From Homeless Mom to State Representative in Minnesota

Rena Moran is on the verge of breaking ground in Minnesota. The 50-year-old looks likely to become the first African-American woman in the state's legislature when voting tallies are counted on Election Day. There's another reason to root for her success, though; Moran is formerly homeless.

Ten years ago Moran moved from Chicago to the Twin Cities with a college education and four children, but no home. Now, after orchestrating an upset in the August Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party primary, she's likely to replace Rep. Cy Thao in the diverse District 65A.

She says she came to Minnesota because she always heard it was family-friendly. When she got there, though, she started hearing other things, like "'You're black, you have four sons, you're from Chicago and you want to find a home?' Forget it.' " Many locals blamed crime rates on blacks who'd moved from Chicago.

She and her children lived for four months in the Sharing and Caring Hands homeless shelter (now in its 26th year and in need of donations). With caring volunteers and state financial assistance, Moran found an apartment and a minimum wage job. Now she holds a day job with Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota and owns a home. Her activism started with a quest to get her street repaved. Along the way she formed allies with local white and Hmong families and began to think of politics.

Not only will Moran bring empathy and understanding to the Legislature, but she is already providing a much-needed face of homelessness. Some in Minnesota might still be surprised to learn that homeless is not a synonym for addict or mentally ill or irresponsible. In Moran's case, though, formerly homeless does mean motivated, intelligent, involved and soon, state representative.

Photo credit: Dennis Mattox