Rashida Tlaib, the unapologetic congresswoman

We crush on those that crush, and right now, we’re enamored by the grit, perseverance and courage of Rashida Tlaib, the unapologetic congresswoman. Rashida has been breaking barriers her whole life. She made history as the first Muslim woman ever elected to the Michigan Legislature, one of the first two Muslim women in the U.S. Congress, and the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress.

Throughout her time in office, she’s focused on helping her community get through everyday challenges, while holding corporate polluters and billionaires accountable for taking advantage of the communities she represents. 

In her community of Detroit, she was taught to speak truth to power, even if her voice shakes. As a long-time activist, Rashida partners with grassroots groups on the ground to help craft policy and make a difference in her constituents’ lives today.

A sliver of Rashida’s accomplishments:

• Created Neighborhood Service Centers in the district, which help people with college debt, veterans’ services, immigration issues, and Social Security benefits, as well as help fight for access to healthcare and housing issues. 

• Helped raise over $360,000 for U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, including over $126,000 for local community-based organizations providing food and other essential resources to her district’s residents. This includes raising over $21,000 to bail out Michigan mothers on Mothers’ Day—people who were stuck in jail simply because they could not afford to pay cash bail.

• Helped create a fund totaling $1.1 billion to stop water shutoffs during the pandemic.
  
  
• Her first bill passed and signed into law in Congress was the Payee Fraud Prevention Act, putting an end to fraudulent scams targeting vulnerable retirees and their pensions. 

Rashida is an example of what could be accomplished if leaders took their roles seriously for what they truly are: public servants.

And for that, she will forever be a Fat Crush.

Follow Rashida on Instagram @rashidatlaib and @reprashida

Learn more about Rashias work on her site here.