The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) is excited to introduce this year’s candidates for the Board of Directors — community leaders who bring their passion, experience, and vision to the work of building a just, joyful, and thriving West Side. 🏘️
This year, there are seven seats to fill, and the slate of candidates reflects the heart of our neighborhood — educators, artists, organizers, entrepreneurs, and advocates — each deeply committed to uplifting our community.
Raniya Abawari is proud to have spent her formative years living on the West Side. Still a 55107 resident, she currently serves as a temporary youth board member at WSCO and also serves on the Robert Street Accountability Taskforce. As a first-generation student, she is dedicated to breaking cultural barriers and building bridges that foster meaningful, lasting connections within and beyond her community.
Raniya’s interests span global and local economies, law, digital media marketing, artificial intelligence, and systems efficiency. She is passionate about promoting equity and inclusion, and embracing diversity in personhood, presence, and thought. Her leadership reflects a belief in the power of youth and innovation to drive lasting community transformation.
Jazzalyn Baker is a proud mother of three boys, an alumna of Metropolitan State University, and West Side resident. Her passion for community involvement and advocacy shines through her work with the Southport Leadership Committee at WSCO, where she has served since July, helping lead initiatives that inspire growth, connection, and change for Southport residents.
She also participates in local Land Use monthly meetings and recently completed a Raid Response Training co-hosted by WSCO and MIRAC, which strengthened her commitment to education, awareness, and community empowerment. Jazzalyn takes pride in using her voice and leadership to help create spaces where families feel supported, informed, and represented. Grounded, compassionate, and purpose-driven, she is dedicated to advocating for positive change and meaningful progress throughout her community.
Corral Gessner has been passionate about supporting her local community and the work of WSCO since moving to the West Side in 2022. She has served in many both formal and informal roles from serving on the WSCO Advisory Council to helping MC last year's annual meeting. Professionally, Coral has more than a decade of experience advancing equity, access, anti-racism,and belonging and is passionate about building opportunities for community co-creation and coalition building.
She spent the beginning of her career at the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) as a member of the team that created the first Department of Inclusion and Community Engagement in 2014, which is nationally recognized as the first department of its kind in the museum field.In May, 2023, Coral joined the leadership of Saint Paul Public Library as the Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Coordinator where she now leads equity, inclusion, and anti-racism work across 12 locations and a Mobile Library.
She also serves as a member of the City’s Equity Core Team advancing Mayor Melvin Carter's Racial Equity Plans for the City of St. Paul. Coral is excited by the opportunity to serve on the board and deepen her service to WSCO and the Westside community.
Laura Hermer is a professor of law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Her research focuses on reproductive rights, health coverage, and care in the United States, particularly for underserved populations. She was one of ten Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Faculty Fellows in the Future of Public Health Law Teaching (2014–2015) and founded Mitchell Hamline’s medical-legal partnership with United Family Medicine.
Before joining Mitchell Hamline, Laura served as an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health and as a member of the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. There, she developed and directed the School of Medicine’s curriculum in health economics and policy, led a multi-year research project on secondhand smoke ordinances, and directed a required graduate course in scientific integrity.
Laura brings to the WSCO Board a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership, grant writing, and community engagement. She is eager to contribute her skills and insight to strengthen the West Side community, especially during a time when financial resources may become more limited, requiring us to work harder, think creatively, and seek new funding to sustain ongoing projects and launch new initiatives that will benefit the community.
Ana Perez has deep roots in Saint Paul’s West Side. She attended local schools from Riverview to Humboldt, was an active member of the Boys and Girls Club, and has continuously given back to the community that shaped her. Though she left in 2006 to pursue higher education, her commitment to the neighborhood has never wavered. She currently works in social services within a nursing facility where she continues to serve others with compassion and dedication. As Board Chair of Neighborhood STAR Board, she has played a vital role in providing funding and opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Saint Paul.
She is a partner of Project Reach within the Saint Paul School District and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Saint Paul West Side Fiestas, is a Cultural Steward and demonstrates that through preserving The Mexica Aztec Culture Through Danza and other Ceremonies offered to the Community for future generations to come. Ana brings her passion, energy, and advocacy for the West Side to the WSCO Board of Directors.
Soleil Ramirez was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, where her love for food began in her family’s kitchen. After earning a degree in business administration and working in corporate finance, she followed her passion into the culinary world—quickly transforming a struggling restaurant into a thriving success and becoming a business partner at just 26 years old. When political corruption forced her to flee Venezuela, Soleil arrived in the U.S. with only $300 and a week’s worth of clothes, determined to rebuild her life through resilience and hard work.
Since then, she has become a celebrated chef and entrepreneur, founding Arepa Bar and later Crasqui Restaurant on the West Side—one of the few Venezuelan fine-dining experiences in the country. Her restaurant has been widely recognized, earning mentions in the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Minnesota Monthly, and Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine as one of the 50 best restaurants in 2023. Soleil has been an active participant in the West Side Business Coalition, contributing her voice and experience to discussions about strengthening local businesses and creating opportunities for residents. If elected to the board, she plans to continue that work by supporting small business growth, economic empowerment, and community collaboration on the West Side.
Electra Skrzydlewski serves as the Director of Shared Ownership at the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD), where she advances shared ownership models that promote collective self-determination, racial and economic justice, economic growth, and community wealth-building for BIPOC and low-wealth individuals and communities.
Prior to joining MCCD, Electra managed programs at the Cooperative Development Foundation, supporting low-income and historically marginalized communities in establishing cooperatives and community land trusts.With expertise in capacity building, resource development, program management, and business development, Electra is deeply committed to exploring alternative approaches to care for communities and challenge harmful systems. Her visionary approach and dedication to collective care make her a powerful advocate for the West Side.
Vote at the Annual Meeting!
Join us this Saturday, November 1, 10 am - 12 pm at the Harriet Island Pavillion to help shape the future of the West Side by casting your vote for the 2025 WSCO Board of Directors!