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Cathy Wurzer

Parting thoughts: A true pioneer for women in politics

DFL Activist Koryne Horbal
DFL Activist Koryne Horbal, pictured here in this 1978 photo, was appointed by then-President Jimmy Carter to be a U.S. Representative to the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women.
Courtesy of Rosie Rocco

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It's rare when someone can truly be called a pioneer, but Koryne Horbal was certainly that.

A passionate feminist, Horbal was the first woman elected to a top leadership position in the Minnesota DFL party. She was the founder of the DFL Feminist Caucus, worked on numerous state and national political campaigns and was appointed by then-President Jimmy Carter to be a United States Representative to the United Nations.

As her early mentee and lifelong friend Rosie Rocco tells it, Horbal championed women's rights through building networks, coalitions and constituencies.

Rosie Rocco at the Kling Public Media Center
Rosie Rocco stands for a portrait inside the Kling Public Media Center on Monday, May 22, 2017 in St. Paul, Minn.
Evan Frost | MPR News

"Politics for her was about relationships, relationships, relationships," Rocco said.

Horbal passed away on May 15. She was 80 years old. As part of an occasional series, Parting Thoughts, MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Rocco about her friend's contributions to women in politics.

A memorial will be held for Horbal on June 29 at Augsburg College.

Click the audio player above to hear interview.