The Brooklyn Park City Council will have a female majority when two new members take the oath of office in January. Amanda Cheng Xiong defeated the twice censured Boyd Morson in a landslide to become the next councilmember for the East District. Incumbent XP Lee was not seeking reelection.
Xiong’s 7,279 votes represented more than 60% of those who voted, with Morson who currently represents the Central District and had been redistricted to the East, receiving 4,737 (39.20%).
In the West District, another incumbent, Tony McGarvey, faced a rematch with Liberian-born Daniel Goba. McGarvey received 4,390 (56.76%) of the votes cast to Goba’s 3,280 (42.4%). The two first squared off in a low turnout special election on August 8, 2023 to fill the seat then occupied by Susan Pha who was elected to the Minnesota Senate. McGarvey won that special election by receiving just 351 votes to Goba’s 78 votes to finish the remainder of Pha’s term.
This will be McGarvey’s first full term.
The closest election was in the Central District where political newcomer, Shelle Page, defeated longtime city budget advisory committee commissioner Teshite Wako by just 341 votes. She garnered 5,739 to Wako’s 5,398.
This was Ethiopian-born Wako’s second attempt to join the city council. Despite the loss, he vowed to continue serving the community to make the city a better place.
‘For everything there is a time, there is a season for everything, we are not going anywhere, let Brooklyn Park know that this is not the end and thank you to everyone that voted for me and had my yard sign outside,” Wako said when he addressed supporters at State Rep.-Elect Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley election night watch party at Oro Lounge.
Page on her part took to social media to thank supporters.
“I am deeply humbled and grateful to have earned your trust to serve as your Central District Council Member. My heartfelt thanks to our dedicated volunteers, my supportive family, and every resident who participated in the democratic process,” Page said in a Facebook post after winning the Central District. She added in the same post that she looks ford to working collaboratively with others to build a strong city.
Both Goba and Page were backed by former Brooklyn Park City Council member Wynfred Russell while McGarvey, Wako and Xiong enjoyed the support of the local DFL.
With all the three Black men on the ballot Tuesday going down in defeat, the seven-person council will now go back to having just one Black person on it. Since Wynfred Russell was sworn into office as the first Black person to serve on the council on January 2019, successive elections saw the presence of at least two Black members on the council when Boyd Morson won the Central District seat in 2020 and people of color have since enjoyed a slight majority reflective of the city’s demographics. After new members take their oath of office in January, the council will have four white members while Xiong, Maria Tran and Mayor Winston will be the only council members of color.
McGarvey, Wako and Xiong spoke at the Huldah Hiltsley election watch party Tuesday evening where they all thanked supporters.
“Brooklyn Park, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to hear what your needs are and take that to the council as we try and plot a path forward that brings us all together, because as our new House Representative motto says ‘we are stronger together’,” McGarvey said.
Xiong who enjoyed strong backing from Mayor Hollies Winston thanked him for “picking up my random phone calls in the middle of the day asking you random questions.” She said she considered District 38A state Rep.-Elect Huldah Hiltsley, a role model and that as a woman of color you (Huldah) “have given me so much power mentally to make it through.”
“I hope to make the city proud and that you are proud of me, just know that I would do my best and hardest to represent you, keep pushing me as I am willing and open to learning – I am a strong listener too, so please come and talk to me,” Xiong said to cheers from the crowd.
The president of Mwanyagetinge Association of Kenyans in Minnesota Ms. Roselidah Nyaberi and another supporter carried Xiong off the stage after her victory speech in celebration.
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About Tom Gitaa Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief
Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the boards of New Vision Foundation and the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.
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