1. Ayanna was the first woman of color elected to Boston’s City Council. After defeating ten-term incumbent Congressman Michael Capuano in the Democratic primary, she is set to become the first African-American woman elected to the Massachusetts Congress.
2. Her campaign slogan is “Change can’t wait,” emphasizing her progressive intentions as a political official. She repeated it numerous times in her victory speech following her primary win.
3. In high school, Ayanna was the president of student government and was selected to speak at her graduation. Her classmates gave her the superlative “Most likely to become mayor of Chicago.”
4. She is the daughter of an activist. Her mother, Sandra Pressley, was a frequent leader of tenants’ rights marches.
5. In 2009, she established the Committee on Healthy Women, Families, and Communities. The Committee aims to combat issues that disproportionately impact women and girls such as poverty, violence and trauma.
6. She is currently on the “Equity Agenda Tour.” Every month she leads community forums, giving the opportunity for Boston-area residents to voice their concerns and tell their stories regarding specific injustices. November’s topic is criminal justice reform.
7. Ayanna named her cat Sojourner Truth, after the renowned women’s and African-American rights activist.
8. The Boston Globe’s editorial board endorsed Ayanna as well as Maura Healey, Massachusetts’ Attorney General.
9. The New York Times named Ayanna one of “14 Young Democrats to Watch” in 2016. She is also one of Boston Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful People.”
10. If elected, Ayanna plans to be a “disruptive” force in Washington, D.C.
Sources:
https://ayannapressley.com/about-ayanna/
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/29/women-rule-ayanna-pressley-boston-democrats-799188