• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Saturday, June 3, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Opportunities
      • Legals
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Opportunities
      • Legals
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Women of color want ‘equal representation of our own’

by Charles Hallman
March 6, 2018
11
SHARES
229
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Second of a two-part story

This story concludes last week’s “Who’s at the table when decisions are made?”

Celebrants and supporters join in a toast with the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Inauguration of Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton in 1994. (Foto by Flashman)

Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) tells us that of nearly 1,900 women state legislators in office nationwide today, 24 percent are women of color, and of the eight women of color who are now serving as mayors in the nation’s 100 largest cities, five are Black women. Participants in a recent symposium say the time for that to change is overdue.

“I do think it makes a difference for African Americans, Latinos, Asians or Native Americans to have the opportunity to be able to be in elected office, to speak authentically on issues that their communities uniquely experience,” former Minneapolis mayor Sharon Sayles Belton told the MSR during the February 23 all-day symposium. “It doesn’t mean that you’re the African American mayor or just the Latino mayor.”

The event, named in her honor, was held at the University of Minnesota and hosted by Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Participants included Mary Parham-Copelan, one among a handful of newly elected Black female mayors and the first woman to be mayor in her city of Milledgeville, Georgia; and Melisa Franzen, one of five Latino state lawmakers, currently serving her second term in the Minnesota State Senate.

- ADVERTISEMENT -
Parham-Copelan being sworn in as the first woman mayor of Milledgeville, GA (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

Sayles Belton and Copelan described their experiences as mayor. Said Parham-Copelan, who defeated the incumbent mayor, “They said I won by six votes, but they took the sixth vote back — I’m OK with that. That five is fine with me.”

Franzen, who represents Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Minnetonka, added that she was an unknown when she first ran for state office in 2012. The DFLer won her seat in what has traditionally been a Republican-leaning district. “I didn’t run as a Latina, but as a young woman,” said the Puerto Rican native who was reelected in 2016.

Parham-Copelan said she got into the mayor’s race about two months before last fall’s election. “I had prayed about it when I came into this race. There were some challenges I did face on the campaign trail” as a female candidate, but she believes voters found her “more personable” than her opponent.

Both women disclosed that some people discouraged them from running for office. Franzen reportedly was told that her first foray into politics shouldn’t be for a state senate seat, and Parham-Copelan’s background as a realtor, an educator, and pastor of her church was questioned as she lacked the business and professional experience held by her predecessors. “It was a lot of challenges for me,” she added. “We never stopped [campaigning] until the very last minute.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Now in office, both women say they still must reassure their constituents. “I represent my district first and foremost,” Franzen said. “I’m also [a] state senator and have to represent my state.”

Parham-Copelan stressed, “I have found that most [of the residents] have warmed up to me.” She said in response to a question, “It is very important to have a person of color in office, especially in this day and time.

“We need equal representation of our own in office so that we can identify whence we come from, where we’ve been, and the discrimination and inequality that requires someone of color to be at the table, sit down, and bring those issues to the forefront and move us forward in the future.”

“Hopefully, we can get other [women]” to seriously think about running for office, Franzen added.

The MSR briefly talked afterward to both Franzen and Parham-Copelan.

- ADVERTISEMENT -
(l-r) Sharon Sayles Belton and Mary Parham Copelan (Charles Hallman/MSR News)

While about 19 percent of Minnesota’s population is people of color, around eight percent of these (16 members) now hold legislative seats. “We certainly need more representation in government, not just women but men [of color] who can have a voice for people who are underrepresented,” said Frazen.

She is co-sponsor of a bill introduced by State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Minneapolis) for undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses. “This is a safety issue as far as I am concerned,” she pointed out. “I think it’s finally time to get it done.”

“I saw our city declining,” Parham-Copelan gave as her reason for running for mayor. Milledgeville, located about 90 miles from Atlanta and two hours from Augusta, has around 19,000 people. “I wanted to become a vital part of restoring [Milledgeville] and vitalize our city.”

Now, as mayor, Parham-Copelan said she hopes in the next four years to expand her career from local to state level. “I want to help foster and facilitate laws to move forward so that everybody has representation.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

University of Notre Dame Africana Studies Professor and Chair Dianne Pinderhughes, one of the symposium’s two keynote speakers, told the MSR that she advocates “gender quotas” for U.S. elected offices.

“They may reserve seats in the legislature…a certain percentage of women in office,” which she pointed out is the case in some European, African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. She said she would like to see women serving as at least 30 to 40 percent of elected officials in this country.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Sister Spokesman talks mental health (video and photos)

Next Post

Jordyn Elizabeth Owens

Charles Hallman

Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

You Might Also Like

Opinion

2023 legislative session will have a profound and lasting impact

Black Business Spotlight: 5enses Design & Home Staging
Black Business Spotlight

Black Business Spotlight: 5enses Design & Home Staging

Mobile campaign aims to heighten mental health awareness
Local

Mobile campaign aims to heighten mental health awareness

Know your operator: Tamica Washington
Local

Know your operator: Tamica Washington

tan and black dogs
Bulletin

What’s too hot for animals left outside in the summer?

Kick off summer with hot new (and old) movies and TV shows
Arts & Culture

Kick off summer with hot new (and old) movies and TV shows

Next Post
Jordyn Elizabeth Owens

Jordyn Elizabeth Owens

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

The Latest News

2023 legislative session will have a profound and lasting impact

Black Business Spotlight: 5enses Design & Home Staging

Black Business Spotlight: 5enses Design & Home Staging

Mobile campaign aims to heighten mental health awareness

Mobile campaign aims to heighten mental health awareness

Know your operator: Tamica Washington

Know your operator: Tamica Washington

tan and black dogs

What’s too hot for animals left outside in the summer?

Kick off summer with hot new (and old) movies and TV shows

Kick off summer with hot new (and old) movies and TV shows

Minneapolis
◉
70°
Clear
5:28 am8:53 pm CDT
SunMonTueWedThu
90/68°F
86/64°F
81/61°F
79/59°F
82/61°F
Weather forecast Minneapolis, Minnesota ▸
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Apr 6
April 6 @ 7:30 pm-June 3 @ 9:00 pm Recurring

Wit by Margaret Edson

Apr 14
April 14 @ 9:00 am-August 12 @ 5:00 pm

Paper Is People: Decolonizing Global Paper Cultures

Jun 3
June 3-June 4

FANS Ultra Race

Jun 3
10:00 am-12:00 pm Recurring

Re-Imagining Station: Frequencies for Healing and Illustrating African Diasporic Consciousness with Jamie J. Philbert

View Calendar

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...