Influences

My dad was raised by his foster parents, a lovely older couple, in Northern Minnesota. He was considered a ward of the state until he became an adult and this status afforded him tuition support for his undergrad at University of Mn Duluth. From there, he went on to Law School at the University of MN Twin Cities, choosing this path instead of practicing the cello at Juilliard. My mom went to nursing school and worked in one of the busiest cardiac emergency units in Minneapolis.

They eventually settled in what would become my hometown and built a life that revolved around public service, volunteerism and active participation in my and my brother’s school and sport’s lives. They always showed up.

As it does with most of us, my upbringing made a direct impact on how I have raised my own children. They grew up seeing me in their schools, advocating for them and their teachers, bringing platters of food into the high school to show our appreciation and volunteering when I could. They saw me at Parent/Teacher conferences and meeting with the school board members when they visited MPHS. They saw me show up not just for them, but for their classmates, fellow athletes, actors and their teachers.

I advocated for both of them, ensuring that they received proper support for their learning plans. With the help of their 504 Plans, both of them took multiple AP courses and graduated with high GPA’s. I can say with certainty that my kids’ success is due to a combination of parent advocacy and our schools’ commitment to their success.

This is my son’s first election - it was fun to walk him through the filling out of the ballot. And when he was done, he said, “Mom - I think everyone will vote for you. I mean, look how you’ve raised your kids”. What an endorsement! Maybe this is my favorite one 😉.

My kids know from experience that I will not only stand up for and behind them, but for others too, at every opportunity, because…I show up.