WA-10: Marilyn Strickland (D)
PROFILE
About Strickland:
Marilyn Strickland was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her father, who fought in World War II and Korea, met her mother while he was stationed there after the war. If elected to Congress, she will be the first African-American to represent Washington State at the federal level, and the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress in its 230-year history.
Her parents endured discrimination and hardships that one could not imagine. They wanted her to have opportunities they were denied and taught her to work hard, fight for what’s right, serve the community, and to stand up for the underdog.
She is a proud graduate of Tacoma Public Schools and has a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington. She went on to earn an M.B.A. from Clark-Atlanta University.
As mayor of Tacoma, she helped transform a city and economy crippled by a deep recession into a destination for families, workers, artists, tourists and entrepreneurs. The city attracted over $1 billion in investment for housing and businesses, and invested over $500 million in infrastructure for roads, bridges, transportation, and the Port, creating over 40,000 new jobs in the Tacoma region.
She led successful efforts to raise the minimum wage and pass paid sick leave, paving the way for statewide action. She launched an award-winning summer jobs program for high school students that led to the Tacoma Tideflats Certification Program, creating a pipeline for students to fill high-demand jobs in the maritime and construction trades. She was proud to stand with the LGBTQ community in support of Marriage Equality and transgender rights, and pass background checks for gun sales in Tacoma before statewide action.
In Congress, she will bring the experience of rebuilding an economy after an economic recession, and continue to be a strong voice for change.