Black History Month: Honoring CVP Andrea Jenkins

During Black History Month, AARP MN pays tribute to local leaders’ work and impact in community. AARP MN is proud to highlight our partnership with artist, writer, advocate, and community leader, Andrea Jenkins, for her work on behalf of older adults with special focus placed on elders in LGBTQ and African American communities.

As the first African American openly trans woman to be elected to office in the United States, Jenkins currently representing the 8^th Ward in Minneapolis and serves as Council Vice President (CVP). She is a nationally and internationally recognized poet and writer and has strong ties to the Sabathani Community Center, E. 38^th street neighborhood, and the AARP MN Sabathani Chapter. Jenkins worked as a staff member on the Minneapolis City Council for 12 years before beginning work as curator of the Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota's Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies.

Together, AARP and CVP Jenkins share a proud history of partnering in community and advocating on behalf of Minneapolis elders: from Active Living Workshops and walkability of E. 38^thStreet; as one of our AARP 50 over 50 honorees, to most recently addressing 100’s of elders at AARP Healthy Aging community events, and co-authoring the amendment to increasing funding for services that allow older adults to remain in their homes as they age.

CVP Jenkins is co-author of what was dubbed “the seniors amendment” that AARP helped push and advocate for, that boosted funding to keep home and community-based services going strong city-wide. CVP Jenkins expressed that, “seniors are equity” and AARP MN couldn’t agree more.