United in Grief, Stronger in Purpose
This past weekend was full of a wide range of emotions. Saturday morning started off filled with excitement to attend Rochester’s No Kings Rally and the local Juneteenth celebration. However, the tragic events early Saturday added a somber mood to the rally. I am heartbroken and enraged over the loss of Speaker Hortman and her husband, Mark. While I did not know her well, I had the honor of meeting her at our local DFL fundraiser in 2023. She was incredibly warm and kind. She encouraged me to run for the MN House in 2024 and gave me her info and said to reach out if I needed anything. She also sent a really kind letter after the election thanking me for running. Speaker Hortman was an amazing legislator and leader that knew how to get things done. She cared deeply for the people of Minnesota. She helped make the historic 2023 legislative session such a success. This is a tragic loss for the state of Minnesota. My thoughts are with the Hortman family. I was relieved to hear that Senator Hoffman and his wife, Yvette are going to survive. I wish them a swift recovery and am thinking of them and their family during this incredibly difficult time.
Let me be clear when I say, there is no room for senseless acts of violence in our democracy. I don’t care what side of the political aisle you are on, this is never acceptable. You don’t like someone’s ideas? Then challenge them at the ballot box. Two families have been forever changed because of this weekend’s violent attacks.
I was heartened to see so many of our local and statewide elected officials speaking out about this tragedy. It’s a shame not all local officials spoke out, but I was glad to see some of our officials from the other side calling out this violence. It is disheartening and infuriating to see disinformation and conspiracy theories being spread by the far right. We need to call it out and stand together in saying, never again.
While I have been feeling my emotions fluctuate between grief and anger, one bright spot for me this weekend was the incredible turnout at our No Kings Rally. To see so many people from different backgrounds coming together peacefully to use their voices brought me some hope. We will not let them scare us into silence or stop us from fighting for change. We must continue to use our voices and stand up for what we believe is right.
