In celebration of Black History Month, we are very pleased to announce that US Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland will join us for a keynote address followed by a panel discussion with black female state and local leaders moderated by Former State Representative, Kristine Reeves.
Revisit our event below to listen to these distinguished leaders and learn more about the historical rise of black women leaders in our state and how we can help ensure that their leadership and voices are included at every level of politics and society.
Our guests:
Honorable Marilyn Strickland, US Congresswoman WA-10
T’wina Nobles, WA State Senator LD-28
Debra Entenman, WA State Representative LD-47
Luckisha Phillips, WA School Board Director, FWPS
Aisha Dew, Program & Political Director at Higher Heights for America
Moderator:
Former WA State Representative and CWD Board member, Kristine Reeves
Keynote speaker: Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland proudly represents Washington’s 10th Congressional District, which covers Pierce County, Thurston County and parts of Mason County. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Strickland is the first African-American to represent Washington State at the federal level, and one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress in its 230-year history.
Panelist: T’wina Nobles
Sen. Nobles brings two decades of experience in education and community leadership to her role as vice chair of the Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee as well as vice chair of the Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee. She also sits on the Transportation Committee and the Behavioral Health Subcommittee.
Education has been central to Sen. Nobles’s life. She attended Tacoma Community College before transferring to the University of Puget Sound, where she earned her undergraduate degree as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. She then taught at Stadium High School and Lincoln High School. Since 2016, Sen. Nobles has served on the University Place School Board, where she has worked to make sure every voice is heard and every child succeeds, by focusing on equity, inclusion, and transparency.
Panelist: Representative Debra Entenman
State Representative Debra Entenman is a former non-traditional student who is passionate about education for people of all ages and stages of life. That passion stems from her own experiences, as well as her family’s experiences, in pursuing higher education. As the daughter of a Seattle teacher, Debra believes in helping people reach their goals by advocating for programs that lift families out of hopelessness and enable them to succeed. She benefited from that type of advocacy as an inaugural member of the Seattle/King County Head Start program, where she began her love of education.
Rep. Entenman went back to school after her own children were ready to enter college. At Highline Community College and Seattle University, she studied political science and went on to serve as District Director for Congressman Adam Smith. She was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Renton Technical College in 2015.
Panelist: Luckisha Phillips
Luckisha Phillips has served on the Federal Way Public School Board since October 2018. Ms. Phillips has over 20 years of experience that centers on children and families. She is a working mom, currently teaching in our local community colleges. She has worked mostly in the nonprofit sector with direct service agencies like The Boys and Girls Club, YMCA Children’s Crisis Team, and YWCA Reentry and Reunification. She has also been a teacher in early childhood education classrooms, birth-to-three centers, and special needs classrooms. Her experience will help inform policy work to support children with special needs, children with adverse experiences, and all families trying to navigate the school system.
Panelists: Aisha Dew
Aisha O. Dew is a political strategist whose work has helped secure wins for candidates in over 100 races throughout the country and North Carolina, including the historic election of Vi Lyles as mayor of Charlotte. Dew’s roles have included serving as first vice chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, chair of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party and state director for Bernie Sanders 2016. Nationally, Aisha has worked for Bernie Sanders 2016 African American Outreach, #VOTEPROCHOICE Candidate Engagement and The Movement School training program. She has also served as DNC member and Regional Vice Chair of the South for the Association of Democratic
As political director for Higher Heights for America, Dew develops and implements short and long-term strategies as well as plans to recruit, train and support Black women running for office.
Moderator: Former Representative Kristine Reeves
Kristine grew up the daughter of a single mother who struggled with substance abuse and relied heavily on social services including Head Start and food stamps. In and out of foster care and even homeless at points in her childhood, Kristine’s journey to elected state representative, a Director of Economic Development in the Commerce Department, and happily married mother of two children is a testimony to the value of public education and the critical investment of public-school educators in transforming her life and helping her break the cycle of poverty. The first in her family to graduate from college, Kristine received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Washington State University (Go Cougs!) and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane.