Congresswoman Analilia Mejia, the first Afro-Latina to Serve in Congress, Sworn In to Congressional Black Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, in a ceremony conducted before the exalted statue of civil rights leader Rosa Parks, Congresswoman Analilia Mejia (NJ-11) was sworn in as a new member of the Congressional Black Caucus by Chairwoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09). Newly elected Congressman Everton Blair Jr. (GA-13) was sworn in alongside her.

After the ceremony, Congresswoman Mejia released the following statement:

“It is an honor and a privilege to join the ranks of the Congressional Black Caucus. The CBC has stood as the moral conscience of Congress for over fifty years, uplifting the voices of Black communities across the country in the halls of our nation’s Capitol.

As the first Afro-Latina to serve in Congress, the daughter of a Dominican machinist and a Colombian seamstress, I am grateful for the recognition and the testament of belonging.  As a member of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I understand that our futures; Black, Latino, immigrant, working-class, and more — are inextricably connected. We share more in common than divides us and our ability to come together is what truly makes America great.

This insight, alongside my commitment to the people of New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, will continue to fuel me in every action I take."