Joe Neguse
The son of Eritrean immigrants, Joe Neguse made history last year when he became the first American of Eritrean origin to win a seat in the Congress.
A Regent of the University of Colorado, Neguse got involved in politics as a student, founding an organisation to get young people involved in politics called the New Era Colorado. In his position as regent, and as the second African-American to hold the post, he campaigned for affordable education and health care for students.
In 2014, he ran for the Secretary of State in Colorado but lost out to Wayne Williams. In 2015, he was chosen to lead the state’s consumer protection agency at just 31 years old.
Neguse resigned from the position to run for Colorado’s 2nd congressional district, which he won on November 6 to become the first African-American representative from Colorado.