Alpha Phi Alpha brother Melvin Carter III made history Tuesday night by being elected the first Black mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota.
The 38-year-old earned more than 50 percent of the vote and beating out his rival Pat Harris.
“This is the honor of a lifetime,” Carter said late Tuesday night. “Being able to carry a majority of the first-choice votes says to me loud and clear that St. Paul is a city ready for change.”
Brother Melvin Carter III was initiated into the Beta Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in 2000 at FAMU. According to Alpha Phi Alpha’s website, “Carter has been actively engaged with the fraternity including being a voice on panels for the fraternity during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference.”
Carter had a strong list of endorsements including Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, Congressman Kieth Ellison, Minnesota State Representative Ilhan Omar and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers.
According to his campaign site, Carter promised to work of growing business in the city, focus on early childhood investments and work to rebuild and reform the trust between police and the community.
On the subject of police, Carter’s goals include the following:
- Hire police officers that reflect our city’s diversity, have a stake in our neighborhoods, and protect and serve all of us.
- Make sure officers are trained in de-escalation techniques and connected to social workers, mental health providers and crisis prevention counselors so they can help people in crisis get the help they need.
- Hold officers accountable for conduct that doesn’t meet our standards.
We at Watch The Yard would like to congratulate brother Carter on his achievement. It is powerful to see this type of representation in local politics.