Meet Emma
A lifelong Minnesotan fighting for a fair economy,
thriving communities, and a strong democracy
Emma grew up in the heart of Minneapolis. Her dad was an early childhood educator; her mom was a social worker living with mental illness and navigating poverty. Public schools (Barton Open and South High) gave her stability, belonging, and opportunity when life at home was unpredictable.
She struggled to learn to read until special education services and a community of educators stepped in. Those early years taught her what happens when public systems actually work for people, and what happens when they don’t.
Those experiences are why she fights today.
Rooted in Minnesota and Shaped by Community
Emma’s path into public life began on Senator Paul Wellstone’s 2002 campaign, where she saw the power of politics rooted in people, not corporations. That experience launched a decade of community organizing – working with families, students, union members, and communities who had been shut out of opportunity.
She saw firsthand how systems were failing working people, immigrants, and communities of color, pushing her to study the laws and policies that shape our democracy. She earned a law degree from Berkeley and a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School before returning home to fight for Minnesotans.
Finding Her Voice in People-Powered Politics
As a public defender, Emma saw the deep inequities facing Minnesotans in the criminal legal system. As a voting rights lawyer and the former Director of Voting Rights and Democracy at the Center for Popular Democracy, she led efforts nationwide to combat voter suppression, extreme gerrymandering, and dark-money influence.
Emma’s north star: a democracy where people, not wealthy special interests, decide our future.
Standing Up for Justice and Democratic Rights
Emma believes every Minnesotan – no matter their zip code, race, identity, or income – deserves the chance to build a good life. She’s running to make sure the rules work for working people again, to defend our freedoms, and to build a future where every community can thrive.
Her story is proof of what’s possible when people come together, demand better, and refuse to settle for a system that leaves too many behind.
This is more than a campaign. It’s a movement to put power back where it belongs… with us.
Why Emma Fights
