Jill Stein - President of the United States
Dr. Jill Stein was the Green Party’s 2012 candidate for President. She holds the current record for most votes ever received by a woman candidate for President of the United States in the general election.
She is a mother, an organizer, physician, and pioneering environmental-health advocate. She has helped lead initiatives to fight environmental racism and injustice, to promote healthy communities, to strengthen local green economies and to revitalize democracy.
Jill has helped win victories in campaign finance reform, racially-just redistricting, green jobs, and the cleanup of incinerators, coal plants, and toxic threats. She was a principal organizer for the Global Climate Convergence for People, Planet and Peace over Profit.
Webpage: Jill2016.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/drjillstein
Minnesota for Jill Stein Facebook: www.facebook.com/MNForJillStein
Twitter: @DrJillStein
Ajamu Baraka - Vice President of the United States
Please note: in Minnesota your ballot will say "Jill Stein/Howie Hawkins" - due to restrictive ballot access laws we were forced to use a stand-in on our petitions to get Jill on the ballot. The petitions were due only two weeks after our nominating convention. Despite no law saying he cannot, Secretary of State Steve Simon refused to replace our stand-in with our endorsed candidate. Please vote Stein/Hawkins - our electoral college voters know to vote for Stein/Baraka in the event Jill wins Minnesota. Then contact Steve Simon and let him know how you feel about keeping the only person of color running on a presidential ticket off of your ballot.
Ajamu Baraka is an internationally recognized human rights activist, organizer and geo-political analyst. Founding Executive Director of the US Human Rights Network (until 2011) and Coordinator of the U.S. based “Black Left Unity Network’s” Committee on International Affairs, Baraka has served on the boards of various national and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International (USA) and the National Center for Human Rights Education. He has served on the boards of the Center for Constitutional Rights; Africa Action; Latin American Caribbean Community Center; Diaspora Afrique; and the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights.
Baraka is a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet and an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) in Washington, D.C. An editor and contributing columnist for Black Agenda Report, Baraka has appeared on and been covered in a wide-range of print, broadcast, and digital media outlets such as CNN, BBC, the Tavis Smiley Show, ABC’s World News Tonight, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Telemundo.
Website: www.ajamubaraka.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AjamuB
Twitter: @ajamubaraka
Gabe Barnett - Minnesota House District 60A
Gabe Barnett has called Northeast Minneapolis his home for the past decade-and-a-half, and has had family ties to the neighborhood for all of his 35 years.
Gabe began his journey in a low-income, single-parent household in North Minneapolis, and spent his adolescence in the small towns just north of the metro. He returned to Minneapolis at age 20 to pursue his passion for the arts and social justice, and chose to live in Northeast because of its "small-town in the big-city" feel. As a coffeeshop barista, musician, and active member of the community Gabe has been a familiar and friendly face to neighbors of every class and distinction.
From actively protesting against war, corporate greed, environmental injustice, racial inequity, gender inequality, and LGBTQ discrimination to volunteering his time and talent for numerous local political campaigns and community events, Gabe Barnett has spent his life pursuing and pushing for a progressive, justice-based society.
A community as progressive as Northeast Minneapolis needs to lead the conversation, and not just toe the line.
Gabe Barnett will carry the message of Northeast values to the State Capitol.
Facebook Page here
Dennis Barsness - Minnesota House District 5B
Dennis is a lifelong resident of Itasca county, single father of two, and a pastor at "His spirit fills us" fellowship. Dennis also serves as a PCA at circle of life home care Anishinaabe and is self employed as a local handyman and auto repair and restoration tech.
Dennis has been a Green supporter since the mid-nineties and more formally joined the Party in 2014 when he ran for county commissioner that year receiving 22.7% of the vote. Dennis is also a Co-founder of the Itasca Green Party, a member of the local 911 commission, as well as a member of Grand Rapids Voice and a local veterans rights activist.
"It is my intent to bring an alternative to the status quo that has been controlling our local communities. Limited ballot access has allowed the two party system to deny citizens of any options other than corporate controlled candidates. This has infected into even our smallest local governments. Voters deserve a choice to have candidates who are willing to represent people not profits. A candidate willing to see people as human beings and our communities as homes. A candidate who commits themself to the community on a personal level. A candidate who will not be bullied by a fixed political system. A candidate who can not be bought with blood soaked corporate dollars. A candidate who can see the whole picture and isn't blinded by evil and desire for personal gain. I am that candidate." -Dennis Barsness
Website: barsness5b.webs.com
Phone: 218-910-5673
AJ Janssen - Cottage Grove City Council
AJ was born and raised in the City of Cottage Grove, he went to Hillside School and Park JR. and SR. High schools.
AJ coaches both youth baseball and soccer and as a youth played baseball and football. As a teenager AJ spent time in activism working to protect Minnesota’s state and federal forests. AJ has been an activist his whole adult life, spending many hours at the state capital lobbying for the environment and social justice, farming rights, clean water and clean air. AJ spent four years on the Public Safety Health and Welfare Commission in the City of Cottage Grove. While living in St Paul for a few years in the 90's, AJ helped implement the city’s recycling program and was recognized by the city for his efforts.
AJ has been a union steward and spent time on the Green Party of Minnesota’s Coordinating Committee as well as being his Green Party local Chair.
Website: ajjanssen.nationbuilder.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AJ-Janssen-for-Cottage-Grove-City-Council
Twitter: @VoteJanssen
Lena Buggs - Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor, District 4
Lena has made Saint Paul her hometown for nearly seven years. She is married with children, living in the North End Neighborhood of the City Of Saint Paul.
Lena currently serves as Co-Chair of The Green Party Of Minnesota and the Fourth Congressional District of the Green Party. She is also the project coordinator, for the North End Village Community Rain Garden, in association with District 6 Planning Counsel, Ward 5 City Counsel office and Capital Region Watershed District respectively.
When free time permits, she can be found engaging the community in environmental issues, seen out supporting local small businesses, or working on the next campaign to champion water quality and conservation techniques, for residents living in Ramsey County!
Website: http://lena4soilandwater.com
Facebook Page here
Twitter: @Lena4SWCD
Ianni Houmas - Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor, District 3
Ianni is an appointed member on the City of St. Paul's Transportation Committee. Ian feels that devising better ways of moving people and goods around our metro area is important for the mitigation of highway gridlock and of fossil fuel emissions that negatively impact our climate.
Born and raised in Philadelphia and later on the South Shore of Lake Superior, Ianni came to St. Paul as a teen and eventually attended the University of Minnesota. To support his growing family, he chose to work in utilities, first for NSP, then for Qwest, where he acted for eight years as a CWA union steward.
After a layoff in 2008, Ianni refocused his life and began Adonis Eco-Housing, a non-profit with a mission to create affordable, sustainable housing in the midst of the housing crisis, and later started Midway Green and Granite.
“When I take something on, I dedicate my life to it: to my family, to my alt energy non-profit, to my small business and to public service. Likewise I would dedicate myself to the duties and tasks of Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor.” –Ianni Houmas
Sharon LeMay - Anoka County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor, District 5
Sharon has lived in East Bethel since 1998. During that time, she has developed a great appreciation for the wetlands and natural areas in her district which serve as a water recharge area for the metro area. She has been interested in green living since participating in the first Earth Day and has engaged in continuing education on various “green” subjects like sustainability and climate change ever since.
Facebook here
Mel Thoresen - Itasca County Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor, District 3
Mel Thoresen hails from the construction industry as a heavy equipment operator in the field for twenty years and 8 years as a union organizer. Since his early retirement 9 years ago he has been an activist with Veterans for Peace, the Single Payer Health Insurance movement, against sulfide mining and the Living Wage Movement.
In January 2014 he and other local activists formed what is now the Itasca Green Party where he serves as a Co-Chair. In January 2015 the 8CD Greens elected Mel to sit on the State Green Party Coordinating Committee where he serves on the Political Committee. His passions are centered around building a strong community rights movement, a strong local Green Party through grass roots organizing and promoting a Declaration of Rights manifesto along with five other local activists.
Janice Ward - Itasca County Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor, District 2
Janice is a lifelong Minnesotan and chose to live in Itasca County because of its abundance of natural beauty and it's over 1000 lakes.
As a single Mom, raising two boys and putting herself through college, she graduated from Moorhead State University with a degree in Sociology. With her degree she moved to Grand Rapids where her professional career consisted of working with individuals and families of low income, also 1st generation college students and the elderly.
Janice has been a member of the Itasca County Green party since its inception in January 2014. She is an anti-war activist and has also been involved with numerous local, state and national campaigns as well.
She has been living with her husband on a lake surrounded by the Chippewa National Forest for the past 24 years. Her Lady of the Lake Perennial garden business served the area for years specializing in plants that thrive in the area. Janice knows the value of this environment and how important it is to preserve our water, forests and soil for future generations.
Wayne Pauluk - Hennepin County Commissioner
Wayne grew up in Minneapolis and lives in Maple Grove with his wife Lois. His daughter Anastasia is a recent college graduate. Wayne has a BA in Communication, a MA in Youth Ministry and graduate studies in Management. Fourteen years in Hennepin County Community Services and 3 1/2 years at Brown County Probation have given Wayne valuable personal experience. Wayne is currently a Coordinator at the Community Involvement Program, working with older people who have developmental and other disabilities. Most of his employment has been in social services or Christian ministry. Wayne is a freelance writer, cartoonist, social activist and preacher. He is a member of his union, the NAACP, the Green Party and Hennepin County Friends of the Library. He is also a board member of HelptheVets.org.
"Seize the Moment! This is a chance to strengthen our community. To take care of our environment. To give every person equal rights and opportunities. This is the time for renewed environmental and fiscal responsibility. This is the time for increased, equal respect and opportunity for all people, especially those who have been neglected or oppressed. This is the time for more diverse, representative, highly skilled Hennepin County employees. Many Hennepin County employees will be retiring in the next few years. It is time to partner with the unions and recruit new employees meeting the highest standards. I will work with you and for you as Hennepin County Commissioner to achieve these goals. Please vote for me and join me. This is the Moment. Together, we can seize it!" -Wayne Pauluk for Hennepin County Commissioner
Facebook here
Doug Mann - Minneapolis School Board At-Large
Doug Mann has nearly 20 years of experience as an Education policy advocate, including service on the Education Advocacy Committee of the Minneapolis Branch of the NACCP in 1998-1999. Mann was an individual plaintiff in the NAACP's lawsuit against the state of Minnesota alleging failure to ensure that all students get an adequate education, but opposed the final settlement: a school choice plan and no remedies for systemic racial discrimination within the Minneapolis School District. A majority of the Minneapolis NAACP branch sided with Mann in rejecting the first settlement offer made by its own lawyers, a school choice plan. Mann has advanced to the general election ballot 4 times as a candidate for an at-large seat on the school board, getting over 31,000 votes in 2012. But he is probably better known for filing lawsuits to challenge the imposition of taxes on Minneapolis to pay for the new Vikings stadium in 2013-2014.
"I believe that education is a right, not a privilege, and that a quality education should be available to all on an equal basis. However, access to a quality, pubic education has long been reserved for a privileged minority of the district's students. The district maintains a large pool of newly-hired teachers, often inexperienced, by firing and replacing many of them during their 3 year probationary period. The lion's share of new teachers are assigned to schools serving the city's most impoverished neighborhoods. This injustice will persist until the district takes steps to increase retention and shrink the pool of newly hired teachers. This is the biggest single obstacle to providing a quality public education to all on an equal basis in Minneapolis, and therefore a central issue in my campaign." –Doug Mann