Terri Sewell

Terri Sewell is a Democratic politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th Congressional District. First elected in 2010, she was the first African-American woman to serve in the Alabama congressional delegation and is currently in her eighth term. Sewell was raised in Selma, Alabama, where she made history as the first Black valedictorian of Selma High School. She holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree from Oxford University, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Before entering public service, Sewell had a distinguished legal career as a securities and public finance attorney. She began her career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City before returning to Alabama to work at the firm Maynard, Cooper & Gale PC in Birmingham. At that firm, she became the first Black woman to be named partner and specialized in public finance. In Congress, she has assumed several leadership roles, including serving as a Chief Deputy Whip and holding positions on the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means.

Terri Sewell’s legislative priorities are heavily focused on voting rights, economic development, and healthcare access. She is a prominent advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and serves as the Chair of the Voting Rights Task Force within the Congressional Black Caucus. On economic issues, she supports workforce development, job training programs, and increased federal investment in infrastructure and broadband for rural communities. In the realm of healthcare, Sewell advocates for expanding the Affordable Care Act, reducing racial health disparities, and protecting reproductive rights. She also supports increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and has worked on foreign policy initiatives focused on promoting human rights and economic stability in Africa.