Ferguson activist Cori Bush made history this week when she was elected to be the first Black woman to represent Missouri in Congress.
Bush defeated Republican Anthony Rogers by securing 78.9 percent of the vote, compared to Rogers’ 19 percent, according CBS News. The 44-year-old claimed her victory on Tuesday and dedicated the win to other women like her.
“As the first Black woman and also the first nurse and single mother to have the honor to represent Missouri in the United States Congress, let me say this: To the Black women, the Black girls, the nurses, the essential workers, the single mothers, this is our moment,” she told her supporters.
Bush rose to prominence after she began protesting in the streets of Ferguson after Michael Brown was killed by former Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Her path to victory began after defeating incumbent William Lacy Clay Jr. during this summer’s Democratic primary. Clay’s family had held power in the district for more than 50 years.
Her campaign work was featured in “Knock Down the House,” a Netflix documentary that focused on the 2018 primary campaigns of four female progressives, according to Variety.
Her platform included several progressive talking points including the Green New Deal, defunding the police, funding for COVID-19 relief and Medicare for all.
During an interview with FOX 2, she expressed hope that more Black women and girls would get involved in politics.
“Hopefully so many other young Black girls, and even grown women, will see and say, ‘you know what? I can do that too.’ I can run for that type of office. I can go and do things I never thought that I could do or do things told me I couldn’t,” Bush told the news station.
The congresswoman-elect also discussed the importance of representation on her Twitter page.
“Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress 52 years ago. Today, I became the first Black woman elected to represent Missouri in Congress. It’s 2020. I shouldn’t be the first, but I am honored to carry this responsibility,” she wrote.
“I will be the first woman to represent Missouri’s First District in its 173-year history. We’ve seen a 74% increase in women voters here since 2016. Representation matters,” Bush added. “A system that works for everyone matters.”
