Diane Napper

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, in a neighborhood much like where I live now in Nokomis East - still in the first (and only) home I ever purchased in 1998. My parents gave my siblings and me moral foundation through faith in God, love of family, the importance of a strong work ethic and the value of a good education. 

I forged lifelong friendships growing up, with kids from a variety of economic, racial and religious backgrounds. Our grade and middle school not only taught us how to read, write and do math, but how to develop relationships, resolve conflicts and work together as a team to solve problems. 

In 1989, I earned my bachelor's degree in International Business, with a concentration in Marketing from American University in Washington, DC. In my junior year, after spending the summer working to save money for the trip, I was able to study abroad for a semester in Denmark, where I learned to speak Danish. In the middle of the semester, I had the opportunity to visit the Soviet Union and Italy. My brief time abroad in general, and in the Soviet Union in particular, helped me fully understand that I had been born in the greatest country on the planet, no matter what my friends advocating socialism at the time told me. 

I started my business, Taurus Moon Graphic Design, LLC in 2002, and married my husband in 2006. We live in South Minneapolis, and enjoy cooking, gardening and spoiling our cat.

• Public Safety
• Education
• Economic Opportunities

Education and Public Safety

"Up from Slavery" by Booker T. Washington, which demonstrates that we all have the capacity to achieve anything we want if we work hard enough, and that it requires taking responsibility for our ourselves and our choices.

The ability to listen, to see both sides of an issue, to be diplomatic and to think critically to avoid unintended consequences.

The core responsibilities are to listen to constituents, while limiting the amount of control the government has over individual lives. It's important to craft legislation that is not overly burdensome, that adheres to both the state and U.S. constitutions and that does not result in negative unintended consequences. Care for the people first, then the party.

Not the first in my lifetime, but I was 21 when the Berlin Wall came down. It was significant to me because I had visited the Soviet Union just two years earlier, and I understood how important it was that the East Germans finally had their freedom. The United States of America provides the greatest amount of freedom on earth, and I wish that for all countries.

"365 Thank Yous" by John Kralik, because it focuses on gratitude and how powerful that is in creating the life that you want.

Not necessarily. I believe citizens who have not been tainted by previous government or political experience can bring a fresh perspective to the legislative process, as the laws that are passed affect ordinary citizens just like themselves. This can promote out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to see unintended outcomes.

The balance between clean energy production and the desires of environmentalists.

Absolutely! Building relationships is how things get done. It's particularly important to build relationships with those on the other side of the aisle so you can view each other as humans, first, and then work together to create legislation that is best for the people.