Minneapolis City Council Member Alondra Cano Will Not Seek Re-Election Next Year

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minneapolis City Council Member Alondra Cano announced on Saturday that she will not seek re-election in 2021.

She has served Ward 9, which consists of the Phillips, Longfellow, and Powderhorn neighborhoods, since 2013.

Cano made her announcement on Twitter on Saturday morning.

"Seven years ago, you made history by electing the first Latinx to have ever served on the Minneapolis City Council. My gratitude to you is infinite for granting me the honor of taking on that challenge. It has been a deep privilege to serve and fight for the people of the Ninth Ward," she wrote. "The stories will be many, but for now, the story I want to focus on is the future. I will not be running for re-election next year; it's time to pass the baton to the next generation of City leaders."

For her 2013 election, Cano ran on the issue of environmental justice for the Phillips neighborhoods.

"However, we did not phase out industrial polluters from Phillips," she said. "Delivering a clear environmental justice victory for Phillips is the biggest challenge facing our neighborhoods today."

Cano said she grew up in an undocumented immigrant family, which shaped her desire to "prioritize the voice and vision of the diverse immigrant families in our community. After the painful loss of Mr. George Floyd and the destruction of Lake Street, the work of reimagining public safety and cultural economic vitality will need double the attention and support."

She was one of the council members who called to abolish the police after Floyd's death in May.

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender has also announced that she will not seek re-election.