Let’s cut to the chase: the 2020 election has kept us all on our toes, and frankly, it can be scary to think about our current political climate. Especially with the recent loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, many of us find ourselves wondering what a woman’s role in the government looks like— and whether or not there’s a space for us, too. Hit the snooze on the news for a second and take a look at these five female representatives who are putting hope back on the ballots.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: No list of Washington women would be complete without the legend herself. Commonly known as AOC, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has redefined what the journey to political office looks like. Born and raised in the Bronx, AOC saw economic inequality firsthand and fought to change things from the ground up. Later, after seeing families torn apart by ICE, she became the Educational Director of the National Hispanic Institute and began fighting for documented and undocumented children alike. When the economy crashed in 2008, she returned to her home neighborhood and took up a job bartending to help support her recently widowed mother. At 29, she ties with Abby Finkenauer as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. AOC regularly uses her social media platform to educate and encourage her supporters— whether she’s sharing her scribbled notes from her speech addressing Representative Yoho’s misogynistic behavior or simply dancing her way down the halls of Congress.
Ilhan Omar: Here’s a woman breaking some pretty big records— Omar is the first Somali-American member of Congress as well as one of the first two Muslim-American women elected to Congress. She fled her home country of Somalia at age eight to escape civil war, living at a Kenyan refugee camp for four years before moving to America. Her interest in politics rose as a teenager, as she went to caucuses with her grandfather as his interpreter. She launched her congressional campaign while raising children, putting together plans after putting them to sleep. Today she advocates for a more diverse America— one that would welcome her twelve-year-old self with open arms.
Sonia Sotomayor: Sotomayor’s been a legend in the Supreme Court for over a decade— and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Born to Puerto Rican parents in the Bronx, Sotomayor’s wanted to be a judge since she was ten years old. She attended college at Princeton University and joined a campus organization, Acción Puertorriqueña, dedicated to fighting for her people. She both taught and practiced law until she was appointed as a Supreme Court Justice in 2009— the first Latina ever to do so. While serving, she’s helped legalize same-sex marriage and advocated for racial justice in America.
Tammy Duckworth: If anyone’s ever been a Wonder Woman, it’s U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, she eventually moved to the United States and earned her Ph.D. at Northern Illinois University. While there, she enrolled in the ROTC and was deployed to Iraq. After losing both of her legs and the use of her right arm in an explosion, she received a Purple Heart award and became an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. She’s served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, becoming the first disabled female in the House and the second female Asian American woman in the Senate. She still advocates for veterans’ rights today— specifically for homeless and female veterans.
Sharice Davids: Sharice Davids is a true icon for the next generation of political power women. She’s a member of the Ho-Chunk nation, a tribe of Native Americans in Wisconsin. As a first-generation college student, Davids had to work several jobs to fund her education, but she pushed through and now holds a law degree from Cornell. She became an advocate for Native American reservations and worked under Barack Obama before becoming a congresswoman for Kansas’ third district— the first Native American woman to do so. She’s one of ten openly LGBTQ members of Congress, and she started a podcast called Smarty Pants to shine a spotlight on minority entrepreneurs in Kansas.
Don’t let the headlines get you down— every day, women are fighting their way to the room where it happens and putting the power back in the people’s hands. They’re letting nothing stand in their way, and neither should we. That’s why it’s so important to stay informed and active in democracy— you could be next!