This year’s annual keynote speaker at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast was none other than Rep. Lauren Underwood.
Along with three other representatives, Underwood is one of the youngest women ever elected to Congress. At 32 years old, she is the youngest black woman elected to Congress.
Underwood serves the 14th District, a predominantly white district. Yet, Underwood said race was never truly part of her campaign.
“What we found in our campaign was, at its core, it was more about representation,” Underwood explained. “Despite being a racial or ethnic minority in this community, I grew up here, went to school here, this is where I’m from. The idea that somehow I wasn’t compatible or I wasn’t the best representative to offer was something that was not at all relevant in our campaign.”
Underwood adds that there is still a lot of work to be done in order to ease racial tensions within the country, but that her election, and the election of many other minority women to the Congress, is “a sign of progress.”
Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., discusses some of her goals as a new member of Congress. Photo: Noah Cordoba
“When we think about issues impacting our generation,” Underwood said, “and our demographic directly, (we’re) talking about reproductive healthcare choices, talking about student loans and climate change and our national debt and the economy. Our perspective has been completely missing. Now, we’re able to shine a light and give a voice and use our life experiences to offer creative solutions and I think that we’ve already demonstrated that value, even on the first day.”
Within the first two weeks of Underwood’s term, Congress has already presented bills for gun control, healthcare, and ending the shutdown.
Underwood has other issues she wants Congress to tackle during her time in office, as well, including making higher education more accessible.
“It’s all about priority,” Underwood said. “We in the United States have demonstrated that we value higher education, but we’re not funding these programs to reflect that sizable emphasis. The burden should not only be on the student and the family.”
Underwood believes in providing more funding for the Pell Grant program and loans.
“If the United States wants to remain competitive in this global market,” Underwood continued, “then we have to do our part as a country to invest in individual students. The need is very clear we’re just not seeing that level of investment coming out of the federal government to states and then from states to the students and families.”
As Underwood continues her term, she encourages students to participate in the government through internships with their representatives.
“We want to make this an inclusive place so everyone can see how our government works and to learn how to have an impact so I would welcome students to come in and visit us,” Underwood said.
*Editor’s note: Here’s a video of the full interview with Rep. Lauren Underwood.
