Ellison Strikes Themes of Inclusion, Social Justice

January 4, 2007

Author: Steve Share

Source: Workday Minnesota

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_2835

ST. ANTHONY - The eyes of the world were on Washington, D.C. Thursday as Democrat Keith Ellison took the oath of office as the first Muslim member of the U.S. Congress, representing Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District. Two days earlier, he received a rousing send-off at a Minnesota union hall.

The community send-off for Ellison drew a standing-room-only crowd of several hundred supporters who filled the Operating Engineers Local 49 hall with all the cultural and religious diversity of the district Ellison represents.

"You're not sending me anywhere," Ellison told the crowd. "We're going together."

The Local 49 hall echoed with music by a jazz band, a gospel choir, a Native American duo and a vocalist singing a Mexican song.

A group of young Ellison campaign activists read selections from Ellison's campaign speeches - in English, Hmong and Spanish.