I don’t think anyone who has made history set out to make history. I like to think they just set out to handle their business, to make change, and to fight for the humanity and dignity of our communities.
This Black History Month, I’m thinking about the Black women whose shoulders I stand on, the women who dared to take up space and blazed the trail for Black leaders today. For generations, Black women have been doing the Work of seeking justice and driving transformational change — historically doing the most for our country, yet receiving the least of the recognition. Women like Shirley Chisholm, Coretta Scott King, and Barbara Jordan.
Their work has played a pivotal role in preserving our democracy and shaping me into the woman I am today. So today, please join me in learning about and celebrating their legacies:
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My mother, may she rest in power, never read me fairytales at bedtime — she read me the words of Shirley Chisholm. As the first Black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts, I was honored to formally occupy the physical office Shirley Chisholm once held when she became the first Black woman elected to Congress — ever — in 1968. She was a history-maker in more ways than one, becoming the first Black candidate to seek a major-party nomination for president. She ran on the slogan “Unbought and Unbossed.”
Her legacy transformed American politics, yet Shirley didn’t want to be remembered as a politician. She simply wanted to be remembered as a Black woman who lived in the 20th century and dared to be herself. I thank her for the space that she created for me — an unapologetic Black Alopecia Queen at policy- and decision-making tables.
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Movement leader, organizer, strategist, and a force for good — Coretta Scott King’s legacy continues to pave the way. She was the esteemed wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., yes, but Coretta was also a trusted confidant, advisor, and effective strategist and activist in her own right. She reminded us that every disparity, hardship, and social ill is the result of a policy or a budget choice, and she left an undeniable mark on the fabric of our democracy.
She reminded us that “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never won, you earn it and win it in every generation.” Her words echo in my ear as I walk the halls of Congress.
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Barbara Jordan was the first Black woman from the South elected to Congress. She was a fierce advocate who advanced policies to improve the lives of marginalized communities, strengthen voting rights, and protect workers.
She reminded us that “What the people want is very simple — they want an America as good as its promise.” That’s what I’m fighting for in Congress. To legislate healing, justice, and address the decades of harm that have been, and still are, inflicted on our communities.
This Black History Month — and every month — there will be no erasure or rewriting of the role that Black women play in protecting our democracy. I stand on the shoulders of these Black women, and I live by their words daily. May their legacy continue to inspire us to disrupt the status quo, take up space, and dare to be authentically ourselves.
Yours in service,
Ayanna
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