Unit 4: Women of Power (1èreG_Gr2)

Seizing Opportunities: Yes, She Can!

The document under study is a TV report from CBC News published in 2018. It deals with the US midterms of that same year, when for the first time several women from different ethnic groups and religious confession were elected to Congress. They made history.

The first one mentioned was Rashida Tlaib, she was elected to be a representative for the state of Michigan. She is a Palestinian-American and a Muslim. Then, the second one mentioned was Ilhan Omar, she was elected to be a representative for the state of Minnesota, she is a Somali-American, a Muslim and a former refugee. Then, we heard about Sharice Davids, who was a Native American, elected in the state of Kansas. She is also a lesbian. Deb Halaand, also a Native American elected in New Mexico, she is part of the Pueblo Laguna Tribe. Moreover, two Hispanic women are mentioned: Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia. The youngest women ever elected was Alexandra Occasio Cortez, indeed, she was 29 years old at the time, a Latina American woman elected for the state of New York. Finally, Ayanna Pressley, an African-American woman elected for the state of Massachusetts.

 All of these women stood out because they represented the first from their ethnic group to be elected representatives in their states. They were game changers and had progressive ideas.

To conclude, the message conveyed through this report is that whatever your origins, or sexual orientation and your gender and your beliefs, it is possible to represent every American citizen. Through them, the voters wanted to renew the generation of politicians and bring change in order to be truly represented.

Homework: Learn the lesson.