Question: Who is Cori Bush?

Answer:

She is many things, but let me start by saying that when I discovered her earlier today, I realized she is America itself. Ms. Bush is a black woman who has risen from homelessness and a career as a nurse to being the first of her kind to represent her home State of Missouri in Congress. She has already brought a strong message enshrined in grace and humility that seeks to teach and to heal within what has been a hostile environment. Her experience as a healing force was apparent in her response to the following:

Some of her new fellow Congress members mistook her for Breonna Taylor, and called her by that name, because she was wearing a face mask that honored this martyr of Black Lives Matter. Ms. Bush did not run for Congress to have her own name celebrated, but was stunned to be mistaken in this way. She ran for Congress, at least in part, to make sure that licentious killing of people like herself would be mitigated by justice. She is now using the mistaking of her identity to teach other legislators who Breonna Taylor is, turning the hurtfulness of this initial experience into an educational and healing opportunity.

Breonna Taylor, whose name so many chanted over the Summer, was an award winning EMT, serving her community, when she was shot dead by police intruders, who had mistakenly broken into her apartment. The demand of protestors to ‘Say her name!’ was a call for justice and a respect for human life, just as the protests were, that emerged from seeing George Floyd murdered in broad daylight. Ms. Bush was already steeped in the cause to save black men from unjust killing. She began her journey of justice after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. Ms. Bush embodies both a deep history and a present urgency for black women to help bend the arc of America’s trajectory more towards justice. She comes at a cathartic moment in our country's history, where her experience in advocating for Black Lives, will now have a positive impact on all American’s lives. She will be part of enabling America, in truer, more just sense, to LIVE ON.

Say their names, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, and Cory Bush, Congresswoman, Missouri, 1st District.