Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) joined Young Kim (R-CA) and Michelle Steel (R-CA) to become the first Korean American women ever elected to Congress Sunday.
Strickland showed her pride by wearing a traditional hanbok, a two piece clothing worn in Korea for formal and semi-formal celebrations.
“As a woman of both Korean American and African American descent, it was deeply personal to wear my hanbok, which not only symbolizes my heritage and honors my mother, but also serves as a larger testament to the importance of diversity in our nation, state and the People’s House,” she wrote on Twitter.
Strickland laid out her priorities for the 117th Congress in a statement sent to the media.
“The people of my district made history by sending me here to ensure that their government successfully addresses the priorities of WA-10, including tackling this pandemic, rebuilding our economy, creating jobs by investing in the South Sound, solving the climate crisis, and lowering the cost of health care. They elected a leader to always put our district first, and that is exactly what I intend to do. During a time when politics has become more and more divided, our district needs a Representative who is willing to work across the aisle and find common-sense solutions to deliver for Washingtonians.”
Both Kim and Steele were born in South Korea.
“As an immigrant to America, I know that the promise of America is alive,” Kim said to Truly . “America is a country where an immigrant girl from South Korea can rise to be a representative in the United States Congress.
Steel vowed to fight for lower taxes and against single-payer health care.
“I support a market-based system that gives Americans options to affordable, quality health care plans that cover pre-existing conditions and give them access to more affordable prescription drugs,” Steel said.
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Funny how the one born in the USA feels she has to wear a “traditional hanbok” to reflect her “heritage.” By doing so, did she also “disrespect” her African Am heritage? I’m so tired of Identity Politics!