MOST EXPERIENCED.
PROVEN RESULTS.
STRONG LEADERSHIP
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My name is Wynfred Russell. I am running for the Minnesota House because our state deserves robust, dedicated, and experienced leadership that prioritizes the well-being of all its residents.
I come from humble beginnings and will humbly serve District 38A. My home country, Liberia, was embroiled in a vicious civil war that forced my siblings and me to flee to neighboring Ivory Coast, where we were refugees. A humanitarian worker noticed my potential and arranged for a scholarship to study in Michigan. She and her husband's assistance changed my life and led me to embrace a career in public service.
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When I first moved to Minnesota to work at the University of Minnesota, I lived in New Brighton but attended church service in Brooklyn Park. The city planned to reduce its apartment footprint, but immigrants inhabited many buildings slated for demolition. So, my pastor at the time, who is still a good friend of mine, urged me to get involved in preventing the eviction of these immigrants, many of whom had come from the wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone and would have been retraumatized. My pastor told me to organize my people, start from the bottom, and follow the rules – and that's just what I've done.
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The late Brooklyn Park Mayor Steve Lampi appointed me to my first community service position — the Stable Neighborhood Task Force. I have gained experience and impacted lives through policy on the task force, commissions, and other community roles. As many Americans do, I worked my way up the ladder to pursue the American Dream, and I want to help them at the State level.
​While serving on the City Council, I worked to build a safe community and a more robust local economy. I helped small businesses flourish by supporting the purchase of the Small Business Center to incubate small and micro enterprises. I voted on issues to address the prevalence of wage theft in the construction industry. What prevailing wage does is promote livable wages in the community. I created laws, such as ordinances approving $1.8 million for violence interruption, including mental health services, police cameras, and a Huntington Place Apartment security fence. I passed the tenant bills of rights that compelled property owners and tenants at Huntington Place, Millbrook, and Autumn Ridge apartments to address high eviction rates, delayed repairs, rising crime, and poor living conditions. My experience is unmatched.
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I did not just move to District 38A. I have lived here for over 20 years. I have helped raise four beautiful children. I served the district as a City Council Member, Planning Commissioner, Tourism Board Chair, Hennepin County Library Board Member, Brooklyn Park Lions Member, and the Joint Airport Zoning Board. I founded the African Career, Education & Resources, Inc. (ACER) to connect people to solve some of the community's issues. I was recently elected as Board President of Resilient Cities & Communities.
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As a public health practitioner with master's degrees in health and public policy, I managed a statewide COVID-19 response and recovery program. I was essential in working toward a path to citizenship for Liberians in the Deferred Enforced Department (DED) action in the United States. I have created and implemented policies that strengthen union positions, create jobs, support workers and their families, and provide resources for the growth of community-based organizations. I am the only one running who has done this work.
As your next representative, I am dedicated to making Osseo and Brooklyn Park safer and more secure for everyone. I pledge to prioritize legislation that enhances our neighborhoods' safety and security, supporting our residents and our dedicated police and fire departments. I will increase resources to tackle mental health, elder abuse, and intimate partner violence. Safety is not just a priority; it's a necessity, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe places for all.
The lack of affordable housing is a pressing issue in our state. Too many families are burdened by high housing costs, which affects their overall quality of life. I have seen the struggles of people in our community who are forced to choose between paying rent and other basic needs.
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I will work to increase funding for affordable housing projects, support policies that prevent displacement, and collaborate with local governments and organizations to ensure everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home.
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I also recognize the importance of reducing costs for workers and their families. I advocate for policies that reduce the financial burdens on families that make it difficult to make ends meet.
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I am deeply committed to fostering resilience to environmental, economic, and social stresses. I will work to build vibrant communities with the capacity to thrive in the face of challenges such as economic setbacks and climate change, improving everyone's quality of life.
Additionally, I understand the critical need to improve K-12 education funding. I will prioritize it because our children deserve access to safe, high-quality schools that meet their needs.
What counts now is what we are against and what we are for. Who leads us is less important than what leads us—what convictions, courage, experience—win or lose. I don't want to go to St. Paul because I want a title, but to accomplish results at the state level that I have been doing all along and producing results for our district at the city level.
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Thank you!