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For our February Badass Woman Issue, we tasked the Massachusetts Congresswoman, and member of The Squad , to put pen to paper and share her story. In the essay, she reveals what drives her and details the importance of serving our country at this critical moment. An excerpt of her inspiring words are available in the magazine, in stores now, and the whole piece appears below.
My mother, Sandy Pressley, was an activist, an advocate, and an organizer. She didn t raise me to ask permission to lead.
Instead of traditional bedtime stories, my mother told me stories of Black liberation and empowerment. She read me the speeches of Barbara Jordan and Shirley Chisholm. She taught me the words to Lift Every Voice and Sing. She made sure I knew that I was powerful.