My name is Isaac, and I am a husband, father of three, policy advocate, former Highland District Council member, Black man, and descendant of the Eagle Clan of the Native Odawa Nation. I want to focus on the basics; strong city services, fixing our infrastructure, proactive public safety, supporting our parks, and building the housing we need. The priorities of the city council need to be the priorities of everyday people.

I am running for city council because I believe my story represents what St. Paul is about. In my youth, my family at times lived in a homeless shelter, experienced food insecurity, and welfare. By the time I was 15, my family lived in 35 different places.

What helped change my course in life is when I moved to a supportive, caring community that gave my life the stability it was missing. I experienced trusting relationships between community and law enforcement, lived in a home that gave me the chance to thrive, and saw how uplifting a community can feel when basic services are invested in.

This was transformational for me, and it ignited a passion in public service and policy that burns today. It powered me to get my Masters in Public Policy at the University of Minnesota. It is why I was a staffer in the Minnesota Senate DFL Caucus, where I worked on issues people talk about at the dinner table. And it is why I work across the street from that homeless shelter as the Director of Public Policy at the Center for Economic Inclusion.

I believe my story is one so many people can relate to. To go from a youth in need of a home, dreaming about being anywhere else, to a homeowner providing the opportunities for my children I never had, requires community. To be that community, I will prioritize strong city services and infrastructure, invest in proactive public safety, and build the housing we need. My story is our story, and I am running so my story is within reach of that next youth!