Marilyn Strickland

Marilyn Strickland is the U.S. Representative for Washington's 10th Congressional District, first elected in 2020 and taking office in January 2021. Born in Seoul, South Korea, to a South Korean mother and an African American father who was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, she moved to Tacoma, Washington, as a child. She graduated from Tacoma Public Schools and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Washington, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University. Before her tenure in Congress, Strickland built a career in both the private and public sectors. She worked in financial services and for companies like Starbucks before entering local politics. She served on the Tacoma City Council from 2008 to 2009 and was subsequently elected as the 38th Mayor of Tacoma, serving from 2010 to 2018. During her time as mayor, she focused on improving high school graduation rates, which rose from 55 percent to nearly 90 percent, and led efforts to increase the minimum wage and establish paid sick leave. Following her mayorship, she served as the President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Democratic Party, Strickland made history as the first African American to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level and one of the first three Korean American women elected to the U.S. Congress. In the House of Representatives, she serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services. Her legislative focus often includes securing federal investments for regional infrastructure, housing, and workforce development.

Marilyn Strickland’s policy positions emphasize economic equity, social justice, and environmental sustainability. She supports comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and protections for Dreamers and TPS holders through legislation like H.R. 6. On healthcare, she advocates for lowering prescription drug costs and protecting federal programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP. Her environmental platform includes addressing climate change through carbon dioxide emission reductions, cap-and-trade policies, and investments in clean water and transit infrastructure. In the realm of economic policy, Strickland has been a proponent of raising the federal minimum wage, supporting collective bargaining rights, and expanding access to affordable housing through initiatives like the Build More Housing Near Transit Act. Regarding civil rights and public safety, she supports LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights, and common-sense gun safety measures, such as universal background checks. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, she also prioritizes the needs of military families, advocating for improved military housing and support services for veterans.