Brooklyn Park City Council member Shelle Page has announced that she is running for mayor, setting up a potentially significant challenge to incumbent Mayor Hollies Winston as he seeks a second term leading one of Minnesota’s most diverse cities.
In a social media video launching her campaign, Page emphasized themes of unity, collaboration and community inclusion, saying she was running because she believes in “people over political gain” and “community and commitment over clout.”
“Around here titles matter less than showing up, it’s doing the work and truly listening and that’s exactly what I plan to do,” Page said in the video announcement.
The race marks the first notable challenge to Winston since he made history in 2022 as the city’s first Black mayor, a milestone that resonated strongly among Brooklyn Park’s large Black and African immigrant communities. Supporters widely view Winston’s first term as successful, citing development efforts, visibility and coalition-building during his time in office.
“I’m running for re-election on results: a 36-year low in crime, effective investments in youth and families, stronger infrastructure, vibrant businesses and steady, effective leadership during difficult times,” Winston told Mshale.
Winston also pointed to support from current Council Members Amanda Cheng Xiong, Christian Eriksen, Nichole Klonowski and Tony McGarvey, as well as former Council Member Terry Parks.
Page, who won election to the City Council in 2024, said her experience working with city staff, council members and legislative partners had shown her “where we can do more, be better, work harder for every resident.”
She also acknowledged political divisions within the city and broader political climate.
“We’re living in a time when our country and even our own city is feeling divided and sometimes even within our own parties and organizations,” Page said. “I do believe that this is exactly the moment where we lean in and not back.”
Although mayoral and council races in Brooklyn Park are officially nonpartisan, party affiliations and political alliances have become increasingly visible in local campaigns in recent years, particularly in high-profile suburban races. Winston, for example, is part of a group of candidates aligned with the DFL that includes two current City Council members and another prospective council candidate running this fall.
Winston’s growing profile within Minnesota Democratic politics was also evident earlier this month when U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar tapped him as one of several speakers during the launch of her gubernatorial campaign.
Under Minnesota law, the filing period for municipal offices opened May 19 and remains open for two weeks. As of Wednesday, no candidates had officially filed for mayor with the city clerk’s office, according to City Clerk Devin Montero, though several candidates have publicly announced their intentions to run.
Other individuals who have announced plans to run for mayor include former City Council member Boyd Morson and current Council member Maria Tran, whose council term expires this year. Both Morson and Tran were at separate times formally censured by the City Council during their tenures in office.
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About Tom 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 board of 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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