Notable Distinctions
- First Black Congress member from Washington
- One of the first three Korean American congresswomen
Issues She's Passionate About
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Strickland proudly displayed her heritage while being sworn into Congress by wearing a traditional Korean hanbok to the ceremony. As the mayor of Tacoma, WA, from 2010 to 2018, she worked diligently to dig the city out of a recession by investing in transportation infrastructure, ultimately creating more than 40,000 new jobs. Now, her top priorities as a US representative for Washington's 10th congressional district include protecting Social Security and Medicare, funding clean energy, supporting a national policy for paid family leave, reforming the criminal-justice system, and generating even more job opportunities.
Lately, Strickland has used her platform to denounce the recent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes, working with other members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to push for the No Hate Act. If passed, this would increase local government funding for preventing, reporting, and tracking these hate crimes. Following the Atlanta spa shootings on March 17, Strickland spoke on the House floor to demand accountability and denounce the violent incident. She has also worked with more than 140 of her colleagues to introduce the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act, which would authorize the use of foreign-aid funds for reproductive healthcare services, including abortion care, overseas.
How to Stay Updated on News About Her
Follow her on Instagram (@repstricklandwa), Twitter (@RepStricklandWA), and Facebook (@RepStricklandWA), and check out her page on the US House of Representatives website.
