SAINT PAUL, Minn. - On Sunday, March 19, USA Today released their Women of the Year project, picking one woman to represent each state, and they have selected Representative Leigh Finke (DFL-Saint Paul) as Woman of the Year for Minnesota.
Rep. Finke released the following statement:
“I am extremely honored to be receiving such important recognition as Woman of the Year for Minnesota. I am earnestly grateful for the recognition I have received for my work because it is a direct reflection of the long history of work of woman leaders before me and for those to come. It is a dramatic understatement to say that I am beyond honored to see my name on the list of honorees. As an elected official, I recognize how I got here. The faith that has been put in me by my district, the queer community, and my colleagues at the Capitol has been life-giving. I have faced several challenges on my way here, but each one of them has only strengthened me to make me the powerful woman I am today. I have received inspiration from my peers, colleagues, and communities for whom I have the deepest respect, and from whom I have derived the strength to challenge myself and perform better at each stage. I’ve only begun to fathom how much my life has changed for the better over the past year. It’s only been three months, but I hope to keep this job for a while. I promise I’ll do all I can to improve ALL of our communities.”