Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland was recently elected as the Congressional Black Caucus’ (CBC) Whip for the upcoming Congressional session. Strickland represents Washington state’s 10th Congressional District, which includes Pierce County, Thurston County and parts of Mason County, is the first African American to represent Washington State at the federal level, and one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress in its 230-year history.
Raised in the South Sound area, Strickland graduated from Tacoma Public Schools and earned her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington. She went on to earn an MBA from Clark-Atlanta University, a Historically Black College and University.
Traditionally, Whips, who serve as assistant leaders in legislative bodies, are mainly responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls, and they occasionally stand in for the majority or minority leaders in their absence. Whips are also responsible for keeping caucus members in line with the party and caucus agendas so that all stay on the same page.
The CBC has a strong record of developing policy and serving as the “conscience of the Congress.” As Whip, Strickland will elevate the power of her community, be responsible for coalition building within the caucus, and keep the caucus aligned on key legislative votes and messages.
Strickland will join incoming Chair Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), First Vice Chair Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Second Vice Chair Rep. Troy A. Carter (D-LA), and Secretary Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) as part of the newly elected CBC leadership.
“It is an honor to serve in Congress and as the first African American from the Pacific Northwest it is my honor to be a part of the executive board of the Congressional Black Caucus,” says Strickland. “We call ourselves the “conscious of the congress” and the organization started pretty small years ago and now we are up to about 58 members, we are the largest affinity caucus.”
As she enters her second term in Congress, Strickland carries with her the experience of rebuilding an economy after a global pandemic and an economic recession. She prides herself in being a strong voice for change, representing and making sure our most vulnerable community members are served as the country works to re-build an economy that works for all of us, including minority and Black-owned businesses.
“When I think about going into the 118th Congress, even as the minority as far as democrats go, the work that we have to do does not stop,” says Strickland. “That’s everything, including voting rights, looking at criminal justice reform, health care disparities, military personnel equity and preparedness and economic opportunities especially homeownership and wealth building, and doing what we can to make sure these big investments that we are making in infrastructure that our community benefits.”
In addition to serving as the CBC Whip, Strickland also serves as a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Armed Services Committee. She is also a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, Democratic Women’s Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition.
Strickland is well aware of the responsibilities of being entrusted with the role of “Whip” and what it takes to keeping the party in focus. Despite having to navigate differing political perspectives and agendas, Strickland says that she is up for the challenge.
“The Congressional Black Caucus is not a monolith, so we represent a lot of different political ideologies under the democratic umbrella, and we have to be respectful of the fact that every person who is a member of the CBC has a district that is different,” Strickland explains. “My district maybe different from someone who may be from New York or Texas, so it is really trying to get to know the needs of all of members, understanding what their districts are and at the same time finding a unified voice so we can press forward with things that matter to all of our communities.”
Of course, there are challenges to gaining progress and Strickland believes that future looks bright even from a house minority perspective.
“During my freshman term, we came in here during the pandemic and I didn’t have a chance to get to know people as I normally would, so we need to get to know the members well and find out what their priorities are, and learn about their districts,” says Strickland.
“At the end of the day, with Hakeem Jeffries coming in as the leader of the Democratic party, we want to take the majority back and so we have to make sure we are aligned with the people we represent and the confidence that we are working for them and the good news is we have accomplished a lot in this last congress,” continued Strickland. “So, moving forward we will be able to point to things and say, ‘see it’s working, these jobs are coming, these contracts are being rewarded, you’re seeing progress.”
“So, I am confident with new leadership at the top of the party and even with what is happening inside the caucus, we are going to be able to move forward,” she concluded.
Congressional power status is important in the grand scheme of governing, yet Strickland emphasizes that neither a minority nor majority status should define the fight one must have to fully represent their districts and the people who live there.
“I was once told, ‘just because you’re in the minority, you don’t have to act like you’re in the minority,’” says Strickland. “Continue to be bold, continued to be vocal and just make sure that people understand that we are fighting for them.”