‘Showing the world what’s possible’: St Paul makes history with first all-female city council

The youngest and most diverse city council in the history St Paul was sworn into office on 9 January 2024. Photograph: John Autey/AP

When Rebecca Noecker first decided to enter politics in 2016, she was a young mother with two kids and many questions. She had a background in education but no knowledge of how to run for office.

“There were so many systems that I saw around me that just felt broken and people were in pain and I wanted to do something about that,” Noecker, 39, said. “And it felt like politics was a way to do it.”