>> Eric: PIONEERING FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE KAREN CLARK DIED AT THE AGE OF 80 LAST WEEK.

CLARK WAS THE FIRST OPENLY LESBIAN STATE LAWMAKER IN THE COUNTRY WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 1980.

SHE RETIRED IN 2019 AS THE NATION'S LONGEST SERVING OPENLY LESBIAN STATE LEGISLATOR IN THE NATION.

A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, REPRESENTATIVE CLARK PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN EXPANDING THE MINNESOTA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT BACK IN 1993.

IN 2013 SHE WAS THE CHIEF HOUSE AUTHOR OF THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL THAT BECAME LAW.

REPRESENTATIVE CLARK WAS FEATURED IN THE TWIN CITIES PBS HISTORY DOCUMENTARY "OUT NORTH” IN THE FALL OF 2017.

AND HERE'S AN EXCERPT THAT LOOKS BACK AT HER ACTIVISM AND DECISION TO RUN FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

>> THE FARMER LABOR ASSOCIATION SAID WE WANT TO RUN SOMEBODY FOR THE LEGISLATURE, AND THEY SENT THEIR EMISSARY TO ME AND SAID WOULD YOU CONSIDER RUNNING FOR THE LEGISLATURE?

TO ME I JUST LAUGHED, I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING.

I'M MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE, I'VE BEEN OUT N THE STREET IN THE ANTIWAR PROTESTS AND OTHER LESBIAN FEMINIST THINGS.

AND AFTER I GOT DONE LAUGHING THEY SAID WAIT A MINUTE, WE'RE VERY SERIOUS AND WE WANT YOU TO BE OUR CANDIDATE.

I THOUGHT, WELL, IF I'M GONNA RUN, I'M GONNA WIN.

♪ ♪ >> WE NEED LEADERS WITH COURAGE.

♪ ♪ [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS, I WOULD CERTAINLY RISE TO STRONGLY OPPOSE ... ♪ ♪ >> THING THAT PEOPLE OFTEN PUT IN AN INTRODUCTION OF WHO I AM, SHE'S THE LONGEST SERVING OPENLY GAY, LESBIAN GAY PERSON IN THE COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S TRUE IN TERMS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.

MY PARTNER OF 26 YEARS WHEN WE GOT MARRIED HER NAME WAS JACQUELINE ZITA.

I HAD MET HER SHORTLY AFTER I GOT ELECTED, SHE WAS AN OPENLY LESBIAN, ONE OF THE FIRST OPENLY LESBIAN PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

SHE ASKED ME TO SPEAK TO HER CLASS.

A FEW YEARS LATER A FRIEND OF OURS INTRODUCED US AT THE GAY PRIDE FESTIVAL, AND WE DID MEET EACH OTHER, AND SHE CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND SAID I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE TO TALK ABOUT.

I THOUGHT THAT'S A NEW LINE.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

[ LAUGHTER ] I LOVE THIS WOMAN DEARLY, SHE'S THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE.

OF COURSE BEFORE I COULD GET MARRIED, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD TO PASS A LAW THAT MADE THAT POSSIBLE.

♪ ♪ >> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DEAL WITH RACIAL DISPARITIES WITHIN OUR OWN MOVEMENT AND THAT WE CANNOT TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WOMEN ARE STILL NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATED WITHIN THE GLBTQ MOVEMENT.

I JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.