Meet The Team
Meet Aqueelah Whitfield!
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Aqueelah is the Executive Director of 1st Step Housing Consultant.
Aqueelah has been on the frontline in the fight to end homelessness for more than 20 years. As a lead case manager, she has seen the incredible impact on her clients’ lives when permanent housing is obtained. In addition she
has her BS in Human Service, and a Master’s in Advocacy & Political Leadership with a concentration in Advocacy in the Nonprofit sector from Metro State University.
During the height of the pandemic Aqueelah was able to call upon her experience as a case manager and advocacy to help work on finding solutions to bring people into stability, and like many others took to the streets to assist as many individuals as possible to utilize this new assistance to reach her motto of "Every head every bed".
1st Step was founded in response to the biggest pandemic this generation has ever seen. The pandemic brought homelessness to crisis levels and caused devastating health issues to many. The communities were crying out for help. Minnesota legislation answered the call by recognizing that chronic health issues play a major role in housing instability which for decades has lead to the mass homelessness. She continues her work outside of 1st Step and was determined to put her years of frontline work and training to work by getting elected to the city of Plymouth HRA (Housing Redevelopment Authority). She continues to bring forth the issues that affect those individuals from obtaining permanent housing due to lack of resources, funding, and education.
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“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
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