FIERCE FIRST
LAUREN UNDERWOOD | 33
By Cory Booker
Last year, Lauren Underwood became the
youngest Black woman ever elected to
serve in Congress. During her speech on
election night, she noted that it had been
almost exactly 50 years to the day since
Shirley Chisholm became the first Black
woman ever elected to Congress and that,
like Chisholm, she would be “unbought
and unbossed.”
In her time serving the people of Illinois’
14th District, she has done just that.
She has stood up to fight for families
in her district and across the country: for
an end to the gun-violence epidemic; for
an economy where everyone has access to
opportunity; and for every person’s right to
quality, affordable health care, regardless
of pre-existing conditions. As a registered
nurse and someone who was inspired to
enter public service because of her own
experiences with a heart condition, these
issues are personal for Lauren.
Lauren is a servant leader who
understands that our biggest challenges
demand that we meet them together. She
inspires Americans to fight alongside and
not against one another.
Congresswoman Underwood is blazing
a trail for a new generation of unbought
and unbossed leaders, and I know that
one day soon, another newly elected
Congress person will look back at her
example and be inspired to do the same.
Booker, a Senator from New Jersey, is a
Democratic presidential candidate
MARK PETERSON—REDUX
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