Toya López
Toya López (Green Party) ran for election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 61A. López lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
López completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Toya López was born in Salina, Kansas. López earned a high school diploma from Salina Central High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas in 2016, and a degree from the University of Minnesota in 2019. López's career experience includes working as a community organizer, sustainability coordinator, and population health coordinator. As of 2024, López was affiliated with Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, the Elliot Park Neighborhood Institute, and Cooperative Energy Futures.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A
Katie Jones defeated Toya López in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Katie Jones (D)  | 83.9 | 18,234 |
 | Toya López (G) | 15.1 | 3,284 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 209 | ||
| Total votes: 21,727 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A
Katie Jones defeated Will Stancil and Isabel Rolfes in the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Katie Jones | 43.2 | 3,956 |
 | Will Stancil | 36.4 | 3,340 | |
 | Isabel Rolfes | 20.4 | 1,872 | |
| Total votes: 9,168 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Dylan McMahon (D)
Campaign finance
Endorsements
To view López's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for López in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Toya López completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by López's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I have a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. I’m a second-generation Mexican/Colombian American, born and raised in Kansas. I moved to Minneapolis in 2017 and since then I’ve been a community advocate on all things health and climate. My parents taught me the importance of integrity and never turning away a patient in need. They also taught me the importance of Latino role models. My work has always been personal. I am queer, neurodivergent, disabled, and a trauma survivor. In 2015 I was an advocate for mental health, sexual abuse survivors, anti-human trafficking, and suicide prevention. In 2016 I dedicated myself to work on climate and by 2018 I started working in the hospital setting in environmental sustainability and population health. My work addressed food insecurity, housing As a young person who joined many committees and boards, I faced the phenomenon of organizations wanting a “diverse” panel, while doing nothing to challenge the status quo. I know what it’s like to go into spaces of power and make my contemporaries uncomfortable. I believe in removing all barriers which keep civil participation from being inclusive.
I want to acknowledge that justice goes beyond electoral politics. It’s an honor to work, sing, dance, grieve, and collaborate with the many resilient communities of Minneapolis.- Racial Justice is Healthcare. Climate and Environmental Justice is Healthcare. Socioeconomic Justice is Healthcare. I use a holistic, systemic, Social Determinants of Health approach when evaluating, partnering, and implementing solutions in community. I apply these measures when proposing policies that align with making healthcare accessible to patients across traditionally separated departments and jurisdictions, (such as when mitigating for black mold or patients in food deserts). My experience with how public health touches every sector, every point on the supply chain, and facet of life has given me the perspective I want to see more of in Minnesota leadership.
- It is said that 60% of Americans are one paycheck away from homelessness and 60% homeless people are employed. This is a health emergency. I support statewide renter protections, rent control, and universal basic income. I also support rehabilitating our current housing stock; many units lack the funding to complete necessary maintenance and repairs, and I support implementing inclusive financing to fund this. I want to return control of our housing to our communities by blocking investment firms turning would-be homeowners into renters. I also support the creation of housing cooperatives, allowing residents communal ownership and democratic levers to manage their housing.
- I actively support civic engagement and elevating my neighbor's decision-making power in our democracy. I support participatory budgeting and direct democracy. I believe in Co-Governance with local groups and increased accountability and transparency. In my campaign, I have dedicated effort to specifically empower neighbors consistently left out, namely low-income folks, non-english speakers, disabled folks, unhoused folks, youth, green card holders, and undocumented residents.
Housing: I have formally and informally facilitated transitional housing for the past few years. I have assisted my neighbors in gathering their belonging during encampment sweeps. I have seen children being left responsible for their younger siblings because their parents are away working multiple jobs. I have seen places where homeless people sleep be filled with literal riff raff because garbage is preferred over my neighbors. It's shameful.
Obey and not command
The people have, at all times, the power to revoke the leader who does not fulfill his function fully. The government obeys the needs of each community or locality without deciding what is the best way to live our lives, simply complying with organizing and planning. He who commands, obeys the will of the people.
Represent and do not supplant
The principle of all government is in the representation of a will. Representatives are elected on a rotating basis, even without their requesting it, but it is not seen as an imposition, but as a service to the community. Their work is just as important as that of any other person in the community.
Go down and not up
He does not aspire to take power because he knows that power comes from the people. Building a community means putting knowledge and techniques at the service of society, accepting that any job is just as important as a public office.
Serving and not serving oneself
Cooperation from public offices and even from any activity requires a supportive and selfless action. Serving the community is not a bureaucratic process or a paid job, it is an expression of the community.
Convince and do not defeat
Absurd electoral contests and campaigns that do not represent the real interests of the people are useless. The new politics is made through persuasion, not the decision of a few.
Build and do not destroy
The construction of a new world has no instructions; neither you nor anyone else has the truth nor the capacity to choose which form of government is most appropriate for each people and nation that make up the Latin American and world reality.
Propose and do not impose
I was in the fourth grade. Other large historical events I learned about in hindsight since I wasn't a very attentive child. It was also in the fourth grade when I asked my friends why we do a moment of silence every year. Since it was still so fresh, no adult felt like they could break the news I guess.
I strongly believe in narrative medicine and the power of storytelling. Especially for marginalized communities and those whose histories have been erased.
In 2021 I had to quit my job, that I liked, because of my mental health. It was a real low point, one I couldn't justify to myself because I see so many other people who deserve rest more than I do. But I'm thankful for my allies who told me that my rest was helpful to the movement. That by taking a break from advocacy and work I was able to live out the values we have.
We will also see an influx of climate refugees. While we are currently expecting an increase in population to our urban areas, our rural and semi-rural areas are losing key infrastructure (such as hospitals). This is important because while high density is possible and can be used to mitigate climate change; it is a poor climate resiliency tactic.
I support increasing financial transparency as "a budget is a moral document." This transparency much also include accessibility, including simpler language, implications, and distribution of information.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Minnesota House of Representatives District 61A |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024
