Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland represents Washington’s 10th Congressional District, which covers parts of Pierce and Thurston Counties. Born in Seoul, she 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 history.
She earned her B.A. from the University of Washington and holds an MBA from Clark Atlanta University.
Prior to her election to Congress, Strickland was the President and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce. She served two terms as mayor of Tacoma from 2010-2017, where she championed education, infrastructure, and job growth. A firm believer that there is dignity in all work, Strickland led successful efforts to raise the minimum wage and pass paid sick leave, paving the way for statewide action. By making education a civic priority, she led efforts to raise Tacoma’s high school graduation rate from 55% to 89%.
In the 118th Congress, Strickland sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She serves as whip for the Congressional Black Caucus and is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition. She is co-chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus and a member of the Pro-choice Caucus.
