Seven women made history as they took their oaths of office Tuesday to serve on St. Paul’s first all-women City Council.
Excitement filled The Ordway theater as Anika Bowie, Rebecca Noecker, Saura Jost, Mitra Jalali, Cheniqua Johnson, Nelsie Yang, and Hwa Jeong Kim began their four-year terms.
Jalali, who will serve as council president, spoke at the event.
“Our work at City Hall is not only to ensure amazing city services,” Jalali said. “This historic council was sent to do historic work, to play our part in rectifying the past wrongs that still impact our community.”
Hundreds gathered to witness the event, which included a color guard ceremony, a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” spoken word, and speeches from Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and others.
“While this is historic, it should also simply be the way it is—the norm,” Flanagan said. “Even though these systems were not built for women, especially women of color, we are making our voices heard every single day.”
All of the council members are under the age of 40, and six out of the seven are people of color, making it the most racially diverse City Council in St. Paul history. In a statement issued after the election in November, the women called the new council the youngest and most progressive in the city’s history.
Liz Young, a St. Paul resident and public policy advisor for Hennepin County, attended the event wearing a T-shirt with a quote from actor Sandra Oh that said, “It’s an honor just to be Asian.”
“I’m really excited about it,” said Young, who previously worked for Women Winning, an organization that promotes the election of pro-choice women to political office. “It feels like power in St. Paul has been slow to change and diversify and to evolve, so this feels really good.”
St. Paul is not the first city to elect an all-women council, but is believed to be one of the largest U.S. cities to accomplish that, drawing widespread media attention, including from NBC News.
Incumbents Jalali won in Ward 4, Yang in Ward 6, and Noecker in Ward 2.
Bowie, 31, who won in Ward 1, is an entrepreneur and lives in the Frogtown neighborhood.
Jost, 35, is a civil engineer and DFL organizer who lives in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood. She will represent Ward 3.
Johnson, 28, is a program officer at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, and lives in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood. She will represent Ward 7
Kim, 38, is the executive director of a nonprofit, and lives in the North End neighborhood. She’s an advocate for electing progressive women, women of color, and LGBTQ women to public office. She will represent Ward 5.
Members of St. Paul’s historic all-women City Council huddle on stage prior to getting sworn in at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Family and friends celebrate with Cheniqua Johnson (bottom center) after she completed her oath of office on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, as a member of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Nelsie Yang (bottom right) takes the oath of office on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, as a member of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Surrounded by friends and family, Hwa Jeong Kim (center) takes the oath of office on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, as a member of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Mitra Jalali (right) is sworn in on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, as president of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Newly sworn-in St. Paul Council Member Saura Jost (center) picks up her son on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, during the inauguration of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Rebecca Noecker (center) shakes hands with City Clerk Shari Moore on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, after she is sworn in as a member of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Anika Bowie (right) celebrates with family and friends on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, after being sworn in as a member of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (left) embraces new City Council President Mitra Jalali (right) as St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council is sworn in on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
Poet Muna Abdulahi (center) gives a spoken word tribute during the January 9, 2024, inauguration of St. Paul’s historic all-female City Council. The new council sits behind her. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal 
The Blazing Saphirre dance group of the Dao Lan Dance School perform after St. Paul’s new City Council is sworn in at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Credit: Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal
Noecker closed the swearing-in ceremony with a speech about the community’s role in the new council’s work.
“Think about the people outside of this room—the people in your neighborhood, at your workplace, your school—the people you interact with every day,” Noecker said. “We’ve been talking a lot about the people on the stage, but this community is what this is all about.”
In a joint statement the newly elected council members issued after the elections, the group listed their priorities as rent stabilization, creating affordable housing, community wealth-building, climate resilience, community safety, and workers’ rights.
Several women who attended Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony said they were inspired by the new council.
“I’m very excited for this new bridge we’re about to cross,” said Damaris Jones, the first Miss Juneteenth to represent Minnesota. “Young hearts like myself, they’re going to be really excited to see more girls that look like them that are doing such big things.”
St. Paul resident Laverne McCartney Knighton, area development director for the United Negro College Fund, said the council’s youth is also one of its strengths.
“It’s historical and it really shouldn’t have to be. It is time for women to be in power,” she said. “This is a young council that is really going to bring new ideas and new innovation.”
Anjuli Cameron, chief executive officer of SEWA-AIFW, a nonprofit that serves Minnesota’s South Asian community, highlighted the new council members’ professional accomplishments and previous contributions to their communities.
“Not only are they all female leaders, but they also have an incredible track record behind them of work that they’ve done in communities around Minnesota and around St. Paul,” Cameron said.
