About Janet

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Hello. I’m Janet Kitui. 

I’m a mom, a grandmother, a municipal employee, and a longtime resident of Edina. I chose this community as the place I would raise my family. My three daughters attended Edina Public Schools, and I am so proud to call Edina my home.  

I was born in Kenya and came to the United States 30 years ago for college. I received my Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Moorhead State, and my Master of Business Administration from Hamline University. I worked for several years at Dayton’s and Marshall Fields among other jobs, and today I’m a supply chain professional.  

Motivated to Serve People Living on The Margins.

When Edina Police arrested a Black man for walking in the street in 2016, it was wakeup call about the urgent need for social justice and racial justice. That need has intensified and is now recognized globally. In the last few years I’ve attended the Racial Equity Taskforce, became active in Parents of Children of Color, and served as president of the Parent-Teacher Council at Southview Middle School. I’m also active in the Housing Taskforce and serve on the Communications Team.
 

Urgent Times Require Decisive, Compassionate Leadership.

I’m running for the Edina City Council because I believe in a better way of leading; one where our city leaders work alongside the people in our community, helping solve the real problems that working families face each day.

Edina is a growing city. Our citizens and the City Council negotiate competing interests such as affordable housing, sustainable growth and racial equity in our city. Now is the time for compassion and cooperation in our community. We must all work together to make meaningful system changes. The broad systemic disparities including poor education, substandard healthcare options, and economic barriers endured by our fast-growing population of color have been ignored for too long. 

These inequities marginalize our neighbors, hurt families, and jeopardize our economic competitiveness and quality of life for all. I am running to be your City Council member because cultural-diverse representation does matter. It matters because it informs the issues with different viewpoints, which leads to more innovative and enduring solutions for all our citizens.  

We’re in the midst of a massive energy transformation. In the next 20 years more than half of our electrical generation will be ready for replacement. Renewable is now the least expensive form of new energy and provides an opportunity to create thousands of jobs, save money and deliver the clean energy that residents want. As a steward of our natural resources (and a neighbor who values Edina’s beautiful green spaces), I’ll advocate for the use of clean, renewable energy to power more of our homes, businesses and transportation. I’ll also encourage investment in energy efficiency strategies that save money for all residents.

I believe, together, we can engage diverse ideas to transform Edina into a model city that is inclusive, innovative and equitable. Now is the time for Edina to be All In!