Northside questions dominate Capri Theater mayoral forum

Minneapolis mayoral candidate the Rev. DeWayne Davis answers an audience question at Capri Theater on Oct. 15 during the African American Leadership Forum’s “A Mayoral Forum for Minneapolis’ Future.” Photo by Melody Hoffmann

Questions from the community with a sharp focus on how Black people experience housing, education, public safety, and community services dominated a recent mayoral candidate forum at the Capri Theater last Wednesday.

Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey, the Rev. DeWayne Davis, Sen. Omar Fateh, Jazz Hampton, and Brenda Short participated in the forum hosted by the African American Leadership Forum. The forum was moderated by Dr. Yohuru Williams, a history professor at the University of St. Thomas. 

The citywide election is Nov. 4.

The audience grew to over 130 during the 90-minute program. Candidates answered prepared questions directly from community members and audience questions read by Williams. He did not ask any prepared questions. 

On the question of partnering with Minneapolis Public Schools to address barriers to success for Black students, Frey highlighted the City’s Stable Homes Stable Schools program, a housing stability program for MPS students and their families. Hampton said there is a need for free before and after-school programming. 

Fateh highlighted his work on the North Star Promise legislation, which covers tuition for students whose families make less than $80,000, and the need for childcare. Short expressed her support for The Man Up organization in North Minneapolis for young men. 

Davis stressed the importance of cultivating more third spaces for students and the need to convene all of the city’s youth services to identify where the service gaps are. Davis, the Northside mayoral candidate, also said he’d use his “political capital” to protect resources. 

“When times get tough, this is the first place that the pullback happens,” Davis said in response to a question about the racial wealth gap in Minneapolis. 

As a possible solution, Davis referenced Northside Forward, an African American Leadership Forum program that aims to invest $1.5 billion in public and private funding into the Northside. 

“Work the plan,” Davis said. “We made a commitment to North Minneapolis.”