Governor Walz & Lt. Governor Flanagan Announce Appointments to the Young Women’s Cabinet

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced appointments to the Young Women’s Cabinet. During the past seven years, the Governor’s Office and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota have partnered to achieve equity in opportunities and improve the lives of young Black and Indigenous women, women of color, and gender-expansive people. The cabinet is composed of 32 young leaders across the state who come from communities that experience some of the greatest disparities in opportunity and outcomes.

“Serving on the Young Women’s Cabinet is a unique opportunity to make an impact on the lives of current and future Minnesotans,” said Governor Walz. “I am grateful for this diverse group of leaders and excited to see them pave the way for the next generation of Minnesotans to thrive.”

“Over the years, the Young Women’s Cabinet has done incredible work to engage communities across our state, and as co-chair of the initiative, I am excited to expand our impact,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “Young women’s and gender-expansive people’s experiences are invaluable, and the stories and ideas they share are powerful tools for action. We are so grateful to these appointees for sharing their talent and leadership to continue to move our state forward.”

“Young women and gender-expansive people are at the forefront of movements for change in Minnesota and around the world. I am thrilled that the cabinet will continue leading in advocacy, grantmaking, and narrative change for the future we all want to see,” said Gloria Perez, President and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. “Since 2016, the Young Women’s Cabinet has developed a legislative agenda, testified at the Capitol, and directed more than $3 million in grants to our state’s communities. We need their voices, ideas, and leadership in all spaces to create a Minnesota where all people have what they need to thrive.”

Young Women’s Cabinet:
Rayaan Abdulkadir – Minneapolis, MN
Sita Baker – Minneapolis, MN
Monali Bhakta – Minneapolis, MN
Kinzie Carlson – Owatonna, MN
Achsah Dawson – Maple Grove, MN
Reyna Day – St. Paul, MN
Tam Chau Duong – Burnsville, MN
Jennifer Galván-Bautista – Burnsville, MN
Grace Halvorson – Moorhead, MN
Trinity Hanif – St. Michael, MN
Kayley Hernandez – Rochester, MN
Sophie Hoiseth – Mankato, MN
Scout Holding Eagle-Bushaw – Moorhead, MN
Lanaya Hoysler Laurent – Woodbury, MN
Iman Ibrahim – Eagan, MN
Sabrina Kubisa Wema – St. Paul, MN
Riss Leitzke – St. Paul, MN
Madisen Lo – Maplewood, MN
Stephany Lopez – Brooklyn Park, MN
Solana Madison – Minneapolis, MN
Lori Martin-Kingbird – Cass Lake, MN
Nora Miller – Cold Spring, MN
Mariah Mirbel Nelson – St. Louis Park, MN
Amal Mohamed – Bloomington, MN
Gay Ka Mwee – St. Paul, MN
Oluwatomini Ola – Rosemount, MN
Oluwatomi Omiwade – Woodbury, MN
Jessy Palmer – Orr, MN
Richnetta Parker – Minneapolis, MN
Itzayan Rocha-Coronado – Minneapolis, MN
Amy Ruiz Plaza – Woodbury, MN
Reauna Stiff – St. Louis Park, MN

About the Young Women’s Initiative
The Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota (YWI MN) is a partnership between the Governor’s Office, the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, and the YWCA. The YWI MN includes a cabinet, which is comprised of young women and gender-expansive youth aged 16-24, and an executive council, which is comprised of leaders from government, business, academia, philanthropy, and nonprofits.

YWI MN centers the leadership and solutions of young women of color, American Indian young women, young women from Greater Minnesota, LGBTQ+ youth, and young women with disabilities. The initiative brings together nonprofits, businesses, government, philanthropies, and young women to promote equitable systems that benefit all, grounded in the belief that when young Black, Indigenous, and women of color in Minnesota thrive, families and communities thrive. The YWI MN’s statewide partnership and direct investments in young women and gender-expansive people are now being replicated across the nation through the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives.