So many of the issues facing New Yorkers and folks around the country today – from housing instability to healthcare access – are deeply intertwined with racial and gender justice.
And as the only Black woman representing New York in Congress, I know firsthand the importance of uplifting Black voices and other marginalized communities within the halls of power. There have been countless times that I have been the only woman or the only Black person in the room, and it’s my duty to step in and speak up.
My mother, former New York City Councilmember Dr. Una Clarke, raised me with the values of hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity and discrimination. Those values, combined with my lived experience as a Black woman, is the driving force of my work as your public servant.
Due to these experiences, I co-founded and currently chair the Congressional Task Force on Black Women and Girls, which focuses on issues Black women disproportionately face and develops resources to empower them. And as the proud daughter of immigrants, I led the charge to protect DACA recipients and helped found the House Haiti Caucus.
