Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Boldon.
Hi Liz, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Working hard and caring for others are core to who I am. I grew up in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa. I’m the oldest of 3 kids. When I was born, my hip was pushed out of the socket, but this was not discovered until I was two – I had surgery, and the doctors told my parents I might never walk – that was the first time of many I did better than others thought I might. I did well; by the time I was three, you’d never know I had hip issues. I was a quiet, studious kid and excelled in school. When I was 15, I came to another crossroads as I became pregnant with my daughter, she was born when I was 16, and because of family support, I could finish high school and go on to college. As I said, caring for people is who I am – I earned my bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree in 2002 from Allen College in Waterloo. During college, I had two sons. After college, I moved to Rochester to work at Mayo Clinic as a nurse in the neuro ICU, which I did for about 10 years and loved.
I went on to earn my master of science in nursing (MSN) degree in 2008 and transitioned to work in education – I was the educator for the inpatient float staff for about 5 years. I then led several teams of nurse educators in Rochester and across the Health System for the past 6 years. I’ve recently transitioned back to caring for patients in the hospital and now work in the Inpatient Float Staff, which means I go wherever I’m needed in the hospital.
Around 2016 I began to get more involved in community organizing and advocacy of issues important to me – inclusivity, ending gun violence and ensuring everyone has what they need. This led to my volunteering for an MN House race in 2018 which was an excellent learning experience and lots of fun. In 2020 I was planning to volunteer on another campaign when my current Rep. announced his retirement, and the House seat in my district came open. Many people came to me to ask me to run, and my initial response was, “no way, I can’t do that!.” But after more conversations and thought, I realized I could and should. I tell my kids all the time I need to be able to look them in the eyes and tell them I’ve done everything possible to make the world a better place for them. I’m also a believer that if you see something that needs to be done, don’t wait for someone else to come around to do it. So I stepped up to run and won. I’ve loved my time in the House, it’s such an honor to represent our community, and it’s meaningful work that directly impacts people’s lives. I’m a doer – I want to be where I can do the best work – and right now, I believe that’s in the MN Senate, which is why I’ve stepped up to run for the Senate in 2022. There are many challenges ahead of us, but I’m committed to the work to build a just and inclusive MN where everyone is cared for, safe, and has what they need to thrive.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I mentioned a few challenges above, but some additional ones are as follows – I’m an introvert. Being in the spotlight is not something I ever imagined I’d be doing voluntarily, but the work is too important, so I’ve been stepping out of my comfort zone to walk into the fear and do what needs to be done.
The biggest challenge I’ve ever faced is happening right now – my son (21y) was in a very bad motorcycle accident at the end of April. He sustained many injuries, including a severe traumatic brain injury. He’s been hospitalized for the last 4 months and is now in a rehab facility. We don’t know what the future holds or how much he will recover, but we are grateful for the excellent care and every small bit of progress forward. I’m exceedingly grateful for the amazing support of those around me during the most difficult time of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: lizboldon.com
- Instagram: @lizboldonmn
- Facebook: @LizBoldonMNSenate
- Twitter: @lizboldonmn
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCois6laWDDMdVKnTLmV7yDQ
- Other: actblue.com/donate/lizboldonmn
