Representative for District 65 delivers farewell on House floor, cites drivers’ licenses, housing and Latino museum

The Representative for District 65 delivered a farewell address on the House floor, thanking colleagues, staff and mentors and urging continued work on housing, education and cultural institutions.

In her remarks the Representative credited the chamber and allies for passage of what she described as “drivers licenses for all,” cited housing-justice efforts and tenant protections she helped advance, and said she is proud to have secured funding for the first Minnesota Latino Museum. She framed those items as examples of her office’s work on behalf of District 65 residents.

“I'm proud to have been elected for two terms,” the Representative said, adding that public service allowed her to fight for housing, healthcare and education in the communities she grew up in. She also disclosed that she is a Type 1 diabetic and used the disclosure to thank her staff for accommodating long legislative days.

She thanked a long list of colleagues by role and name, including Speaker Melissa Hortman for mentorship, and singled out members she said helped advance housing justice and workforce licensing and expansion of dual-language and ethnic-studies programs in schools. The Representative praised staff and her communications director for helping translate legislative work into results for constituents.

Among the accomplishments she emphasized were passage of drivers’ licenses for all (which she referenced as a 2023 priority), tenant protections that included attention to animals’ status for renters, and support for workforce development that she said helps residents obtain licenses and start businesses in cultural districts. She also noted the funding she helped secure for a Minnesota Latino Museum as a legacy item.

The speech mixed policy highlights with personal reflections, including family history rooted in Puerto Rican activism and a veteran parent, and appeals to colleagues to sustain work on housing and education after her departure. She closed by urging continued collaboration across the chamber and thanking constituents for the privilege of serving.

No formal motions or votes were recorded in the transcript of the remarks; the address was framed as a farewell and a summary of legislative priorities and accomplishments.