Peggy Flanagan (D), the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota since 2019, has been a constant Presence during Walz’s (D) Two Terms as Governor.
“My name in the Ojibwe language is Geji Waudamukwe, or in English, Speaks with a Clear and Loud Voice Woman,” She said,. “I’m a member of the White Earth Nation and my family is the Wolf Clan. And the role of our clan is to ensure that we never leave anyone behind.”
If Harris/Walz are Elected in November, Flanagan will assume Walz’s Office, making Her the First Indigenous Woman Governor in U.S. History.
Flanagan become the Youngest Person ever Elected to the Minneapolis School Board. A Small-Town High School Teacher and Football Coach named Tim Walz, turned up at a Poitical Boot Camp, He was considering a run for Congress as a Democrat in a Deep-Red Southern Minnesota District, Flanagan ended up being His Trainer. They stayed fast Friends as each rose through the Political Ranks.
As Lieutenant Governor, Flanagan has been a Driving Force behind many of the Policies now being showcased as the Middle-Class Wins Walz brings to the Presidential Ticket. Advocacy for Kids, Vulnerable Families and Early Childhood Education have topped Her Agenda at each Stage of Her Political Career.
The Universal Free School Lunches, Child Tax Credit, Paid Family, and Sick Leave, that Harris and Walz are Campaigning on, are Good Retail Politics.
“Universal school meals is one of the most important things that I’ve ever worked on in my entire career — removing that shame and that stigma is a powerful tool to make sure that kids are eating right,” Flanagan says. “Anecdotally, we have heard attendance is up. … And instead of asking if kids have enough money in their account, we are asking, ‘Do you want chicken and rice or do you want pizza?’”
Flanagan grew up at Political Strategy Meetings. Her Grandmother, Mother, and Aunts, worked alongside the late Hubert Humphrey in Democratic Politics for Ddecades. When Humphrey Ran for President in 1968, Flanagan’s Mother, Patricia, moved to Washington, D.C., to work on His Campaign.
“I grew up in a family where women just did the work,” Flanagan says. “I didn’t know anything different. My grandmother was absolutely the matriarch and was involved in party politics before it was, you know, polite for women to do that work.”
Flanagan says Her Priorities will remain the same, if Harris and Walz are Elected and She becomes Governor, High on Her List is addressing Chronic Absenteeism: “Attendance matters, especially in the post-pandemic world that we live in.”
She also hopes to Promote Career and Technical Education, Invest more State Aid in Kindergarten Readiness and continue Diversifying the State’s Teacher Corps, which has Historically been more than 90% White.
Flanagan says Her Daughter attends the Same School system She did, but is having a wholly different Experience. “There are over 40 Native kids in her school,” and Ojibwe language is taught to Fourth and Fifth Graders, She says. “She can fully show up as her Indigenous self in the classroom and know that she will be valued for who she is, that there will be a curiosity about her identity and culture that is demonstrated in a supportive way.”
The Change, She adds, Benefits all Kids. “I am hopeful that we are in a place, not only in talking about the history of Native people and ensuring we have Indigenous education for all, but also acknowledging Native people are contemporary people who still exist and who live all across the state,” She says. “Everybody benefits from learning the full, rich history of our state.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment