Don Samuels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Samuels
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| Member of the Minneapolis City Council | |
| In office February 14, 2003 – January 6, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Biernat |
| Succeeded by | Blong Yang |
| Constituency | 3rd ward (2003–2006) 5th ward (2006–2014) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 13, 1949 Jamaica |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Pratt Institute (BS) Luther Seminary (MDiv) |
Don Samuels, born on May 13, 1949, is an American politician, activist, and leader of non-profit groups. He served on the Minneapolis City Council from 2003 to 2014. He is a member of the DFL, which is a political party. During his time on the council, he represented the 3rd and 5th areas (called wards) of the city.
After his time on the City Council, Samuels also served on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board. This board helps make decisions for all public schools in Minneapolis. He was a member from 2015 to 2019.
Samuels used to be the CEO of MicroGrants. This is a non-profit group in Minnesota that gives small amounts of money to people with low incomes. He became well-known across the country when he ran for Congress in 2022. He came in a close second place against the current Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in the DFL primary election. He ran against her again in 2024 but lost.
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Don Samuels' Career in Public Service
Serving on the Minneapolis City Council (2003–2014)
Don Samuels was first chosen to represent Ward 3 on the Minneapolis City Council in 2003. This was a special election to finish the term of the previous council member, Joe Biernat. Samuels won the election and started his work on February 14, 2003.
Later, in 2005, the city changed the boundaries of its wards. This change meant Samuels' home was then part of Ward 5. So, he continued to serve the people in his new ward.
During his time on the council, Samuels sometimes made comments that caused discussion. For example, he spoke about the challenges facing the North Side of Minneapolis. He wanted to help improve the area and education for young people. He once said something about North Community High School that was misunderstood, and he later apologized for it, explaining he spoke out of strong feelings for the issue.
In 2012, Samuels briefly considered running for a position in Hennepin County. He also supported using public money to help build the new U.S. Bank Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings football team.
In 2013, Samuels decided to run for mayor of Minneapolis. He did not run again for his City Council seat so he could focus on the mayoral race. Even though he didn't win the mayoral election, he received a lot of support in his home area of Ward 5. His term on the City Council ended on January 6, 2014.
After the City Council
In 2014, Don Samuels was elected to the Minneapolis Public Schools school board. He served one term, from January 13, 2015, to January 15, 2019. On the school board, he helped make decisions about the city's public schools.
In 2020, Samuels was part of a group of Minneapolis residents who took legal action against the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Jacob Frey. They believed the city was not hiring enough police officers as required by the city's rules. In 2021, Samuels also worked hard to stop a proposed change to the city's rules that would have removed the Minneapolis Police Department. He helped lead the effort to keep the police department in place.
Running for Congress in 2022
In March 2022, Samuels announced he would challenge Ilhan Omar in the DFL primary election for Minnesota's 5th congressional district. This meant he wanted to become the Democratic candidate for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He received support from important figures like former Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. His campaign focused on issues like crime and public safety in the city.
Samuels was defeated by Omar in the primary election on August 9, 2022. However, he came in a very close second place, losing by only a small number of votes.
Running for Congress in 2024
Samuels announced in November 2023 that he would challenge Ilhan Omar again for the same congressional seat. This time, he started his campaign earlier than in 2022. His campaign manager, Joe Radinovich, also worked with him in 2022.
Public safety continued to be a main topic for his campaign. At a DFL meeting in May 2024, Samuels did not get the party's official support for the seat. However, he still planned to compete in the August primary election. The person who wins this primary election is usually expected to win the main election in November.
Don Samuels' Personal Life
Don Samuels was born in Jamaica on May 13, 1949. He was one of ten children. His father was a minister. When he was 20 years old, he moved to the United States to go to college. For 30 years, he worked as a designer, creating toys and industrial products. Today, Samuels lives in North Minneapolis with his wife and their four children.
Samuels was the CEO of a non-profit organization called MicroGrants. This group gives small grants to people and families who have low incomes. One of their programs is called LightsOn! This program helps drivers who have broken tail lights. Instead of getting a ticket, drivers can receive a voucher worth $250 to fix their lights. This program was started after the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile, who was stopped by police for a broken tail light.
Images for kids
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Don Samuels at an art festival in 2022.
