>> Eric: GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EFFORTS AT THE CAPITOL, WE'LL BE WATCHING.

THANKS.

>> Cathy: MA'AMIER HAS BEEN TALKING TO FIRST TERM LAWMAKERS.

THIS WEEK WE BRING YOU HIGHLIGHTS FROM TWO RECENT INTERVIEWS.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> YOU'RE NOWHERE NEAR THE FIRST HMONG LAWMAKER BUT YOU JOIN A REALLY NOTABLE CROWD AND THERE'S SEVERAL.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR HERITAGE AND INCREASED REPRESENTATION YOU'RE SEEING?

>> WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE MINNESOTA ASIAN PANK CAUCUS HERE, WE HAVE THE LARGEST CAUCUS IN HISTORY, AND OUTSIDE OF HAWAII WE HAVE THE MOST ASIAN-PACIFIC LEGISLATORS OF ANY STATE LEGISLATURE, SO REALLY PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE GROWN OVER THE YEARS AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, HMONG COMMUNITY, WE SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER AND ARE REALLY GRATEFUL OF THAT.

I THINK FOR ME OUR DISTRICT IS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE.

WE ARE AT LEAST 40% IF NOT NOW 50% ASIAN AMERICAN IN 67A.

I'M THE FIRST ASIAN LEGISLATOR EVER TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT.

FOR US THAT'S A BIG EAL.

I'M ALSO THE FIRST WOMAN TO REPRESENTED THE DISTRICT.

>> YOU MAKE A LOT OF HISTORY RIGHT THERE.

>> JUST A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT?

BUT ALSO REALLY EXCITED TO BE JOINING MY OTHER ASIAN COLLEAGUES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REPRESENT OUR REALLY DIVERSE CONSTITUENCIES IN INNESOTA.

MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS LEGISLATURE PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME LOOKS LIKE THE STATE.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

>> THAT'S IMPORTANT JUST BECAUSE I THINK WE LL BRING REALLY DIFFERENT LIVED EXPERIENCES.

I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO WORK IN CONGRESS FOR MANY MEMBERS OF OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION AS WELL AND I BRING A DIFFERENT LENS THINKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION, RIGHT, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY.

I AM ALSO A HEADSTART ALUM, RIGHT?

AND SO THANKFULLY I'M ON THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE AND I CAN BRING THAT EXPERIENCE SAYING, HEY, WHEN WE INVEST DOLLARS IN OUR LITTLEST CONSTITUENTS THERE'S A REALLY BIG RETURN N INVESTMENT.

SO FOR ME THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN LEGISLATORS MAKE POLICY WE IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES BUT DECISIONS ARE WELL INFORMED.

AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE ALL WILLING TO WORK LATE AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY READ INTO THE FINE DETAILS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.

THAT'S HOW YOU MEASURE SUCCESS, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT REALLY THE BILLS OR THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU GET IN BUT IT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, ARE WE HELPING PEOPLE AND RE WE DOING GOOD THINGS.

>> YOU KNOW, I SPENT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AS A NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR WITH MY HANDS ON THE GLASS HOLDING THE HANDS OF DYING RESIDENTS.

AND I THOUGHT WE SPENT, I SPENT DECADES TRYING TO SET UP PERSON CENTERED CARE FOR SENIORS AND I THOUGHT THIS IS NOT PERSON CENTERED CARE WHEN THEY'RE DYING ALONE.

AND HAVING HAD BREAST CANCER AND EIGHT SURGERIES AND FINE FINE NOW, I THOUGHT I HAD MY MOM WITH ME AND KIDS AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THESE WOMEN HAVE ALL BEEN ALONE.

I DON'T WANT PEOPLE DYING ALONE EVER IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

I GREW UP ON A FARM WHERE WE TREAT CATTLE BETTER THAN THAT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE AT THE END OF OUR LIFE WE HAVE THE BEST CARE FOR OUR SENIORS.

>> WHAT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE JOURNEY?

I BELIEVE YOU WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT.

>> I DID, I WROTE ABOUT IT.

SEPSIS ALMOST KILLED ME.

I DIDN'T KNOW ONE IN THREE HOSPITALIZATION DEATHS ARE SEPSIS, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS VULNERABLE AT 48 OR 2-YEAR-OLD OR 20-YEAR-OLD OR SOMEONE WHO HAS DENTAL WORK OR SURGERY.

HIGH RISK IS ANY AGE.

I WROTE A BOOK "THE SCARS YOU CAN'T SEE" BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SCARS ARE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED IN COVID.

>> THIS WAS NOT AN EASY RACE, HOW CLOSE WAS IT IN THE VERY END?

>> NO, 33 VOTES SO TO THE POINT A REVOTE COUNTS IT, TRULY DOES.

>> YOU HAD A HARD RACE IN TERMS OF TAKING ON WELL KNOWN INCUMBENT.

>> 46-YEAR INCUMBENT, VERY HARD TO BEAT.

WHEN I WAS DOORKNOCKING KNEW THAT, I KEPT AT IT, STAYING FOCUSED.

I DIDN'T PERSONALIZE IT.

I SAID, LOOK, I LIKE THE INCUMBENT TOO.

IT IS ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.

AND I THINK AT THIS POINT IT'S GREAT TO BE A LIFELONG VOLUNTEER, BUT I SIGNED A THING SAYING, LOOK, I WILL SELF-RETIRE IN TEN.

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM THE NEXT GENERATIONS TO SERVE AND I THINK AT SOME POINT WE LOSE OUR RELEVANCY BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES AND IT DOESN'T INSPIRE NEXT GENERATIONS TO GET ACTIVE.

>> WHEN I WAS TOLD ABOUT YOU I BELIEVE THE WORDS WERE "SHE'S A ROCK STAR."

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HEARING THAT FROM YOUR CAUCUS?

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YOU KNOW, I HOPE I CAN SERVE -- I'VE BEEN SERVING MY ENTIRE LIFE.

THIS IS A NEW WAY TO SERVE AS A LEADER.

I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO