Max
Mimi
My artistic life has emerged in partnership with ecological and social awareness and responsibility. It is not possible for me to compartmentalize these, nor would I want to. I perceive art as a vehicle of self-exploration and I am fascinated by the intersection of art and activism. I believe if we are receptive to an artistic experience this allows us to step outside the realm of logical thought, which tends to be linear. When we surrender ourselves to be altered visually and/or auditorily through nature and art forms, we step into the spiral of imagination. It is in this specific hallowed ground that transformation occurs. All of my artistic expressions reflect an authentic process of my Individuation, and exploration of my creativity, and my commitment to “Other.” Other being defined as plants, sea life, animals, and humans. It is my personal goal to contribute intellectually, spiritually, and artistically to my community, the western region of Minnesota, the state of Minnesota, and to a larger global audience.
In 2022, I was the endorsed candidate for The Minnesota House of Representatives District 12 A — not because I had long planned to enter politics, but because I got asked, over and over. Encouraged by community members and guided by a deeper sense of vocation, I stepped forward. For me, public service is an extension of sacred leadership: a way to model courageous, compassionate governance and to support women rising into roles where their voices and vision are needed most.
Throughout my personal, professional, and educational journey, a central thread has always guided me: a deep commitment to being in service to the greater good. For me, this is what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose — to align my actions with my values and to contribute where I can, whether through social impact or environmental responsibility.
In 2018, I began graduate studies at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, part of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. I also pursued a minor through the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing — a reflection of my commitment to integrating inner wisdom with public leadership. I graduated in 2022, summa cum laude, and have continued taking graduate courses ever since, refining and deepening my areas of interest through ongoing coursework and research.
Around the age of 28, I had an early professional success when I developed what became the second-largest internship site at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The program focused on high-risk youth and educational tutoring. It taught me something essential: when there is a genuine social need, and the work serves something greater than myself, creative program development can be profoundly valuable and rewarding. That realization became a guiding compass for my professional life. Using creativity to imagine what is possible remains one of my personal and professional strengths.
I have always been in love with travel. Exploring new cultures, meeting the people who live there, exploring the landscapes, appreciating their arts and way of life has deepened my sense of connection to our global community. Travel has not only expanded my understanding of the world — it has expanded my understanding of myself. It has reminded me, again and again, of the threads that bind us, and of my responsibility to care for what is shared, sacred, and human.