Minneapolis/5th District Green Party
Candidate Screening Questions
Name: Annie Young
Office sought: at large city-wide Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioner
Address: 2601 Cedar Ave. S. Apt. 1
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Phone: 612-729-3359 E-mail: anniey@visi.com website: www.annieyoung.org
Park Board website: www.mineapolisparks.org - link to Commissioners for more info
Note: Coming from the school of KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) in campaigns I found it difficult to make this lengthy Q&A as short as possible. Some of my answers are taken from already printed literature and my website. I hope my answers are helpful to you in making your decision regarding my endorsement for the Park Board. I would be honored to have your support and vote on June 2nd.
General Information:
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board oversees 6300 acres covering 10 square miles [most of them linear] of parks and a $50million dollar operating budget with an additional $10million capital funds. It has six commissioners elected from city districts and three at-large commissioners.
1. Past experience and how it might qualify you to be a Green Party candidate for the office you are seeking endorsement.
I have served on the Minneapolis Park Board in the past and four years ago received the Green Party endorsement. I am currently the only Green Party elected officeholder without the DFL endorsement in the state of Minnesota.
Thank you for your Green Party support and endorsement in 1997. As a city wide Commissioner I am compelled to bring a broad vision of the park system to my job. I am dedicated to the principles of sustainability and the ten key values of The Green Party. I will be working to weave them into the fabric of the park system as we make decisions regarding the Crown Jewels of our city. As a steward of the park system it is my duty as your public servant to help operate and maintain the outstanding system of our city. Being responsible for vast amounts of water (both lakes and the Grandfather Mississippi River), the urban forest and the open green spaces of our city requires tenacity and follow through on the tasks associated with that responsibility. Active and leisure recreational programming for all of the city’s residents must be balanced with the regional attraction our parks and lakes provide. I have a strong commitment to equity and justice within our parks for all of the Minneapolis residents.
In addition my job and political experience lends itself to my ability to serve on the Park Board:
§ Former Associate Director, The Green Institute. Tasks included Education Director, human resources manager, and community relations. Founder and first project coordinator of The Green Institute. 1993 to October, 1999.
§ Served on the Governor’s Minnesota Roundtable on Sustainable Development – a two-year appointment. 1996-1998
§ Board member, Lake Street Partners, working to revitalize one of the major corridors in Minneapolis.
§ 30 years of community experience including work within the Phillips, Whittier, Seward and Harrison communities of Minneapolis. Annie has also lived in Winona, MN, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Brattleboro, Vermont. She was born in Los Angeles and raised in Denver.
Political experience:
§ Raised in a Republican family; a junior republican for Eisenhower, 1956
§ Bobby Kennedy campaign, volunteer, 1968
§ Jesse Jackson for President, Minnesota staff, 1988
§ Served as precinct chair, resolutions chair and on various volunteer committees and campaigns along with phone banks, door knocks and other campaign duties for almost 40 years predominately within the Democratic Party
§ Paul Wellstone’s 1st Senatorial campaign staff
§ Served on Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Minnesota representing Elected officials convocation from 1990 – 1996
§ Elected to Minneapolis Park Board as at-large city wide commissioner in 1989.
§ In 1998 without DFL endorsement received Green Party endorsement for Park Board seat
§ Attended the first convocation of Green Party elected officeholders across America in Santa Monica, California, 1999
§ Minnesota delegate to the National Green Party Presidential Endorsing Convention, Denver, Colorado, 2000
§ Moderator, e-group, How to get elected running Green
§ Served as emcee of a Nader campaign rally at the Bell Museum, March, 2000
§ Honored to serve as emcee of a Nader Super Rally – Target Center, Sept. 2000
2. What do you hope to accomplish by running for this office?
§ To WIN
§ Carry the Green Party banner, style and platform to the political arena in Minneapolis in order to help build the Green Party.
§ Once I am re-elected I want to continue bringing sustainability and Green Party principles to
bear on the decisions made by the Minneapolis Park Board.
3. Priorities and Issues
A strong commitment to a great park system is needed for the future stability on the Board. I have a commitment to safe parks, strong neighborhoods and citizen participation. Water quality in our lakes and the environmental restoration with wetlands and bringing back the prairie still need a watchful eye to ensure we keep on task.
Annie Young is committed to sustainability and restorative thinking. Her experience as a steward of the park system will provide a watchful eye, stability to the Board and protection of the Board's independence.
I am excited to support these projects and programs:
• restoring, cleaning and unveiling of Bassett's Creek
• continuing the development of the Fort Snelling Athletic Complex
• working to incorporate park space at 28 th and Hiawatha
• creating amenities for No. Mississippi Regional Park and the Riverfront
• enhancing of youth programs, Teen Team Works and Youthline
• deepening environmental thinking into building design & maintenance of the park system
§ creating new park space along both Midtown and Humboldt Greenways
§ opening dog parks throughout the city to meet the needs of the 90,000 dogs who live here
§ working with new immigrant groups to make the park programs inclusive and able to meet their culture’s recreational and leisure needs.
I bring to the job a
City-wide perspective
Supporting neighborhood parks and programs
An environmental leader
4. The Ten Key Values of the Green Party are part of my every day life and really cannot be separated into how they will be incorporated into my campaign because they are a part of the campaign already. The Sunflower and Four Pillars already appear on my website along with a link to the 10 Key Values. I believe you will find these values woven into the answers provided for this questionnaire
5. How would your candidacy and election contribute to the growth of the Green Party of Minnesota?
New members, new interest and attention to the Green Party. In 1997, as the top vote getter in the city behind the Mayor I believe that my access to people in co-ops, The Green Institute and around the state for 30+ years of community organizing contributed to that success. My work as a motivational speaker around issues of neighborhoods, sustainability, social and environmental justice take me all around the country will give me the ability to spread the word. I can include the 10 Key Values, the Four Pillars and Green Party successes and activities including the changes we plan to make in Minneapolis this year. I believe we are making national news this election for Greens and the Green movement – a great educational opportunity.
As a Green Party member (and hopefully re-elected officeholder) with a checkerboard political and community life I will be able to validate and draw to people's attention the importance of 3rd party politics and opening up democracy to be inclusive and open, representing those that have been oppressed and more.
(From literature/ Annie IS Green)
Be here now. It is a non-partisan race. Annie has not changed. She has always been green in mind and spirit. Annie’s personal values and beliefs are much more in line with The Four Pillars (grassroots democracy, non-violence, social and economic justice and ecological wisdom) and the party platform of the Green Party. This may be the only opportunity Annie has in her lifetime to integrate her personal philosophy and have it be attached to a political party agenda.
* The young. Annie is buoyed and re-energized by the involvement of the young people, their hard work, high energy and enthusiasm for politics and making a difference.
* Planning. Annie is committed to using the 3 E’s of sustainability when planning for seven generations and building a sustainable future for the park system.
* Organizing. As a professional community organizer Annie has a passion for bringing in the disenfranchised, new immigrants and those who see lack of choice in government’s policies or its leaders around issues of deep concern. Getting out the vote will be key in Annie’s re-election campaign.
* Engagement. The Green Party attracts the “Cultural Creatives.” Annie knows many activists who vote but have dropped out of politics and become disinterested. Many understand the importance of “living simply” and “doing business differently” in order to save the planet. These are part of the Green Party key values.
* More than politics. The Green Party is an international organization not only involved in electoral politics but committed to a social movement focused on making the planet a better place to live, work and play.
* Setting policy. There are almost 50 Green elected officeholders across America and the number is growing each election cycle to set policy and ordinances in our cities.
6. Is there anything in the Green Party state platform with which you disagree? If so, what?
Nothing that I saw in the current platform. I am cautious about theory and idealism in context of what can be made into policy and ordinances, therefore I might disagree on some things which I think are unrealistic or are not possible in our lifetime.
7. Explain your position on the following subjects.
(The issues given to me are issues facing the Minneapolis city council and Mayoral candidates. I will answer those which are applicable to issues being addressed by the Minneapolis Park Board plus I added a few for your interest)
Election Reform
I support campaign finance and election reform. IRV and Proportional Representation are certainly steps in the right direction.
Livable Wages
I support living wages for all jobs including the Park Board employees (especially in our recreation division)
* Blue & Green. Annie supports coalition building with unions and the park board employees, and their right to organize for a safer, healthier workplace
Police/Community relations
This has been a sticky issue on the Park Board as the City Council has tried to “force” merging and sharing of resources within the Police Dept. with a strong sentiment to merging the two. I am adamantly opposed to this. I fear that if incorporated, park safety drops way to the bottom of the list of the Police Dept. I do believe that there are efficiencies we should consider but eliminating the Park Police is not an option for me.
Transportation/City Planning/Land Use
Annie recognizes the importance of trails and bikeways not only for transportation but health. Keeping open green space and connections throughout the city and linking to the Grand Rounds is a viable commuter option. I support the Midtown and Humboldt greenways. I believe there should be a downtown park. Green space rather than asphalt is always my first option in planning projects.
Dog Parks
There are over 90,000 dogs in the City of Minneapolis (twice as many as there are children in the Public Schools). These dogs need loving care, exercise and room to run in order to be happy, healthy members of the family to which they belong. The dog parks help to not only exercise the dog but build community as responsible dog owners come together during this activity creating a space to share and discuss topics of interest among those who are at the dog park.
Environmental Quality
* Ecology. Annie is an environmental leader with a broad vision for the city of Minneapolis. Annie is experienced in park board and community issues.
Water Quality - Annie is committed to helping make the air and water cleaner through wetlands, and protecting the wilderness areas throughout the “concrete” city;
Trees - by protecting the urban forest through tree plantings, education programs and using native plants where appropriate; and
The River - Annie wants to clean and enhance the Upper Mississippi River so more amenities can be provided to the citizens of Minneapolis and its visitors.
Recycling, the reduced mowing policy, prairie restoration along with creating wetlands for cleaning water have been part of my strong environmental agenda.
Crime
I believe that keeping people active, using our park centers, enjoying recreational and leisure activities in the parks helps to reduce crime. People (especially teenagers) need to be busy, active and interested in their park and community in order to stay out of trouble.
Economic Development – Job creation
I have worked hard to bring economic and community development opportunities to the Phillips neighborhood the past 15 years. Along with The Green Institute, I serve on Boards of non-profit organizations, am active in my neighborhood organization (East Phillips Improvement Coalition) and serve as staff to the Business Association encouraging and supporting small, entrepreneurial activities and micro-business development. Without a job it is hard to have all the other part s of daily living: a home, health and happiness.
Civil Rights
Not only do I believe in the rights for all people I work professionally on social and economic justice issues. I travel all across the country speaking on environmental justice and racism issues facing our urban areas.
Recreation vs. the environment
This is not an either/or situation. The two must be integrated in order to provide a variety of recreational and leisure programming while maintaining a balance with the environmental challenges facing a system this size. The two major core areas of the park system are: (1) its operations and maintenance of the system; and (2) the recreation programs we provide. In addition, our Enterprise programs need to receive a good return on our investment.
Without the maintenance of the trees, the grass, the lakes, the river and the buildings and facilities our park system would quickly deteriorate. Minneapolis citizens, and all their friends and relatives, expect and have grown very accustomed to a high quality maintained system. The citizens love their parks and lakes (to death almost) and want the system maintained as best as it can be.
These same citizens enjoy active and leisure activities in the system. From extensive youth programming to a full spectrum of programming for all ages; the casual walk, a visit to the woods, going out on the golf links, meandering along Father Mississippi or catching a pickup game of softball or baseball. We work to provide and make accessible all these many services and amenities of the park system to each resident of Minneapolis.
Youth programming
I have been working with other Commissioners to bring a variety of program options to the system. Strong in athletic and sports activities I have been part of bringing arts, cultural activities, environmental education as other social and learning experiences to engage our youth. I am a strong supporter of Teen Teamworks and have helped to seek funding for that program. I also have a support a strong emphasis on involving women and girls in sports. I am committed to keeping our youth busy in the parks and off the streets whenever possible.
Technology
I have been provided support and innovative leadership in moving the Park Board into the technology age. A new website, e-mail communications, computer labs in the parks for the youth are part of upgrading the parks. In addition a Paper Reduction Act is in place which has encouraged the use of recycled paper, duplicating on both sides of paper and generally moving away from paper to computers and other types of visual aids. I dream of the day when we have laptop computers at our desks the ability to have a “no paper” method of doing our work.
8. Budget surplus of the city. – well selfishly - I would say “ Give it to the Park Board and the services it provides to the citizens of Minneapolis.
9. Are there issues specific to the city (see answers in #6)
As a citywide Commissioner the most important part of the position is a vision and commitment to equity and balance throughout the entire city.
Annie's experience on the Park Board, her commitment to safe parks, strong neighborhoods, water quality and ecological wisdom qualifies her to seek your support for her reelection.
Annie cares about preserving our community's crown jewels for future generations.
• City-wide perspective
• Supporting neighborhood parks
• An environmental leader
10. If you are endorsed, what expectations do you have of the Green Party regarding your campaign and if elected, your service in office?
I look forward to working on strategies and projects in a coordinated way amongst all the endorsed candidates.
Volunteer help is key. There have been several Greens who have already spent a lot of time on my campaign and would hope they would be joined by other volunteers. I plan to attend over 200 events, festivals and forums this year – having people with me, especially in parades is very necessary. Helping get out literatures and spreading the work about my re-election efforts is key and would be very valuable to me.
The financial upper limit of $500 (for candidates in populations over 100,000) would be extremely helpful. The contribution would go towards the many expenses incurred in running a campaign. Lawn signs, advertising and the printing of literature to be handed out is daunting city wide. Literature in quantities of 10-20,000 pieces, 2-300 lawnsigns and more adds up quickly.
Once in office I would see ongoing communication, appointing Greens to advisory council and task forces that we establish periodically on park board issues. I would continue to attend meetings and participate in the growth and building of the Green Party of Minnesota.
Additional comments:
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board as a citywide at-large commissioner because…
Annie cares. Annie shares your concern for the need to preserve the crown jewels of our city: our parks, lakes and river, for future generations.
* Democracy. It’s a non-partisan race. Annie believes a candidate should be elected on their ability to get the job done.
* Communication. Annie is open to the citizens. She returns phone calls, e-mails, letters and attends community meetings all over the city. She supports neighborhoods and neighborhood parks.
* All Ages. Annie is interested in enhancing and expanding senior and leisure activities in the parks. This does not replace a deep commitment to youth development and all types of youth programming in our parks.
* Excellence. To support the Number ONE park service in America, Annie works with staff to have a well-maintained system that uses new, innovative environmental solutions integrated into park operations.
For more info or to volunteer, call (612) 729-3359.
Vote Young for Parks in 2001!
Prepared and paid for by Young for Parks Committee,
Mary Gonsior, Treasurer. 2601 Cedar Avenue South, Apt.1, Minneapolis, MN 55407.
An orator, writer, researcher, community organizer and a Green Party officeholder are skills and talents Annie shares in her community and across the country. Areas of focus include environmental justice, social change, sustainable development, urban ecology issues and community building. Annie Young’s repertoire is based on life long lessons, working with people to build community in both rural and urban settings and over 30 years experience in grassroots organizing and social change efforts throughout her life. Her stories and research are woven into her work with community members, leaders and other elected officeholders. She shares practical solutions in facing the demise of our communities and the planet. With a focus on environmental injustices, especially in communities of color and her lessons learned in her own community – Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, Annie shares information to help turn negatives into positives within all of our communities.
www.annieyoung.org