My Bio
Hi, I'm Val Bartel and Minneapolis is ready for a new leader to represent the community for City Council 3rd Ward!
With a little less than a week before the election, I'm entering the race late and will have to work hard, but I'm up for the challenge.
I'm focused on reaching potential voters who have never even thought about voting for City Council.
I come with the best experience there is- lived experience. I've been homeless, I've been to treatment for addiction, I've fought for my son when his rights were violated by a neighboring police department, I'm a survivor of domestic abuse, and I've experienced loss of a loved one due to suicide.
I also have owned my own business, obtained a BS in Marketing, went on to get my Master in the Study of Law, and then ended up as an educator in a South Minneapolis High Schoil teaching Social Studies. I'm proud to have helped my students register to vote and two of my students were even election judges on Election Day last year!
I first moved to Minneapolis in 1997 for about 4 years and I've been back since 2021, residing Downtown. I am back at Hamline University finishing my second Masters Program, this one being an MBA.
I love my city and I want the rest of Minneapolis to be excited as I am for positive changes. I don't believe political agendas belong in the governing of local offices, and instead think decisions about our city should be made on a case by case basis.
With only a little over a quarter of qualified voters in my Ward actually exercising their right to vote for their representative, I don't believe that the decisions made by the City Council actually represent the views of the people. My goal is to bring awareness to those who CAN vote, but don't.
I have my own stand on important issues and will always share them, but I also am aware that I'm not an expert in every walk of life and it's so important to hear what my constituents have to say. My goal is to hear voices that may not have been heard before. I want to lead the way to a more active community involvement on key issues.
My Key Issues
George Floyd Square
I stand firm in my belief that the decision on how this space will be used is a decision that the community in that neighborhood should all be a part of. I will not take part in that decision as I trust the people of that neighborhood to do what's best.
Public Safety
I take this seriously as a member of the community and also as a mother of young adults as well as a grandmother of little ones. I live in the heart of Downtown and the safety of my family is most important to me. I believe that we have a long way to go in order to build trust between the people and the police, but I know it is possible to find a solution that works better than what we have now. I think Community and Neighborhood Groups should play a key role in decisions about the safety of the city. More presence is needed so that the statement is made that the people of Minneapolis are committed to a safer community.
Housing Accessibility
As someone who has been homeless and who has been to housing court to try to save my place, I know that housing affordability and stabilization are the biggest barriers to ending homelessness. There is so much work to do in our city as a whole so that everyone can have a place to call home. I'm ready to do that work with you all!
Send Me a Message
Have questions or suggestions? I would love to hear from you!