Patch Candidate Profile: Londel French​ For Minneapolis Parks

MINNEAPOLIS — This fall, Minneapolis residents will vote in several important local elections. Among the offices on the ballot is the mayor and city council seats, as well as the Minneapolis Park Board. Early voting in Minneapolis has already started.

Londel French is running for one of the three at large Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner seats.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Invite a friend to subscribe to free Minnesota newsletters and real-time email alerts.

Are you running for office in Minneapolis? Contact William Bornhoft at william.bornhoft@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Age (as of Election Day): 47

Town of Residence: Minneapolis

Position sought: Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner At Large

Party Affiliation: DFL

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.

Education: Associate's degree in Broadcasting

Occupation: Racial Equity organizing specialist confirmation

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Yes

Why are you seeking elective office?

To make our city the best it can be for everyone.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Youth violence.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a person of color who has done Equity work for the last 10 years.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think they are doing the best they can with the circumstances.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

The worker rights issues. And how police show up in our parks.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

We handle a very difficult situation with unhoused people.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Don't treat people how you want to be treated. Treat people how they want to be treated.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I love Minneapolis. It saved my life when I moved here 23 years ago. I believe this city has more lives to save.

Editor's note: The candidate responses were lightly edited to fit Patch's style guidelines.