St. Paul sends its first two blacks to state Capitol

Rena Moran came to the Twin Cities from Chicago 10 years ago, a homeless woman raising six children on her own, unsure of her next steps. John Harrington arrived 33 years ago, fresh from Dartmouth College, determined to make a career out of police work.

On Tuesday, both landed dramatically new roles as the city's first African-American state legislators. The DFL pair handily won their races for state representative and state senator, respectively, each running for open seats that had been held by the city's first Hmong legislators.

Their political victories occurred in heavily ethnic, urban, embattled communities that, in Moran's case, will be bisected by the coming Central Corridor light-rail transit line. Their challenges don't end there. They'll also be freshmen in the minority party at the state House, where, for the first time, Republicans will dominate both legislative chambers.

"We both know there's much work to do," Moran said Wednesday. "It's a great responsibility, not just to the African-American community. We both represent very diverse communities ...."

Moran, 50, an organizer with Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota, will represent District 65A, replacing state Rep. Cy Thao, who decided not to run before the party's endorsing convention in the spring. The district includes parts of the North End, Frogtown, Summit-University, Rondo and Thomas-Dale communities.

"I will be the only woman of color in the House of Representatives," Moran said. "It sets
the precedent for my children, and many other African-Americans, to believe and know it is attainable, if we work hard, if we dream, if we have a vision, it's possible to achieve your dreams."
Easier said than done. Moran hopes the Central Corridor line generates jobs and business growth, but she also recognizes fears it will shutter small businesses during its construction and ultimately force rent increases and gentrification, much as the predominantly African-American Rondo neighborhood was split by construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s.

Harrington, 54, who served until June as the city's police chief, is now the incoming state senator from District 67, replacing state Sen. Mee Moua, who also chose not to seek re-election. The district includes most of the city's East Side neighborhoods, which Harrington has said have deep needs in terms of vacant buildings, crime and unemployment.

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_16518164?nclick_check=1

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:loveya:

Tante K.

:applause:
...thank you!

though I try to say it, by kicking up all his informative threads(sometimes much later than they are posted)--and encouraging visitors of the forum to read them. ;):hi: