Hello East Side Neighbors,

Nyob zoo, hola, Soo dhowow,

My name is Pa Der Vang. I am a long-time East Side resident, a mother, an educator, and I'm running to represent you as the St. Paul City Council member from Ward 7.

Qualifications and Experience

Serving as a St. Paul City Council member will allow me to continue giving back to my community in meaningful ways. I will advocate for equal rights, affordable housing, accessible support for families and education, more transportation options, and safety for our families and children. 

I have been a volunteer and advocate for communities and families, an educator, and a social worker for 23 years which prepares me to represent residents of the City of St. Paul in Ward 7. I have a deep understanding of the social injustices and systemic barriers that plague low-income communities, people of color, immigrant and refugee communities, persons with disabilities, youth, the aging, and LGBTQIAA communities. As a homeowner and parent residing in Ward 7, I will work hard to ensure that all families and their children have access to the resources they need to live their everyday lives.

As a social worker and community advocate, I have demonstrated my ability to create change to benefit the lives of members of our community. I came to the United States as a war refugee and through hard work and perseverance, I completed my Ph.D. in Social Work so that I could more deeply contribute to my community. I served as a social worker on St. Paul’s East Side and Ramsey County since the year 2000. I was a child social worker for my parents who did not speak English. My family lives on the East Side. My daughter is a junior in the St. Paul Public School District. I co-founded the Minnesota Hmong Social Work Coalition in 2015, was a co-founder of Hnub Tshiab Hmong Women Achieving Together in 2008, have contributed knowledge to the field of social work over 22 years through several publications, and currently serve on the Minnesota Board of Social Work as Board Chair. I am passionate about community and will work for social justice and equity for all.

Why I'm Running

I am a public servant with a focus on social justice. I believe all residents of Ward 7 should have equal access to the resources available to them within the city they call home. These include education, childcare, housing, jobs,  and neighborhoods that are socially, economically, and environmentally friendly with transportation options, and green-space such as walk-able trails and parks. I intend to work on behalf of all Ward 7 residents to reduce disparities in education and housing, improve access to employment, and advocate for sound environmental practices that prioritize residents of Ward 7. I am committed to re-imagining public safety and doing this work in collaboration with the communities who are most impacted. I will address displacement of residents due to the increasing cost of housing by leverage state dollars in the form of rental assistance and first time home buyer dollars.

Support for the Unions: My father worked as a janitor from 1976-1995. He then worked for the auto industry until 1998, when his company shipped their production overseas. I am a big supporter of unions because it was the collective voice and power of the unions that provided my father with safe working conditions, a livable wage, good benefits for his family which included health care, paid time off, and retirement benefits.

Campaign Updates

Read the feature on Pa Der's campaign from AAPress.com below!