Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, during her inaugural address Monday morning in the rotunda of Minneapolis City Hall, spoke of three major goals to help make Minneapolis more than just a great city: growing the city, running it well, and eliminating the gaps between White people and people of color.
The newly sworn-in mayor ran her campaign upon a promise of eliminating the gaps between White people and people of color. In her address, Mayor Hodges echoed that promise, saying, “It must be possible for White people and people of color all to thrive in one city and in one region, and that we in Minneapolis would be the ones to do it.”
When it comes to ending the gaps that separate Whites and people of color, Mayor Hodges acknowledged that “we’ve been good at some aspects of doing this work, but we haven’t been great. And we need to be more than great. And a crucial component of being more than great is acting like One Minneapolis as we become One Minneapolis.
“Being more than great at ending these disparities is the smart thing to do, because when we do it, there will be no limit to our growth or to our greatness as One Minneapolis. But it is also the right thing to do.”
Mayor Hodges ended her speech by encouraging people to “think bigger about ourselves and our city,” with an “imagination for ourselves that includes everyone, every neighborhood.” Mayor Hodges was joined by the 13 newly sworn-in members of the city council, which includes its first Somali, Latina and Hmong members.
Information provided by the Office of the Mayor.
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