Meet Amy

Dear St. Paul Community of District 65,

I am community proud and dedicated to moving St. Paul forward. I was born and raised working class in the West Seventh area of St. Paul, surrounded by family who has made the community their home for many generations. My parents met and fell in love while living across the alley from one another between Armstrong and Watson Avenue.  My aunts and uncles raised their families from the North End to the West Side and their children were educated in our local public and private schools. My family participated in St. Paul Park and Recreation programs, celebrated cultural traditions at the local festivals, organized community block parties and stood by our neighbors in tough times. It was in this community that I learned the values of hard work, family, community, acceptance, and how to stay strong and stick together through tough times.

I graduated from Humboldt Senior High and went on to receive my Bachelors Degree from Hamline University in Social Studies Education, 5-12 Licensure and Anthropology, and am currently completing my Masters at Hamline University School of Business. I am the first in my family to go to college and know how important it is to have opportunity and affordability in our Minnesota College and University systems, both public and private. I also know how important it is to have curriculum that prepares our students for post secondary opportunities and firmly believe in creating standards that are consistent and culturally competent.

I started my career right here in our community, working with families and children as coordinator of the Peace Council, where I led student driven projects that promoted peace in our community and built awareness about bullying and family violence. From there I went on to work for St. Paul Public Schools as a Program Coordinator, where I worked on the development and management of programs on the West Side, West End, Rondo, North End and East Side. I worked alongside St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Achievement Plus, Parent and Cultural Liaisons of various schools, and several other community agencies. I worked hard to always engage the families of the community and saw the vast resources available through community partnerships. For the last four years I have been a Senior Program Manager in Housing Services at the largest human service non-profit in Minnesota. Every day I work with an amazing team to deliver support services to families who have experienced homelessness and find creative ways to move our Minnesota families forward. In addition, I have been a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for six years in Ramsey County and serve as Vice President on the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Board of Directors. My family instilled the value of giving back to our community and serving in this role and motivating others to do the same inspires great hope for the future of our community.

I carry my experiences from my professional and educational opportunities with me everywhere I go and have great empathy for the challenges many families and children face, especially in our community, the place I grew up in and have continued to make my home. I believe in a community where everyone’s voice is heard and taken seriously; a community that works together to build bridges, expand opportunities, and learn from one another.

We are facing difficult times, where we have to make difficult decisions, and St. Paul deserves a hard working advocate who understands the community, knows how to bring people together, and will provide solutions that make sense for all of us. I know I will work with you to ensure our best interests are being represented. I will listen, be visible, and work hard to make the best decisions based on our community and not a major political party platform.

Together we will work to expand innovation and opportunity in our schools, promote economic growth and development, ensure a fair judicial system, and expand community partnerships.

I look forward to working with and for you!

Warmly,

Amy Elizabeth Smith

Amy E. Smith