María Isa Pérez-Vega

María Isa Pérez-Vega (born May 1, 1987) is an American politician and musician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Pérez-Vega represents District 65B in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes part of Saint Paul, West St. Paul, and parts of Dakota and Ramsey Counties.

Early life, education and career Pérez-Vega was born in on the West Side of Saint Paul, Minnesota, to parents of Puerto Rican heritage. Governor Rudy Perpich appointed her mother as the first Latina to direct the office of equal opportunity. Pérez-Vega graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in cultural studies. She also helped raise awareness and funds in the aftermath of massive earthquakes in 2020 and Hurricane Fiona in 2022.

In 2020, Pérez-Vega supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. She was active in the DFL Latino Caucus, which relaunched under the banner "Movimiento".

Pérez-Vega was friends with George Floyd, who was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, and after his death she said Floyd was a "gentle, precious, funny giant".

Music career Pérez-Vega performing in 2021Pérez-Vega is a rapper and singer and has been active in the Twin Cities hip-hop scene since she was a teenager. She owns the record company SotaRico, whose name honors her Minnesotan and Puerto Rican roots.

In 2018, Pérez-Vega performed at the 32nd annual Governor's Council Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the State Capitol and the Minnesota Women's March. In 2020, she performed at Bernie Sanders's Saint Paul rally during his presidential campaign.

Political positions Pérez-Vega co-led efforts to pass "Driver's Licenses For All" legislation alongside Aisha Gomez, which was passed by both chambers and signed by Governor Tim Walz on March 7, 2023. The bill would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses in the state after then-Governor Tim Pawlenty revoked the right in 2003. Pérez-Vega was in high school when the change was made and has spoken about the bill's positive impacts in the immigrant community.

In 2023, Pérez-Vega joined Muslim legislators and community leaders following a suspected arson at a mosque in Saint Paul, saying the fires amounted to terrorism against the Muslim community.

Electoral history

Personal life Pérez-Vega lives in the West Side of Saint Paul and has one child. She is of Puerto Rican descent. Pérez-Vega was previously married to Twin Cities rapper Robert Hedges, who uses the stage name Muja Messiah.