| Dear neighbor,
My name is Clare Oumou Verbeten. I am the proud daughter of Rama and Hans, a Senegalese immigrant and a 2nd generation Dutch American. They raised me and my sister while running a small cleaning business and teaching in the public schools. My dad's union membership supported our family, and to this day, my mom is still working on the front lines cleaning homes and offices during the pandemic. I grew up in Roseville, graduated from Roseville Area Public Schools, and now work for the City of Saint Paul and live in the beautiful Como neighborhood. I am an organizer, a public servant, a fighter for justice, and I'm running to be your State Senator in District 66.
As a political and labor organizer, I fought against the rise in Trumpism and white nationalism by working to elect progressive candidates across the state. As the Equity Manager at the City of Saint Paul, I fight every day to eliminate racial disparities by leading and developing our equity policies and programs. As Chair of the Roseville Area Schools Foundation, I fight the disinvestment in public schools by fundraising thousands annually to address critical unmet needs for our students and families. And, as a Black woman, I am in the fight for Black lives every day - both professionally and personally.
At this moment, the promise of a prosperous Minnesota is threatened by the reality of systemic racism and structural inequity. Our community still mourns the loss of Philando Castile who was killed, right here, in our district. Far too many of our Black and Native neighbors have been killed when encountering police across our state, and are also disproportionately incarcerated. Minnesota has deep racial disparities in income, homeownership, and education. We can break the violent cycles of disinvestment, discrimination, and disillusionment that hold us back. We can build a state where everyone is truly safe and successful.
I was raised by this community, I love this community, and I know my community. It's what drives my activism in our schools, city government and local politics. When we fight together, we win. We need to take this fight against systemic racism all the way to the state capitol.
We need bold leadership in the Minnesota Senate that puts the fight for racial justice and human dignity at the center of everything we do. We need leadership that recognizes our collective safety goes far beyond policing. Safety is housing for all. Safety is healthcare and reproductive rights for all. Safety is childcare that every Minnesotan can access. Safety is fully funded public schools. Safety is clean water and air. Our communities are safer when we take care of people. It's ultimately that simple.
Join me in this fight for justice, and together, we will build a community that is safe and successful for all.
Clare Oumou Verbeten |