By Aaron Allen, The Portland Medium
Last week, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum was sworn in as the representative for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, making history as the state’s first Black member of Congress.
A native of Washington, D.C., Bynum holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Florida A&M University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Alongside her political career, she is an entrepreneur, wife, mother, sister, and soccer coach. Before being elected to Congress, she was the only Black woman serving in Oregon’s legislature.
Bynum has emphasized her commitment to building a better future for Oregon’s children, focusing on creating opportunities that may not have been available to their parents.
“I am honored and humbled that the people of Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District have entrusted me to be their voice in Congress,” said Bynum. “I will fight each and every day to elevate their voices and meet their needs – and I’m willing to work with anyone to do it.”
As she begins her new role in Washington, D.C., Bynum is prioritizing the issues most important to her constituents, including addressing the state’s rising housing costs, securing resources to combat and prevent wildfires, and improving access to mental health care and health care services.
“[I’m here] to fight for the issues Oregonians have prioritized,” Bynum said, “housing costs, resources to fight and prevent wildfires, and to be an ‘outspoken voice on solutions on mental health and healthcare.’”
Bynum said her own experience as a mother gives her a strong connection to the concerns of families in her district.
“As a mom in this community, I know that our families and businesses are ready for a leader who puts their needs first,” she said. “Housing is unaffordable, health care is too hard to access, and our schools need support in producing the next generation of technical and intellectual leaders.”
According to Koray Rosati, Communication Director for Bynum, “Rep. Bynum knows that her community’s voices aren’t being heard in Washington and she sees Congress playing political games with their livelihoods.”
In Congress, Bynum is focused on delivering practical solutions to address Oregon’s pressing challenges. She said her priorities include creating good-paying jobs, strengthening public education, and lowering the costs of health care, prescription drugs, and housing for working families.
“These issues aren’t exclusive to one party or the other – they affect all of us,” Bynum said. “That’s why I will work with anyone to deliver for this district. The American people need our help, so let’s get to work.”
As Oregon’s 5th District representative, Bynum aims to make government work for everyone, drawing from her time in the state legislature to address systemic challenges and deliver meaningful change.
“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,” said Bynum. “I am proud to be the first, but not the last, Black member of Congress in Oregon.
“But it took all of us working together to flip this seat, and we delivered a win for Oregon,” added Bynum. “We believed in a vision, and we didn’t take our feet off the gas until we accomplished our goals.”
