I never thought I’d say this, but I wish I lived in Missouri. I don’t want to live there because of its praised BBQ’s, vast farmlands, or Ozark Mountains; no, I want to live there because Cori Bush could be my Representative.
Currently serving as the United States Representative for Missouri’s 1st congressional district, Cori represents all of St. Louis, the majority of the St. Louis County, as well as the cities within Maryland Heights, University City, Ferguson, and Florissant. Regardless of knowing or not knowing anything about these areas, it's important to know just how much Cori Bush has done for them and, frankly, the country at large.
As the first Black woman, and nurse, to represent Missouri, Bush has made history. The once homeless, single mother of two worked endlessly to make ends meet. Staying late at work to wash her hair in the bathroom sink while nobody was around, sleeping in her car, or staying with friends in times of struggle, speak to her outstanding display of empathy for others going through the same exact hardships she’s been through. She’s a fighter, fighting for those like her, and does it without ever abandoning her positive outlook and hopeful mindset. After all, she is a registered nurse, so caring, healing, and protecting is what she’s best at.
After the 2014 killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr, Bush became a leading activist in the Black Lives Matter movement. As she marched for justice and equality, Bush became the victim of police brutality while trying to help a woman having a heart attack. Eight police officers stomped and kicked on her pride, literally. She felt enraged, watching her community suffer, so when she was encouraged by fellow activists to run for Senate in 2016, she hesitantly did so. She lost in 2016 against Republican Roy Blunt, and again in 2018 to Democrat William Lacy Clay, but finally defeated Clay in the 2020 Congressional Primary.
Having been without safety and a roof over her head, she passionately advocates for the unhoused community in St. Louis. The pandemic, as we know, caused irreparable damage for millions in America, specifically when it comes to housing. Housing has been a nation-wide crisis for years, but when the pandemic hit, fear of being evicted was felt by 4,000,000+ Americans. Due to the challenges the pandemic brought, an eviction moratorium was passed to prevent landlords from evicting their tenants. That moratorium expired on Saturday, July 31st. Ummm, isn’t the pandemic still happening? And, pandemic or no pandemic, housing has always been an issue in this country, enhancing the need for this moratorium to be extended, as everyone should be entitled to adequate living.
As the housing crisis worsens in the United States, Cori Bush and others have slept overnight on the steps of the Capitol building to protest the expiration of the eviction moratorium. Bush’s anger is elevated by the fact that many of her colleagues are on vacation, when, in her opinion, they should be working to extend the moratorium. She remains on the steps of the Capitol, sleeping through the bitterness of the night, waiting for an extension of the eviction moratorium to be passed.
She fights for the uninsured by advocating for Medicare For All. She advocates for sexual assault survivors, being a victim of sexual assault and domestic violence herself. She works toward making St. Louis run on clean energy and environmental sustainability, acknowledging that her predominantly Black and Brown community is at greater risk of environmental harm. One of her first acts in Congress was introducing The Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act of 2021, which would help the federal government identify the communities in need of increased investment. Bush strives to bring the intersections between race, poverty, police brutality, and environmental destruction to the government in hopes of inspiring real affirmative action. After the insurrection on January 6th, she called for the removal of Donald Trump and every Republican congressperson that supported the overturn of Joe Biden’s election. As part of her promise to fight for change, she stands for a $15 minimum wage policy. Oh, how we as Americans are lucky to have her in Congress.
Cori Bush is the type of person who makes you believe that you are capable of accomplishing it all. She gives me hope that I’ll live in the version of America I want to see someday. The America where all have roofs over their heads, where all get paid enough, and where all trust that their government has their backs.
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