Hello Everyone,
Last Friday, the jury in the trial of St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez came out with a verdict of not guilty. The journey from the senseless killing of Philando Castile to the verdict on Friday was a long one, but it is far from complete. We would not be doing justice to Mr. Castile if the discussion ended here. I share the disappointment of many with the verdict and in the sadness many feel. It is hard when the system does not produce the result we would like to see or when we feel that justice has not been achieved.
In 1967, Hubert Humphrey said, “Freedom is not real to me when I have it and my brother does not, when my nation enjoys it and another does not, when my race achieved it and others have not.” It is hard to believe that we are still waging the same war for justice, but we are. We must continue to push for reforms in our legal system so that it is truly fair for all. We need to continue to reach out to each other and to learn from each other in order to break down the walls of fear. Only when we work together can we make our communities safe and strong for this generation and the next.
I am so very proud of both Hopkins and St. Louis Park for all the work they have already done to bring folks together in community conversations around race and equity. Much work has been done through our city councils, school boards, our faith communities and our police departments. Thank you to all those who have already been a part of those courageous conversations. Here are some resources if you are interested in participating further: http://www.hopkinsmn.com/police/equity/ and https://www.stlouispark.org/our-city/race-equity.
Upcoming Town Hall
Just a quick reminder of my upcoming Town Hall for SD46. Senator Ron Latz, Rep. Peggy Flanagan and I will start with a few comments on the end of session and then we will open up the floor for questions. We had a nice turnout a few weeks ago in Plymouth; I hope to see you there!
Monday, June 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
The Depot Coffee House
9451 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins
Now that session is over, and there is not as much to report, I will be sending updates out about once a month. Please follow me on Facebook (Cheryl Youakim, Minnesota State Representative) or Twitter (@CLYouakim) for more frequent thoughts and updates.
Hopkins and St. Louis Park have many amazing community activities over the summer: Parktacular, Raspberry Festival, Music in the Park, Farmer’s Market and much more. I hope you take advantage of enjoying all our communities have to offer. Many of the events can be found at http://www.hopkinsmn.com/,https://www.stlouispark.org/ and http://www.thinkhopkins.com/.
While I may see many of you at these events, I would be more than happy to attend a neighborhood association meeting, tour your business or meet over a cup of coffee. Your thoughts, concerns and input are important to me. Do not hesitate to contact me. E-mail is still the best way to get ahold of me at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn, or you can reach me at 651-296-9889.
Have a wonderful start to the summer!
Cheryl