What an enormous, unimaginable honor it was to be sworn in as District 35s Senator. On Monday morning, I put on a pin given to me by my husband and worn often on the lapel of his late father when he served in the ND House of Representatives until his passing in 1998. And that afternoon, I didnt hide my smile as I raised my right hand and swore to uphold the Constitution of this country and our state and to work on behalf of the people who put me there. Yesterday, just as I said in a brief interview (the size of the photo is completely disproportional to the number of words in the story), these last few days were a lot like the first day of school. In addition to meeting hundreds of new people and receiving my desk assignment (right in the front row, of course), laptop, nametag, and office supplies, I was also given my committee assignments: Education and Agriculture. As a former teacher, I was thrilled when I learned I was placed on the Education Committee to get back into my trained field. Education really is the great equalizer. We guarantee a free (while that word is slowly meaning less than it used to) education to all North Dakota children, and now that support for early childhood education has finally gained traction, I look forward to working with members who come in with a range of experiences - from retired Superintendents to former teachers to provosts in higher ed - to continue to make progress on issues from pre-K through post-12 that affect thousands of families across our state. And while Agriculture seems a bit unfitting considering I live smack-dab in the middle of Bismarck, agriculture is still one of the top two industries in our state. As the daughter of a farmer growing up in a small community, Ill never lose touch with my rural North Dakota roots and still recognize how important family farms are to our culture and our economy. In serving the residents of a more urban city, the opportunities to shape policy with a different perspective are intriguing. There are countless people living in my district who support local CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture), there are hundreds of members already invested in a budding local food cooperative right here in Bismarck, farmers markets continue to become more and more popular each summer, and the number of people - young and old, school-aged and elderly, wealthy and low-income - who want and need access to fresh, locally grown foods isnt on the decline. While many of my new colleagues make the long drive back to their respective homes and districts following the conclusion of the Organizational Session, I was reminded of how dang lucky I am not only to be a part of this legislative body, but also to have only a 3-block commute from my seat in the ND Senate to the front door of my home.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 23:32:55 +0000
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