“I’ll be honest, I’m still getting used to this Congresswoman title.”
Lauren Underwood, the youngest black woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives, spoke these words during her speech at North Central College’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast.
Hosted by the Office of Faith and Action, the event celebrated MLK’s values and works as well as his trip to the College in 1960 where he spoke with students about his campaign toward racial and social justice.
The event opened with Brian Rainville, the director of faith and action, leading the room in prayer.
Then, President Troy Hammond introduced Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville and Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove who were also at the event. Following this, the co-presidents of Black Student Association, Joshua Simmons and Milia Harris, read scripture and introduced Underwood’s address.
Underwood, a registered nurse and member of the Obama administration, spoke about how surreal it is to be a member of Congress. To honor King, she explained her journey toward “taking the first step” of running for office.
“… Faith, faith as Dr. King says, is all about that first step when you know deep down in your gut what you’re being called to do, and I felt that calling in my gut,” she said.
After being sworn in on Jan. 3, 2019, Underwood has been working toward making changes in healthcare, gun control and ending the ongoing government shutdown.
“Getting elected was really only the start… Washington is broken. I don’t have to tell you all that, we’ve watched it play out live for the last two years,” she said. “… Our democracy is so divided, so divided that it shut itself down hurting the economy and worse, hurting hundreds of thousands of Americans who still are working very hard right now serving the public and protecting our country even without a paycheck.”
Underwood is also passionate about the college debt crisis and how it is setting up bright people for financial failure. She also spoke on the issue of healthcare in America, specifically, saying that people shouldn’t have to choose between healthcare and heat.
While only being in Congress for two and a half weeks, Underwood is planning on voting and making a change as part of the most diverse Congress in history. She aims to continue advancing legislation that she believes in and that will benefit Americans.
Closing her speech, Underwood expressed that, like King, she believes the best way to move forward is by working together.
“I really need your help, our nation and our union are more perfected when we work together for the greater good. Dr. King believed so deeply in that idea of working together for our community and I believe in that too,” she said.
The Rev. Eric Doolittle concluded the breakfast with a prayer heavily influenced by King, driving home the message:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Contributed reporting by Madison Miller and Alexis Heinitz
