Karen Clark
Minnesota state representative Karen Clark was elected in 1980, making her the country’s longest-serving out lesbian state legislator. Representing an inner city district in South Minneapolis, Clark works on behalf of her constituents for economic and social justice. In addition to her legislative work as Chair of the Housing and Public Health Finance Committee, Clark volunteers as the executive director of the Women’s Environmental Institute at Amador Hill, an environmental justice nonprofit focusing on education, organizing and public policy work. A proponent of social justice, Clark is committed to community building. She says, “I work to bring the diversity of our community together and to help recall that we are each and all necessary parts of creating the change we want. An important lesson I like to pass on is that our enemy today may be our ally tomorrow, so let’s strategically build the bridges we may need, while expecting nothing less than the full justice we deserve.” -CB
