I come from Järvenpää, where nature is close and Finnish cultural history is present.  There, I was able to grow up in a carefree and safe environment, surrounded by safe adults. This should still be possible for all children in all parts of Finland.

 
The spark for politics came when I noticed the impact of climate change and social injustice in our society. The cottage landscapes of my childhood are not eternal and not everyone has equal opportunities to succeed in society. At the same time, I was fed up with the constant bickering in politics, where the most important thing is not to listen to people's concerns but to humiliate the other side. 

I wanted to show that politics does matter. That valuable natural sites and buildings can be protected if we demand so. That inequalities can be reduced if we act. That politics can be done differently - by listening, arguing and debating.

From Järvenpää, life has taken me to Tampere and Copenhagen to study, but I have kept my ties with my home region. While studying, I was involved in Järvenpää's municipal politics from 2012-2020, serving as a councillor, member of the city government, member of the Social and Health Committee and member of the Urban Development Committee. 

My years in Järvenpää municipal politics taught me toughness and how to change the world. In the Social and Health Care Committee, I took the initiative to speed up access to care for caregivers, which led to the recruitment of a new home care doctor to speed up access to health care for caregivers. I also promoted free contraception for under-25s, advocated annual investment in the development of cycling paths and wrote about the protection of the Vanhankylänniemi nature area, which has subsequently been implemented in Järvenpää. 

Now I have found a home in Helsinki and Old Herttoniemi, where urban culture and closeness to nature merge. This combination and this mental landscape should be key principle in all parts of Helsinki. Parks, trees and natural pearls must be protected in all neighborhoods. 

As a political researcher, I have learned that social issues are rarely black and white. I have put this and my inexhaustible curiosity about social issues into practice in later life, both as a parliamentary assistant and as a doctoral researcher, where I have been able to combine my interest in politics, my reflective nature and my social criticism. 

In the future, I want to continue my work in society both as a social influencer and as a researcher.