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TWITTER Rep. Marilyn Strickland wore a traditional Hanbok for her swearing-in ceremony. |
Four new AAPI members of the 117th Congress were sworn in Sunday, joining the 15 re-elected House members and two sitting Senators of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage.
The four included the first three Korean American women elected to Congress: Kim Young and Michelle Steele from Southern California's Orange County and Marilyn Strickland from the state of Washington.
Kai Kahele won Hawaii's District 2 seat previously occupied by Tulsi Gabbard, who opted to concentrate on her unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for President rather than campaign for re-election. Kahele's election marks the return of a Native Hawaiian to Congress since Sen. Daniel Akaka died while in office in 2018.
For her swearing-in, Strickland, whose father is African American, honored her Korean American mother by wearing the Hanbok, a traditional Korean garb worn during significant events.
“Today, I was honored to be sworn into one of the most historically diverse Congresses in history, joining a record number of women, and women of color, serving in our Democratic Majority. As a woman of both Korean American and African American descent, it was deeply personal to wear my Hanbok, which not only symbolizes my heritage and honors my mother, but also serves as a larger testament to the crucial importance of diversity in our nation, state, and the People’s House," Strickland stated in a press release.
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FACEBOOK Hawaii's Rep. Kai Kahele brought a bit of the islands with him for his swearing-in ceremony. |
For his swearing in ceremony, festooned in a bevy of Hawaiian leis, Kahale used the same Bible that was used by the late Akaka, the first Native Hawaiian elected to Congress.
He thanked his supporters and fellow Hawaii Representative EdCase, and said, “For those of you whom I don’t know yet, I hope to gain your trust and confidence. As your representative, I will work across the aisle when possible, and I will fight for our kupuna and our keiki to ensure a better Hawaii for all.”
“It was incredibly emotional and was just beaming with pride and I’m sure Senator Akaka, with my dad, so many others that have come before us, were just looking down and smiling,” Kahele said.
“In Washington, I will practice the important values we hold dear, including integrity, honor, cooperation and aloha in all I do,” Kahele said.
Symbolically, in a powerful moment, Kahele's first official words spoken in the House chambers were spoken in Hawaiian. He said, “Lunamaka’āinana ʻo Nancy Pelosi.” (Congratulations to the People's Leader, Nancy Pelosi.)
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TWITTER The first three Korean American women, from left, Young KIm, Michelle Steel and Marilyn Strickland, elected to Congress met during orientation last year. |
California's Kim drew criticism from some in the Republican Party when she criticized Donald Trump's use of racial slurs in referring to the coronavirus pandemic and some of his positions on immigration. “I do hope that my voice can be heard,” she said, “and that I can represent not only my district but also represent the underserved and underheard communities like the Asian American voice.”
Steel, whose husband is a high-ranking official in California's Republican Party, drew support from a lot of Orange County's conservatives when she criticized mandating the wearing of masks in public and the health restrictions placed on businesses.
“This is my American dream and I am honored and humbled to serve my community as one of the first Korean American women ever elected to Congress," said Steel in a press release. "Taking the oath of office to represent the nation that has blessed me with so many opportunities is a moment I will never forget. This is a responsibility that I will never take for granted, especially as so many families and businesses continue to fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic."
The four brings the total number of AAPI Congress members to 21, the most to serve at one time.
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