WASHINGTON—Today, People For the American Way’s Next Up Victory Fund announced its endorsement of Melvin Carter for mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. Next Up supports young progressive candidates forty and under running for state and local office across the country. The program helps candidates win races in the short term while creating a pipeline of leaders to run for higher office in years to come.
Michael Keegan, People For the American Way president:
“PFAW’s Next Up Victory Fund is proud to endorse Melvin Carter for mayor of St. Paul. Melvin has a history of fighting for the rights of children and families in his community. I’ve known Melvin for years, have closely followed his career and know him at his core to be a principled and dedicated leader. He has the heart and progressive vision to make St. Paul even stronger. Melvin’s commitment to creating good-paying jobs, increasing equitable educational opportunities for all residents, and growing the city’s infrastructure makes him the right choice for mayor of St. Paul.”
Lizet Ocampo, People For the American Way political director:
“We created the Next Up Victory Fund to build a deep bench of young, diverse candidates around the country with the goal of building progressive power. Melvin is the candidate to do just that. Throughout his career, Melvin has been a champion for working families and has fought for racial equality and economic justice for all. In a crowded mayoral field, he has stood out with his dedication to public education, support for workers and their right to organize and thoughtful public safety reforms. Melvin has the bold vision it takes to unite the St. Paul community and Next Up is proud to endorse him for mayor.”
Melvin Carter currently serves as the executive director of the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet where he advises Governor Mark Dayton on reforms to make schools more equitable for all students in the state. He also served on the St. Paul City Council from 2008 to 2013 representing Ward 1. During his tenure, he helped eliminate statewide ban-the-box measures to help ease employment obstacles for those with conviction histories, formed the city’s Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity, and advocated for investments in affordable housing. His agenda includes improving transportation options for residents, supporting economic growth for small businesses and investing in community resources to help make St. Paul safer.
More information about the Next Up Victory Fund and the candidates can be found here.
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.
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