Janelle Bynum became Oregon’s first Black member of Congress after successfully flipping a U.S. House seat from Republicans this month. The Democrat took the seat after defeating Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
She said in a press conference, “It’s not lost on me that I am one generation removed from segregation. It’s not lost on me that we’re making history.”
“And I am proud to be the first, but not the last, Black member of Congress in Oregon,” she said, according to the Guardian.
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Oregon created laws in the past that excluded Black people from settling there from the 1840s through 1857.
Bynum, who was first elected to the Oregon legislature in 2016, served in the state’s 51st district, which included the southeast corner of Portland, the majority of Happy Valley and Damascus, and the surrounding area. This district spans southern Multnomah County and northern Clackamas County.
From an early age, Bynum learned the importance of education from her parents, who were teachers.
As per the Democratic Party of Oregon website, the native of Washington, D.C. received scholarships and pursued education, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.
WWeek reports that she worked as an engineer for General Motors for six years, traveling the world. Her experience working with GM’s suppliers influenced how she approached business and policy.
“I’m a data person,” she said to WWeek. “I want to see the numbers, not hear the hyperbole.”
Aside from her political career, the 49-year-old is a mother of four children and runs her family’s modest business, which includes two restaurants in her neighborhood.
She spreads her educational principles even in her business by mentoring her staff, granting scholarships for furthering their education, and pushing them to dream big.
Bynum’s tenure as Oregon’s representative will begin when she is sworn in in January 2025.
