in the ward's history. He had to quickly adapt to his new role while also passing budgets for the fiscal year. Examples of this include responding to the plight of homeless residents as well as managing services for the sidewalks and city.
A key agenda for Osman has been the ongoing crisis of homelessness in Ward 6, "We have to respond to the homelessness eviction crisis facing the city and that will be a major issue for the rest of the year and beyond," says Osman.
During this year, Osman has coauthored and supported many ordinances that empower residents with the ability to purchase their own housing, expand their legal rights during the eviction process, and funding for access to legal services.
"If public money is going to help pay for that housing, it should be housing our poorer neighbors so they can get some stability in their lives," explains Osman.
Some of the housing projects he has supported include Wadaag Commons, family housing on Lot A, and various other lots.
This was thanks in no small part to city staff and developers who rose to the challenge during the pandemic. Osman stresses the need to hire and pay more city inspectors to address any ongoing issues of residents quickly and efficiently.
Osman’s background is in social services and a longstanding commitment with housing authorities in Minneapolis. He has been the most vocal supporter for renter rights in Ward 6 and made it his campaign promise to rein in predatory landlords. “My primary goal is to expand the rights of renters. The progress we've made so far has made me extremely proud," says Osman. “Nearly 90% of residents are renters. Now that the eviction moratorium is nearing at an end, we have to extend it to prevent another homelessness crisis,” explains Osman.
A key social issue for Ward 6 has been the rise in crimes and police responses to crime. Speaking about policing, Osman believes the city needs to have enough police officers to keep the community safe from crime. However, it is important for the police department to improve its recruitment practices.
"We need the cops to understand us as a community and respect us as a community. Look beyond the racial stereotypes propped up by Hollywood and Black Hawk Down, or other imperialist attitudes," said Osman.
The death of George Floyd shook the residents of Ward 6, many of who joined protests to change policing in the country, especially as it relates to ethnic minorities. The disproportionate violence towards people of color has been a hot button topic for over a year now, and continues to be a widespread issue.
According to Osman, it is important to "invest in things beyond cops." He believes that one of the most effective solutions is to invest more community resources in mental health, addiction recovery, youth opportunity, and stable housing. "The more we invest in those things, the easier the jobs of the police become," argues Osman.
Another key issue on Osman's agenda is the ongoing vaccines for Covid-19. "GET VACCINATED," stresses Osman because his district is one of the most diverse populations in the state, and as a consequence, more vulnerable to the virus. Vaccination should be a priority because Ward 6 is primarily composed of diverse ethnicities and statistics have shown that minorities are disproportionately more vulnerable to the virus.
For Osman, rebuilding the economy and saving people's lives is central to his mission as a Ward 6 representative. "One big challenge I faced during my first year on the job have been the rebuilding of Lake Street," explains Osman. His main priority has been to get the youth off drugs and provide them with employment opportunities in their stead.
He continues, "We have to provide resources and support to entrepreneurs from all walks of life and ethnicities including Somalis, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans."
Osman encourages Ward 6 residents to engage in an open community dialogue with him, "It is my responsibility to hear the concerns of all residents of the 6th Ward and do my best to bring everyone together," explains Osman.
He has been a vocal member of the council community and isn't afraid to speak his mind when it matters the most. For example, when the council passed citywide truck parking restrictions in June, Osman opposed the amendment and expressed concerns for small business owners and residents who could lose revenue generation opportunities.
When asked about his action plan for Ward 6 if re-elected, Osman listed a brief outline, some new, and some old:
· Expand renter rights
· Build affordable housing to prevent homelessness
· Continue to expand mental health training for police
· Addressing poverty and addiction, which are the root causes of crime
· Empower the East African community with funding for entrepreneurship, growing black-led businesses, and securing more city and state-level contracts for black-led businesses
· Building trust between the East African, Black, and Native American communities
When asked about his chances of winning the re-election, Osman confidently said, "Insha 'Allah", an Arabic term meaning, 'if Allah wills it'.