Sabrina Sojourner (born October 23, 1952)
was the
District of Columbia
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
's
Shadow Representative for the at-large district from January 1997 until 1999. Serving as the third individual in the position, preceded by
John Capozzi
John James Capozzi, Jr. (born 1956) is an American politician who served as Shadow U.S. Representative for the District of Columbia between 1995 and 1997 and was a member of the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee for 17 years.
Pol ...
. She served a single term as Shadow Representative, not seeking reelection in 1999. Sojourner is a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
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*Botswana Democratic Party
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.
Unlike the
non-voting delegate seat, held by representative
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton (born June 13, 1937) is an American lawyer and politician serving as a delegate to the United States House of Representatives, representing the District of Columbia since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Ea ...
, the position was created on behalf of the District of Columbia's government and thus is not recognized by the United States Congress. Sojourner was elected to the seat in 1997 at 83% of the vote.
Political History
Prior to her election as D.C. Shadow Representative Sojourner formerly served as an aide to Congresswoman
Maxine Waters
Maxine Moore Waters (née Carr; born August 15, 1938) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1991. The district, numbered as the 29th district from 1991 to 1993 and as the 35th district from 1993 to 2013, inc ...
. Sojourner had also held leadership positions within the
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...
, serving as a lobbyist promoting women's issues.
Sojourner's congressional history primarily focused on gay and lesbian participation in the military, substance abuse, civil rights, police brutality, education, and domestic violence. She also focused on HIV/AIDS support for affected individuals in the D.C area. Sojourner's main duty as D.C.'s sole Shadow Representative was to lobby congress in passing full federal representation for the District, citing the
Tennessee Plan as evidence to elevate the status of D.C.'s citizens.
Personal life
Sojourner is an open member of the LGBT community, who
came out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
in 1976.
Previously married when she was 18, and having a single son, Sojourner was subject to physical abuse by her former husband before they separated two years later.
She currently lives with her domestic partner Letitia Gomez. Sojourner also served as an author and poet, writing a poetry collection titled ''Psychic Scars and Other Mad Thoughts''.
Electoral history
See also
*
Shadow congressperson
The posts of shadow United States senator and shadow United States representative are held by elected or appointed government officials from subnational polities of the United States that lack congressional vote. While these officials are not ...
*
Political party strength in Washington, D.C.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sojourner, Sabrina
1952 births
Living people
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American women politicians
African-American women in politics
Lesbian politicians
LGBT African Americans
United States shadow representatives from the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C., Democrats
20th-century African-American women
20th-century African-American politicians
21st-century African-American people
21st-century African-American women
20th-century LGBT people