Minneapolis council member presents at CSB/SJU

Intersectionality, equality and reimagination.

These were just three of the major topics Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins addressed in her presentation in Pellegrene Auditorium on Saturday, Nov. 6. The CSB and SJU Senates invited Jenkins to speak on her ideas regarding intersectionality as a part of their Senate Leadership Series (SLS).

Jenkins is the first black, transgender woman to be elected to public office in the U.S. She is also a writer, transgender activist and poet.

With over 60 students and faculty in attendance, the Senate began with a review of the Benedictine values, stating there would be no tolerance for hateful language or distractions and any such actions would lead to immediate removal. Jenkins began her presentation with a land acknowledgment for both the Native Americans and enslaved Africans who once lived on the campuses’ lands.

Accessibility and equality were common themes throughout her presentation as Jenkins advocated for the Equality Act (2021-2022), autonomy over one’s own body and the relevance of the curb cut effect, which makes sidewalks more accessible for disabled people. Encouraging and accepting diversity, Jenkins expressed that when we lift up the rights of the minority, we also lift up everyone else’s rights.

“When I make life better for you, then I make life better for me,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins also discussed that the reimagination of systems and social ideologies was a necessary step to political and social change.

“How do we reimagine education? How do we reimagine community? How do we reimagine family? How do we reimagine sexual identity? How do we reimagine public safety?” Jenkins said.

In light of November being Transgender Awareness Month, Jenkins shared a poem called, “Bag Lady Manifesto #SayHerName #BlackTransLivesMatter” to honor those, especially transwomen of color murdered in the U.S. The poem included names of transgender and gender nonconforming people who died as a result of this violence. Lasting about an hour and a half, the event concluded after Jenkins offered time for questions from audience members.

The Senates chose intersectionality as this year’s SLS theme because it encompasses multiple relevant issues such as race and identity.

After doing some research, CSB Senate Vice President Abby Goff reached out to Jenkins’ management and worked out the funding from CSB and SJU Senates to host this event.

Goff said that Jenkins was chosen due to her closeness to CSB/SJU and her presentational skills.

“For one thing, we’re really lucky to have someone who has made history as an intersectional leader so nearby,” Goff said. “Also, as we saw, her experience as an artist I think really adds to her public speaking abilities.”

SJU Senate President Connor Kockler also expressed his interest in Jenkins’ thoughts and her advocacy in Minnesota and across the nation.

“I thought it was really informational and [good] to get Andrea’s perspective, who has done so much in the Twin Cities and across the country to inspire leaders and advocate for change,” Kockler said.

Attendees were also impressed with Jenkins’ abilities to connect with the audience and effectively convey her passion for these issues.

“I really liked the way she speaks…she put emotions in the parts that matter,” SJU senior Vassey Konneh said.

Jenkins’ words opened a new doorway to knowledge as audience members took inspiration from her story.

“It definitely gave me a greater perspective of what’s going on in my city in terms of policy and what’s being done with human rights,” Minneapolis native and CSB sophomore Grace Michel said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited to learn. I thought it was very powerful and made me want to understand more.”

To Jenkins, change can and must start today.

“When we say tomorrow, we really mean today,” Jenkins said.