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Concerns Committee, leading two years of church support for Bread for the World Regional Task Force. In 1994, she initiated a political caucus to promote Single Payer healthcare, and was elected a delegate to the 1994 State DFL Convention. Her favored political candidate at the time remains a major player in expanding Minnesotans' access to healthcare. She continues to write letters and encourage conversations about universal healthcare with state and federal leadership. Since 2005, she remains active with the Isaiah Domestic Violence Task Force, a group of citizens, professionals, and elected ofiicials that has educated the public about domestic violence prevention and response. As part of the Coalition for Healthcare Justice (COACT), Swenson was elected statewide President during a time of transition, and received their 2001 Activist of the Year Award for her "inspiring leadership, clarity of purpose, and uncompromising sense of humanity in the quest for universal health care." In 2008, Valerie became a key volunteer for a Roseville nonprofit called PeaceMaker Minnesota. PeaceMaker Minnesota was founded in 1998 to provide financial and technical assistance to help schools prevent bullying and impart relational skills such as empathy, advocacy, and kindness. As a PeaceMaker Minnesota board member, she was instrumental in public relations, fundraising, advocacy, and more. She joined PeaceMaker Minnesota's Board of Directors in 2011, and served as Chair from 2013 to 2015. Describe the impact on individuals or groups in the Roseville Community. Consider the number of people affected and the longevity or level of change created.: As part of her PeaceMaker Minnesota work, she shared her own family's story illustrating the impact of bullying to many different audiences. She helped PeaceMaker go from a family foundation to a community nonprofit. She has since resigned from the PeaceMaker Minnesota Board, but remains an active volunteer helping in the organization's partner school recruitment and fundraising efforts. ISAIAH has influenced local law enforcement practices and local and nationallegislation affecting domestic violence victims and perpetrators. Elaborate on any special qualities (i.e. creativity, resourcefulness, stamina, diplomacy) that the nominee demonstrated in achieving this accomplishment.: Don't assume too much, or rather too little, about Swenson's gentle demeanor. Since the 1990s, she has shown great stamina and patience working for four separate human rights concerns in Roseville and the Twin Cities in general: healthcare access, anti-hunger work, bullying prevention, and justice for domestic violence survivors. She has carefully chosen the organizations and individuals whose visions match her own empathetic nature. Her commitment to her human rights priorities remains consistent as her specific volunteer roles change over time. When Swenson received COACT's 2001 Activist of the Year Award, she was cited for her "inspiring leadership, clarity of purpose, and uncompromising sense of humanity in the quest for universal health care." Talking with this healthcare professional, mother, and activist, it is clear that her focus has always been to empower the disenfranchised, and not her own volunteer "career." This is one of the reasons she has been rewarded with progress in all four of her areas of deep concern in her 20+ years of human rights volunteering. Did the nominee need to overcome any obstacles or exhibit moral courage in order to pursue his or her goal? : Ms. Swenson is clearly a local resident with a big-picture vision of her whole community, aware of the human rights needs around her and willing to risk asking others to acknowledge weaknesses of the systems around them. Asked what she would most like to see in human rights for Roseville and beyond, she was quick to