Resistance and political engagement is baked into Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega’s music – even when it’s not consciously part of her process. “It’s never meant to be, ‘Let me write a political song,'” said Pérez-Vega, DFL, St. Paul. “I’m a rapper. I’m writing poetry at 11, seeing what’s happening on the island where my family lives. The Navy is bombing Vieques (an island in Puerto Rico). So we would rap over drums and freestyle and spoken word and you’d hear me talk about everything from Ricky Martin making the Latin explosion (to) Paz Para Vieques (Peace for Vieques). Those are the things that just influenced me since day one. It wasn’t ever like, ‘I’m gonna be the political musician,’ because I was writing songs about teenage love at the same time. But the expression of resistance through (the) arts has always been inside of my craft.”