My Story

On patrol in Afghanistan. 2012. Tarrence completed roughly 280 missions during this deployment - earning a Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge for engaging in direct enemy combat. Use of photos of Tarrence in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.

Julia & Tarrence

I was born and raised on Minnesota's Iron Range in a working-class blue-collar family. In 2005, I found myself struggling to make ends meet and having a desire to expand my possibilities so I enlisted in the Army. This provided me the opportunity to go to college where I decided to enroll in the ROTC program and received my commission as an Officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard upon graduation.

Over the last 14 years in the military, I’ve learned that being a good leader requires compassion, empathy, drive, ambition, and a willingness to put the needs of others before your own. The experiences I have gained during my service to our community and country are invaluable.

During my first deployment to Afghanistan, lives were literally at stake in plans I developed, missions I led, and the decisions that I made. The pressure to do the job right doesn’t get any higher than that.

As an openly transgender man, I have risked my own career on numerous occasions speaking out publicly on local and national issues that continue to oppress diverse communities. I would rather go down fighting than be silently complicit. Throughout my life, I have taken on seemingly insurmountable battles (personal and professional) and have developed a thorough understanding of the social and economic disparities that our underserved and underprivileged communities face as a result of misguided and harmful policies.

I will not accept inaction for political gain.

Effective leaders push boundaries and are open to hearing ideas from anyone, regardless of their position or influence. Unlike others, I do not make decisions based on what is best for my career, but rather, what is best for the people I lead and the causes I represent. I have never had the luxury of not getting a job done because a task seems too difficult, a timeline is too short, or the path ahead has never been paved. I am a leader and when it gets tough, I dig in and fight.

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Today, my wife Julia and I are proud residents of Saint Paul living along Marshall Avenue. Our family is very diverse with my wife being a proud Mexican-American, and a first-generation college graduate that recently became a Registered Nurse. We have both dedicated our lives to serving others - a passion which we share equally.

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Those I have served with always say that they would “follow me into battle any day,” - THAT is the best compliment I could ever hope to receive and speaks to my character as a person, mentor, friend, and leader. I will fight the tough battles for real progress, just as I have done all of my life and represent us all to drive Saint Paul into a better future that provides equal opportunities for all.