Image Source: Hope Walz
Hope Walz never intended to become an influencer. Even with almost 400,000 followers on TikTok, she’s not sure she identifies with that title. “But I’ve quickly come to learn that I do have influence,” says the 24-year-old daughter of Tim Walz.
Over the past few months following the election, Walz’s TikTok has become a place of solace and yes, hope, for folks mourning the Democrats’ loss and angered by the Trump administration’s actions. In her videos, the social worker and ski instructor shares her favorite skin care, days in the life, and glimpses of her family – including her parents making their famous caramel corn recipe. But she’s also not afraid to call out the president and current administration for their anti-trans policies, cuts to national park services, and hateful rhetoric.
She posted her first public TikTok on Nov. 7, the day after election results were called. “We’re going to be OK, everyone,” she reassures viewers while her brother, Gus, drives next to her. “I didn’t expect it to go anywhere,” she says of the now-viral video. “I only had 700 random followers, but the video blew up. A lot of the comments were like, ‘This is so comforting. If you guys can start to move forward, then we can.’ So I was like, I might as well keep posting. Seeing people relate to that made me realize maybe I can be a voice going forward. It was all pretty organic, which was cool. It’s fun for me.”
A lot of times, people directly involved in politics are very tight-lipped. And that’s never who I’ve been. And that’s not who I want to be.
Eventually, Walz began sharing more of her personal life. She’s still figuring out her niche on social media, but she knows she wants to use her platform for advocacy. “I think it’s nice to see people that are a part of national politics be normal. We don’t see that very often,” she says. “But I found that my videos where I’m sharing my opinion do best. I’m confident in myself and what I have to say, but seeing people relate to that has helped me start to figure out where I can be. I’m very passionate about politics and advocacy, so I think that’s definitely the route I’ll end up going on because that’s what lights my fire. And I think for the people that follow me, that’s what lights their fire as well.”
Walz is used to the public eye – her dad has served as the governor of Minnesota since 2019, and she was right by his side throughout the Harris-Walz campaign. But TikTok gave her the agency to share what she wants about her life. “Being able to decide what I post and what people see has been very comforting and empowering for me,” she says. As for whether she consults her dad on what she should post, she says she’s “very grateful” her parents trust her judgment – for the most part. “My dad texted me the other day and he’s like, ‘You just posted a great video. Your mom says you should stop saying the F word.'”
Ahead, Walz opens up about voicing her opinions online, prioritizing self-care, forging ahead under the Trump administration, and whether she’ll ever follow in her father’s footsteps.
Image Source: Getty / Chip Somodevilla
On Using Her Voice
“A lot of times, people directly involved in politics are very tight-lipped,” Walz says. “And that’s never who I’ve been. And that’s not who I want to be. I’m someone who’s going to speak my mind. I think it’s pretty powerful to have a voice like mine in the space that I’m in, just calling out the crap.”
Whether it’s trolls telling her to “get over” her dad losing the election or offensive social media posts from the White House, she’s often outspoken against the far-right. “I have conversations with my dad about how to be effective using my voice and I’m playing with that and figuring that out,” she says. “So far, I’ve found being unapologetically myself and being a voice of hope, but also drawing the line when things are ridiculous, is where I’m at right now.”
As someone who’s in a privileged position, she wants to make sure she’s speaking up for marginalized communities. “I am very aware of the body I am in and the position I’m in,” she says. “As a white woman, I have to have conversations with other white women and try to draw them in, and I do that by meeting them where they’re at and having empathy. But if someone is openly hateful, I do not care what they have to say. It would hurt me if I ever said anything that hurt women of color or marginalized communities, but I don’t care what people on the other side have to think of me at this point.”
On Moving Forward Under the Trump Administration
“It’s really scary,” Walz admits. “I don’t think anybody in my circle is trying to be like, ‘Everything’s going to be OK; it’s just another administration,’ because we’re very well aware that it’s not.”
“What I do to move forward is, I see that stuff, but then I go into my community and do the work that I can do,” she says. “I say this a lot on my TikTok: It’s hard to stop large mass things going on, but you can do your part by going into your community and volunteering, showing up to a protest, or calling your legislators.”
Image Source: Hope Walz
On How She Carves Out Time For Joy
“I lean into the community aspect because that is what’s going to get us through: doing work with people that you’re around and people that you care about,” she says. For Walz, she works at a warming center for unhoused people a few days a week. “I always leave with my cup filled because we are our own little community in there. And when I’m doing work in there, I am making a difference in people’s lives and that’s what matters.”
She likes to do “little things to fill my own cup” on the daily, so that she’s able to go out and help others. “Making time for yourself to do things with your people is super important and is going to allow us to get through the next four years. If we’re just doom all the time, we’re going to get drained,” she says. She loves skiing with her friends, going to workout classes, going on walks, reading, and watching some of her favorite shows. (She’s currently rewatching “Gossip Girl” for the fifth time and as a Bravo girl, keeping up with “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” and “Vanderpump Rules.”) And while Walz might be a comfort creator for many, she has her own favorites she turns to, like Eli Rallo, Golloria, Kate Glavan, Suzanne Lambert, and Nadya Okamoto.
On Her Favorite Beauty Products
Walz also practices self-care through her skin and hair routines. She actually started investing in her skin care during the campaign: “I was looking to control things that I could control and take care of myself in such a crazy time,” she says. “It’s become the best thing for me because it’s 10 minutes a day that I am solely focused on myself and nothing else.” Some of her favorites include:
- Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray with Hypochlorous Acid ($28): “This is the best thing I’ve done for my skin. I’ll use it in the morning and then sometimes after I sweat. I will probably continue to use it for the rest of my life.”
- Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Peptide Lip Treatment ($22): “My chapstick is always right next to me. I got this one because Suni Lee told me to. I am always stocked up on this.”
- Rhode Barrier Butter ($38): “I live in a super dry place, so this really helps. I need to order another barrier butter, but they’re all sold out. I had to sign up to remind me when it comes back and I’m going to buy three of them.”
- Naturium Dew-Glow Tinted Moisturizer SPF 50+ ($23): “This adds another layer of moisture. I know sometimes you can overdo it, but for me, I can’t. I’m always like, ‘Give me all the moisture.'”
- Kerastase Genesis Fortifiant Hair Serum ($62): “My head is always in a hat or a helmet, so I see a lot of breakage. I’ve started using this and it smells good, it feels good, and I’m noticing a difference, especially along my hairline.”
On What’s Next
Walz’s comments section is flooded with viewers asking if she’ll ever run for office herself. While she doesn’t necessarily see it in her future, she says she’s “never going to close any doors for myself.” “A week or two after I first posted my TikTok and gained a bunch of followers super quickly, someone said to me, ‘You have more of a following and more influence than a lot of members of Congress.’ I’d never really thought about that. But I don’t think I actually want to be the person. I do think I should keep my options open because now I do have this platform. If I can do good and make a difference in that role, then, maybe I’ll do it. We’ll see.”
But for now, she sees herself using her social media as more of “a tool” in her career. She recently applied to graduate school for a master’s degree in social work, which she still wants to pursue. “I think having this platform will allow me to do it better, which is super cool. From there, I’m kind of floating right now. I’m allowing myself to float a little bit, after this crazy year.”
Yerin Kim (she/her) is the features editor at PS, where she writes, assigns, and edits feature stories and helps shape the vision for special projects and identity content across the network. Originally from Seoul and currently based in New York City, she’s passionate about elevating diverse perspectives and spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, style, wellness, and pop culture. A graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, she has over six years of experience in the women’s lifestyle space.
