Elizabeth Dickinson for Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota

For Immediate Release

September 2, 2005

Dickinson Invokes Rosie the Riveter, Addresses Minority Contracting Concerns

St. Paul, MN – Friday, September 2, 2005 – Backed by a poster-size version of the famous image of Rosie the Riveter and her "We Can Do It" slogan, Elizabeth Dickinson today spoke out on the issue of women- and minority contracting in St. Paul. At a press conference on the issue this morning, held in front of the Brownstone building on University Avenue — a structure symbolic of fair contracting and minority community support — Dickinson also made the point that the time has come for a woman to occupy the mayor's office.

Rosie's "We Can Do It" has meaning for her, Dickinson indicated, beyond her personal quest to become St. Paul's first woman mayor. Committed to the principle that the city has an obligation to provide equal access to businesses owned by women and people of color when contracting for city goods and services, she observed forcefully that discrimination clearly still exists.

Dickinson was present Tuesday evening at the opening of a City Hall hearing on minority contracting and hiring, and found the experience deeply moving. "I witnessed a litany of pain and exclusion, of hopes dashed and expectations unfulfilled," she said, "all of which reinforced her conviction that St. Paul should become a model for the development of inclusive and progressive business policies, leveling the playing field so city contracts are awarded without regard to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and disabilities."

Calling for the city to follow the recommendations of the Equal Access Working Group, she noted a City Council Resolution passed on June 8 that directed council research "to develop a proposal to conduct a comprehensive review and audit of the Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED) and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) policies and applicable laws related to the inclusive participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the city funded construction projects, contract procurement, developer selection, programs, services, and initiatives." The community will be engaged to collect issues of concern to shape the audit and recommendations will be made to add more accountability to the bidding process; Dickinson supports this effort and said earlier that she would make it a priority in her administration.

In the speech today she made an emphatic case that the city needs "better outreach and notification of city opportunities to interested parties," adding that "[t]argets for development deals must include a significant percentage of qualified people of color, women and disabled developers and vendors," and that "successes and failures must be transparent to the entire community." She also called for greater involvement of and respect for neighborhoods in the development process, and specifically endorsed exploring the concept of an historic district in the Rondo neighborhood.

Speaking on the eve of Labor Day weekend, Dickinson noted her card-carrying commitment to union workers; she is herself a member of the Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Actors Equity Association.

She closed by mentioning that her campaign has copied the "Rosie" image on a postcard, which has been sent to 15,000 women voters — many of whom have welcomed the candidate during her doorknocking rounds — encouraging them to help her become the first woman mayor in St. Paul's 151-year history as a city. She noted with feeling that the famous image evokes inspirational memories of the suffragettes who fought for the right to vote; the tight-knit "Rosie the Riveters" who built their way through World War II; and "countless other women who have raised their voices, burst through glass ceilings, and channeled their efforts toward equality, democracy, and opportunity for all."

Dickinson recently received an endorsement from the political arm of Minnesota NOW, the state's chapter of the National Organization for Women. She was endorsed earlier in her campaign by the MN Women's Political Caucus, and by the Green Party of St. Paul.

Contact

Elizabeth Dickinson, (651) 235-1208 (cell)

Mary Petrie, Campaign Manager, (651) 226-3527 (cell)

Christopher Childs, Communications Coordinator, (651) 312-1216

Elizabeth Dickinson for Mayor

384 Hall Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107

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Click here to read the pre-event press release.

Click here to read Elizabeth's September 2, 2005, address.

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