First Trans Woman in POLITICS Andrea Jenkin
Minneapolis first African American Trans politician.
Minneapolis politician Andrea Jenkins brings change to the LGBTQ+ community in American. Above all, the Chicago raised council leader is talented and has stamina.
She is a poet, artist, performer, and politician who is creating history, for African Americans at the same time.
“Poetry and politics have had a very close connection,” Jenkins, 60, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a video call. “As one of my favourite poets and mentors, Amiri Baraka, said, ‘Poets are the legislators of the world.”
Jenkins political career previously began in 2017 as public office. Recently, her name made headlines as she stood by late resident of her district, George Floyd. However, she expressed Floyd’s cause of death as a “symbol for a knee on the neck of Black America.”
While the battle for racial equality is relevant, so is the fight for trans equality.
In modern America there has been legislative activity which has brought concern to the trans community.
In 2022 the LGTBQ+ community is facing humiliation, lack of representation, and support from politicians. Conservative states are filling 280+ anti transgender bills to discourage progression.
Politicians have pushed for student athletes to play on sports teams that correspond to the sex on their birth certificate. This becomes a conflict for students who identify as otherwise.
“Most of these bills are attacking young people in schools (and are designed to get) parents all riled up about these issues,” she said.
“The psychic and emotional impact that those things have on communities is palpable,” she continues.
Jenkins serves as a relentless office who has the ability to ignite empathy across the board.
Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund and LGBTQ Victory institute stands by Jenkins. She utilize words such as calm and determined to illustrate how impactful and beneficial Jenkins is as leader of council.
In conclusion, the city Minneapolis and Jenkins have the ability to work together to cultivate healing for the LGBTQ+ and African American community.