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My Stolen Diaries – Chapter 19: The Boot

Teri's Novelog — My Stolen Diaries, , , , ,

CHAPTER 19

THE BOOT

April 1965

It’s been almost three months since Mem gave Steve the boot, Roberto gave Mom the boot, and Mom gave me the boot, or should I say the broom. But Mom won’t stop telling Mem that everyone got the boot because of me. Except, of course, Adam, because he’s almost dead, so there’s no way he’s getting the boot except from God.

Since I’m not allowed to go to Steve’s Market, and Adam is sicker than ever, I’ve spent most of my time at the Bridgeport Library.

I’m also not allowed to go to Father Panik Village, so Yolanda meets me at the library and helps me hide Rib in an old purse of Mem’s, so he can come with us.

We don’t have library cards which means Yolanda and I never get to the end of the books we like because we must leave them behind. I hope to apply for a library card soon because I’d like to finish just one of them, but I need an adult sponsor.

The first couple of times we went, I was paranoid that the librarian was watching us because of Rib, but Yolanda said it was because I was with a girl with black skin. I think it’s sad that the librarian is way more interested in why I’m with black-skinned Yolanda than the dog in Mem’s purse.

Rib is only three pounds, and Mem says that’s as big as he’ll ever get, which is excellent for me because I get to take him everywhere, and because he’s so tiny, no one even knows he exists, which in Rib’s case is a good thing.

Speaking of not existing, Mom still hasn’t heard one word from Roberto since I shoved my stupid face out the window. And she still hasn’t forgiven me for it, even though I make her bed every day and do all the chores she’s supposed to do, like vacuuming, dusting, and taking out the garbage.

My birthday was a bust because Mom refused to participate. Mem and Mere Germaine took me for a birthday celebration at Valley Farm Drive-In on Boston Avenue. I had a hot dog with the works, and Mem and Mere Germaine shared a meatball grinder, but Mom never showed up. When I cried to Mem, Mere Germaine told me that Mom’s heart was healing and to give her some space and time.

Mere Germaine still lives in Samir’s apartment, although I haven’t seen him since he punched out Uncle Luke. You could say Uncle Luke also got the boot, but with a fist to the face instead.

And just to let you know, I check the kitchen cupboard from time to time for any new newspaper articles about my dad, and there are plenty of them, so I’m sure he’s another man that I won’t be seeing anytime soon.

Based on his law-breaking behavior, he’s the only one who deserves to get the boot, although I hope the police don’t shoot him in the head like they did to his friend Anthony.

Maybe Mem is right when she says that all men should get the boot — except for Adam, who, according to Mem, is one-of-a-kind and not like other men. When I asked Mem about Nick, she said only time would tell whether he should get the boot.

I try to bring up Steve to Mem because I miss him terribly, but she’s stubborn and says he got the boot because he wouldn’t stop bad-mouthing Adam. Without Steve, we’re back to chopped meat, hotdogs, and liver, plus no more free cigarettes for Mom and Mem.

Mom is still dating Nick, but I can see his frustration. Nick knows Mom doesn’t love him because he told me so himself. When I asked him why he was wasting time with her, he said he still had hope.

If you ask me, I think his situation is hopeless because Mom cries every day over Roberto, so I’m all but certain that Nick will be the next one to get the boot.

Click here for Chapter 20: Help!

My Stolen Diaries – Chapter 18: The Secret Is Out

Teri's Novelog — My Stolen Diaries, , , , , ,

CHAPTER 18

THE SECRET IS OUT

January 1965

I should have never taken the chance that Roberto might see me at Mem’s window, but I was sick and tired of worrying about some guy I didn’t know. Plus, I was boiling mad at Mom for refusing to tell Roberto about me, and deep down, I wanted to punish her.

So late last night, when I saw the bright lights outside, I knew that Roberto was dropping off Mom, and I decided to take my chances at Mem’s window. Mem was busy on the sewing machine at the other end of the apartment, so I snuck a quick peek.

As I peeped out from the bottom right corner of the window, a cockroach ran out from under Mem’s bed, making me jump around and scream like a banshee.

That was the stupidest thing I could have done because Roberto looked up and saw me! I quickly dropped to the floor despite the cockroach. A few minutes later, I heard the kitchen door open and loudly slammed shut.

“Where is she? I’m gonna kill her,” Mom yelled out from the kitchen. I crawled under the bed, praying there weren’t more cockroaches, but from the sounds coming out of Mom, I was safer with the bugs.

Mom was screaming and swearing, and Mem warned her to stay away from me. Mom came into the bedroom with a broom and kept stabbing me under the bed with the bristles. It was painful, and I was crying. Mem tried to pull Mom away and threatened to call Mere Germaine on her if she didn’t calm herself down.

Then Mom dropped to the bedroom floor, sobbing. “Roberto saw Tony at the window. She did this on purpose. Roberto called me a distrustful liar and broke up with me. That Tony of yours is pure evil, and I wish she was never born.”

Mem responded by reminding Mom that I was her kid and not Mem’s and that I could hear every word she was saying. Mem warned Mom that she would regret her words later. “The only thing I regret is having that brat,” she yelled as she picked herself up off the floor and slammed the back door as she left.

Mem ordered me out from under her bed. When I crawled out, I was covered head to toe with blood pricks from the broom bristles. My bleeding body stung, but not as much as Mom’s ugly words.

Mem stayed quiet. She put me in the bath to clean off the blood and removed some broom bristles stuck in my hair and scalp.

Then Mem called Mere Germaine to ask what she should do because it wasn’t safe for Mom to be outside in the dark. Mere Germaine said she was walking over to our apartment, which was a very long walk, so Mem begged her not to come. But Mere Germaine said she was on her way.

I hated myself for what I had done, but there was nothing I could do to change the situation. If it weren’t for Mom refusing to tell Roberto about me, none of this would have happened.

When Mere Germaine finally showed up, Mem ran outside to look for Mom. Before Mem left, Mere Germaine told her to take a can of Raid with her so if anyone tried to hurt her or Mom, she could spray it in their eyes.

I told Mere Germaine what happened, and she scolded me but held me tight while gently patting my still-bleeding arms and legs with her dainty needle-pointed handkerchief as I cried uncontrollably in her lap.

She put me to bed and told me not to move a muscle. “When your mother gets home, you pretend to be asleep, tu comprends?” Oh, I understood, all right.

Soon after, I heard Mem and Mom come into the apartment. Mom was still sobbing hysterically and telling Mem and Mere Germaine that she couldn’t take me anymore.

“If it wasn’t for her,” she cried to Mem, “my life would be so much easier. All of our lives would be easier.”

Mere Germaine was quiet, but Mem said, “How can you say such a thing? She’s a child. Your child.”

“Tony just had to put her ugly, scrawny face on the window. How many times have I told her not to do it? She ruined everything. We will never get out of here now, thanks to her. Roberto demanded to know who the kid was. This is not how I wanted him to find out about her. He’ll never speak to me again; I just know it.”

Mem and Mere Germaine did their best to calm her crying fit, but she wailed away for hours. That’s what Mom gets for being a big fat liar.

Mom’s words were way more painful than the stabbing she gave me with the broom, but getting Roberto out of our lives was worth the pain of all of it, and given a chance, I would do it again and again and again.

Click here for Chapter 19: The Boot

Current Members of the U.S. House of Representatives

Politics, , , ,

[Updated as of 8/8/24]

If we’ve learned anything from the 2022 elections, it’s that political complacency is no longer an option. And to effect change, there is no need to look any further than your own legislative backyards.

Elections for the 118th United States House of Representatives were held on November 8, 2022, and since they serve two-year terms, all 435 will be up for reelection on 11/5/24.

Republicans currently have a razor-thin cushion (219-213) leaving Speaker Mike Johnson little room for error as he attempts to steer the party’s conservative agenda through the second half of the 118th Congress with a deeply divided conference.

In the House of Representatives, the majority party holds significant power to draft chamber rules and schedule bills to reach the floor for debate and voting.

The House is charged with the passage of federal legislation, otherwise known as bills, which, after concurrence by the Senate, are sent to the President for consideration.

The House also has the exclusive power to initiate bills for raising revenue, impeach officials, and choose the President in the event that a presidential candidate fails to get a majority of the Electoral College votes.

Under Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution, in the House of Representatives, a state’s representation is based on its population as measured by the U.S. Census.

The Constitution does not provide for the representation of the District of Columbia or the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marina Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, although each is represented by one non-voting delegate. They have a voice on the floor but have no voting power.

To run for House of Representatives, he or she must be at least 25 years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and, at the time of the election, be a resident of the state they represent. Members are not required to live in the district they represent, but they traditionally do.

To contact your Representative, click here.

Below is the complete list of the 118th United States House of Representatives by political party and State:

DEMOCRATS

Alabama (District 7): Terri Sewell

Alaska (At Large):  Mary Peltola

Arizona (District 3): Ruben Gallego (Retiring to run for Senate)

Arizona (District 4): Greg Stanton

Arizona (District 7): Raul Grijalva

California (District 2): Jared Huffman

California (District 4): Mike Thompson

California (District 6): Ami Berra

California (District 7): Doris Matsui

California (District 8): John Garamendi

California (District 9): Josh Harder

California (District 10): Mark DeSaulnier

California (District 11): Nancy Pelosi

California (District 12): Barbara Lee (Retiring to run for Senate but she was defeated in the March Senate primary)

California (District 14): Eric Swalwell

California (District 15): Kevin Mullin

California (District 16): Anna Eshoo (Retiring)

California (District 17): Ro Khanna

California (District 18): Zoe Lofgren

California (District 19): Jimmy Panetta

California (District 21): Jim Costa

California (District 24): Salud Carbajal

California (District 25): Raul Ruiz

California (District 26): Julia Brownley

California (District 28): Judy Chu

California (District 29): Tony Cardenas (Retiring)

California (District 30): Adam Schiff (Retiring to run for Senate)

California (District 31): Grace Napolitano (Retiring)

California (District 32): Brad Sherman

California (District 33): Pete Aguilar

California (District 34): Jimmy Gomez

California (District 35): Norma Torres

California (District 36): Ted Lieu

California (District 37): Sydney Kamlager

California (District 38): Linda Sanchez

California (District 39): Mark Takano

California (District 42): Robert Garcia

California (District 43): Maxine Waters

California (District 44): Nanette Barragan

California (District 46): Luis Correa

California (District 47): Katie Porter (Retiring to run for Senate, but she was defeated in the March Senate primary)

California (District 49): Mike Levin

California (District 50): Scott Peters

California (District 51): Sara Jacobs

California (District 52): Juan Vargas

Colorado (District 1): Diana DeGette

Colorado (District 2): Joe Neguse

Colorado (District 6): Jason Crow

Colorado (District 7): Brittany Pettersen

Colorado (District 8): Yadira Caraveo

Connecticut (District 1): John B. Larson

Connecticut (District 2): Joe Courtney

Connecticut (District 3): Rosa DeLauro

Connecticut (District 4): Jim Hines

Connecticut (District 5): Jahana Hayes

Delaware (At Large): Lisa Blunt Rochester

Florida (District 9): Darren Soto

Florida (District 10): Maxwell Frost

Florida (District 14): Kathy Castor

Florida (District 20): Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Florida (District 22): Lois Frankel

Florida (District 23): Jared Moscowitz

Florida (District 24): Frederica Wilson

Florida (District 25): Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Georgia (District 2): Sanford Bishop, Jr.

Georgia (District 4): Hank Johnson

Georgia (District 5): Nikema Williams

Georgia (District 7): Lucy McBath

Georgia (District 13): David Scott

Hawaii (District 1): Ed Case

Hawaii (District 2): Jill Tokuda

Illinois (District 1): Jonathan Jackson

Illinois (District 2): Robin Kelly

Illinois (District 3): Della Ramirez

Illinois (District 4): Jesus “Chuy” Garcia

Illinois (District 5): Mike Quigley

Illinois (District 6): Sean Casten

Illinois (District 7): Danny K. Davis

Illinois (District 8): Raja Krishnamoorthi

Illinois (District 9): Jan Schakowsky

Illinois (District 10): Brad Schneider

Illinois (District 11): Bill Foster

Illinois (District 13): Nikki Budzinski

Illinois (District 14): Lauren Underwood

Illinois (District 17): Eric Sorensen

Indiana (District 1): Frank J. Mrvan

Indiana (District 7): Andre Carson

Iowa (District 3): Cindy Axne

Kansas (District 3): Sharice Davids

Kentucky (District 3): Morgan McGarvey

Louisiana (District 2): Troy Carter

Maine (District 1): Chellie Pingree

Maine (District 2): Jared Golden

Maryland (District 2): Dutch Ruppersberger

Maryland (District 3): John Sarbanes (Retiring)

Maryland (District 4): Glenn Ivey

Maryland (District 5): Steny Hoyer

Maryland (District 6): David Trone

Maryland (District 7): Kweisi Mfume

Maryland (District 8): Jamie Raskin

Massachusetts (District 1): Richard Neal

Massachusetts (District 2): Jim McGovern

Massachusetts (District 3): Lori Trahan

Massachusetts (District 4): Jake Auchincloss

Massachusetts (District 5): Katherine Clark

Massachusetts (District 6): Seth Moulton

Massachusetts (District 7): Ayanna Pressley

Massachusetts (District 8): Stephen F. Lynch

Massachusetts (District 9): Bill Keating

Michigan (District 3): Hillary Scholten

Michigan (District 6): Debbie Dingel

Michigan (District 7): Elissa Slotkin

Michigan (District 8): Daniel Kildee (Retiring)

Michigan (District 11): Haley Stevens

Michigan (District 12): Rashida Tlaib

Michigan (District 13): Shri Thanedar

Michigan (District 14): Brenda Lawrence

Minnesota (District 2): Angie Craig

Minnesota (District 3): Dean Phillips

Minnesota (District 4): Betty McCollum

Minnesota (District 5): Ilan Omar

Mississippi (District 2): Bennie Thompson

Missouri (District 1): Cori Bush (Defeated in the primary)

Missouri (District 5): Emanuel Cleaver

Nevada (District 1): Dina Titus

Nevada (District 3): Susie Lee

Nevada (District 4): Steven Horsford

New Hampshire (District 1): Chris Pappas

New Hampshire (District 2): Ann McLane Kuster

New Jersey (District 1): Donald Norcross

New Jersey (District 3): Andy Kim

New Jersey (District 5): Josh Gottheimer

New Jersey (District 6): Frank Pallone, Jr.

New Jersey (District 8): Robert Menendez

New Jersey (District 9): Bill Pascrell, Jr.

New Jersey (District 10): Donald Payne, Jr.

New Jersey (District 11): Mikie Sherill

New Jersey (District 12): Bonnie Watson Coleman

New Mexico (District 1): Melanie Stansbury

New Mexico (District 2): Gabriel Vasquez

New Mexico (District 3): Teresa Leger Fernandez

New York (District 3): Tom Suozzi

New York (District 5): Gregory Meeks

New York (District 6): Grace Meng

New York (District 7): Nydia Velazquez

New York (District 8): Hakeem Jeffries

New York (District 9): Yvette Clarke

New York (District 10): Dan Goldman

New York (District 12): Jerrold Nadler

New York (District 13): Adriano Espaillat

New York (District 14): Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

New York (District 15): Ritchie Torres

New York (District 16): Jamaal Bowman (Defeated in the primary)

New York (District 18): Pat Ryan

New York (District 20): Paul Tonko

New York (District 25): Joseph Morelle

New York (District 26): Timothy Kennedy

North Carolina (District 1): Don Davis

North Carolina (District 2): Deborah K. Ross

North Carolina (District 4): Valerie Foushee

North Carolina (District 6): Kathy Manning

North Carolina (District 12): Alma Adams

North Carolina (District 13): Wiley Nickel (Retiring)

North Carolina (District 14): Jeff Jackson

Ohio (District 1): Greg Landsman

Ohio (District 3): Joyce Beatty

Ohio (District 9): Marcy Kaptur

Ohio (District 11): Shontel Brown

Ohio (District 13): Emilia Sykes

Oregon (District 1): Suzanne Bonamici

Oregon (District 3) Earl Blumenauer (Retiring)

Oregon (District 4): Val Hoyle

Oregon (District 6): Andrea Salinas

Pennsylvania (District 2): Brendan Boyle

Pennsylvania (District 3): Dwight Evans

Pennsylvania (District 4): Madeleine Dean

Pennsylvania (District 5): Mary Gay Scanlon

Pennsylvania (District 6): Chrissy Houlahan

Pennsylvania (District 7): Susan Wild

Pennsylvania (District 8): Matt Cartwright

Pennsylvania (District 12): Summer Lee

Pennsylvania (District 17): Chris Deluzio

Rhode Island (District 1): Gabe Amo

Rhode Island (District 2): Seth Magaziner

South Carolina (District 6): Jim Clyburn

Tennessee (District 9): Steve Cohen

Texas (District 7): Lizzie Fletcher

Texas (District 9): Al Green

Texas (District 16): Veronica Escobar

Texas (District 18): Sheila Jackson Lee (Passed away in July, 2024)

Texas (District 20): Joaquin Castro

Texas (District 28): Henry Cuellar

Texas (District 29): Sylvia Garcia

Texas (District 30): Jasmine Crockett

Texas (District 32): Colin Allred

Texas (District 33): Marc Veasey

Texas (District 34): Vincente Gonzalez

Texas (District 35): Greg Casar

Texas (District 37): Lloyd Doggett

Vermont (At Large): Becca Balint

Virginia (District 3): Bobby Scott

Virginia (District 4): Jennifer McClellan

Virginia (District 7): Abigail Spanberger (Retiring to run for Governor)

Virginia (District 8): Don Beyer

Virginia (District 10): Jennifer Wexton (Retiring)

Virginia (District 11): Gerry Connolly

Washington (District 1): Suzan DelBene

Washington (District 2): Rick Larsen

Washington (District 3): Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Washington (District 6): Derek Kilmer (Retiring)

Washington (District 7): Pramila Jayapal

Washington (District 8): Kim Schrier

Washington (District 9): Adam Smith

Washington (District 10): Marilyn Strickland

Wisconsin (District 2): Mark Pocan

Wisconsin (District 4): Gwen Moore

REPUBLICANS

Alabama (District 1): Jerry Carl

Alabama (District 2): Barry Moore

Alabama (District 3): Mike Rogers

Alabama (District 4): Robert Aderholt

Alabama (District 5): Dale Strong

Alabama (District 6): Gary Palmer

Arizona (District 1): David Schweikert

Arizona (District 2): Eli Crane

Arizona (District 5) Andy Biggs

Arizona (District 6): Juan Ciscomani

Arizona (District 8): Debbie Lesko (Retiring)

Arizona (District 9): Paul Gosar

Arkansas (District 1): Rick Crawford

Arkansas (District 2): French Hill

Arkansas (District 3): Steve Womack

Arkansas (District 4): Bruce Westerman

California (District 1): Doug LaMalfa

California (District 3): Kevin Kiley

California (District 5): Tom McClintock

California (District 13): John Duarte

California (District 20): Vince Fong

California (District 22): David Valadao

California (District 23): Jay Obernolte

California (District 27): Mike Garcia

California (District 40): Kim Young

California (District 41): Ken Calvert

California (District 45): Michelle Steel

California (District 48): Darrell Issa

Colorado (District 3): Lauren Boebert (Leaving District 3 and running for District 4)

Colorado (District 4): Ken Buck (Retiring on 3/22)

Colorado (District 5): Doug Lamborn

Florida (District 1): Matt Gaetz

Florida (District 2): Neal Dunn

Florida (District 3): Kat Cammack

Florida (District 4): Aaron Bean

Florida (District 5): John Rutherford

Florida (District 6): Michael Waltz

Florida (District 7): Cory Mills

Florida (District 8): Bill Posey

Florida (District 11): Daniel Webster

Florida (District 12): Gus Bilirakis

Florida (District 13): Anna Paulina Luna

Florida (District 15): Laurel Lee

Florida (District 16): Vern Buchanan

Florida (District 17): Greg Steube

Florida (District 18): Scott Franklin

Florida (District 19): Byron Donalds

Florida (District 21): Brian Mast

Florida (District 26): Mario Diaz-Balart

Florida (District 27): Maria Elvira Salazar

Florida (District 28): Carlos Gimenez

Georgia (District 1): Buddy Carter

Georgia (District 3): Drew Ferguson

Georgia (District 6): Rich McCormick

Georgia (District 8): Austin Scott

Georgia (District 9): Andrew Clyde

Georgia (District 10): Mike Collins

Georgia (District 11): Barry Loudermilk

Georgia (District 12): Rick W. Allen

Georgia (District 14): Marjorie Taylor Greene

Idaho (District 1): Russ Fulcher

Idaho (District 2): Mike Simpson

Illinois (District 12): Mike Bost

Illinois (District 15): Mary Miller

Illinois (District 16): Darin LaHood

Indiana (District 2): Jackie Walorski

Indiana (District 3): Jim Banks

Indiana (District 4): Jim Baird

Indiana (District 5): Victoria Spartz (Retiring)

Indiana (District 6): Greg Pence

Indiana (District 8): Larry Bucshon

Indiana (District 9): Trey Hollingsworth

Iowa (District 1): Ashley Hinson

Iowa (District 2): Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Iowa (District 4): Randy Feenstra

Kansas (District 1): Tracey Mann

Kansas: (District 2): Jake LaTurner

Kansas: (District 4): Ron Estes

Kentucky (District 1): James Comer

Kentucky (District 2): Brett Guthrie

Kentucky (District 4): Thomas Massie

Kentucky (District 5): Hal Rogers

Kentucky (District 6): Andy Barr

Louisiana (District 1): Steve Scalise

Louisiana (District 3): Clay Higgins

Louisiana (District 4): Mike Johnson

Louisiana (District 5): Julia Letlow

Louisiana (District 6): Garret Graves

Maryland (District 1): Andy Harris

Michigan (District 1): Jack Bergman

Michigan (District 2): John Moolenaar

Michigan (District 4): Bill Huizenga

Michigan (District 5): Tim Walberg

Michigan (District 9): Lisa McClain

Michigan (District 10): John James

Minnesota (District 1): Brad Finstad

Minnesota (District 6): Tom Emmer

Minnesota (District 7): Michelle Fischbach

Minnesota (District 8): Pete Stauber

Mississippi (District 1): Trent Kelly

Mississippi (District 3): Michael Guest

Mississippi (District 4): Mike Ezell

Missouri (District 2): Ann Wagner

Missouri (District 3): Blaine Luetkemeyer

Missouri (District 4): Mark Alford

Missouri (District 6): Sam Graves

Missouri (District 7): Eric Burlison

Missouri (District 8): Jason Smith

Montana (District 1): Ryan Zinke

Montana (District 2): Matt Rosendale (Not running for re-election)

Nebraska (District 1): Mike Flood

Nebraska (District 2): Don Bacon

Nebraska (District 3): Adrian Smith

Nevada (District 2): Mark Amodei

New Jersey (District 2): Jeff Van Drew

New Jersey (District 4): Chris Smith

New Jersey (District 7): Thomas Kean, Jr.

New York (District 1): Nicholas LaLota

New York (District 2): Andrew Garbarino

New York (District 4): Anthony D’Esposito

New York (District 11): Nicole Malliotakis

New York (District 17): Michael Lawler

New York (District 19): Marcus Molinaro

New York (District 21): Elise Stefanik

New York (District 22): Brandon Williams

New York (District 23): Nick Langworthy

New York (District 24): Claudia Tenney

New York (District 27): Chris Jacobs

North Carolina (District 3): Greg Murphy

North Carolina (District 5): Virginia Foxx

North Carolina (District 7): David Rouzer

North Carolina (District 8): Dan Bishop

North Carolina (District 9): Richard Hudson

North Carolina (District 10): Patrick McHenry (Retiring)

North Carolina (District 11): Chuck Edwards

North Dakota (At Large): Kelly Armstrong

Ohio (District 2): Brad Wenstrup (Retiring)

Ohio (District 4): Jim Jordan

Ohio (District 5): Bob Latta

Ohio (District 6): Michael Rulli

Ohio (District 7): Max Miller

Ohio (District 8): Warren Davidson

Ohio (District 10): Mike Turner

Ohio (District 12): Troy Balderson

Ohio (District 14): David Joyce

Ohio (District 15): Mike Carey

Oklahoma (District 1): Kevin Hern

Oklahoma (District 2): Josh Brecheen

Oklahoma (District 3): Frank Lucas

Oklahoma (District 4): Tom Cole

Oklahoma (District 5): Stephanie Bice

Oregon (District 2): Cliff Bentz

Oregon (District 5): Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Pennsylvania (District 1): Brian Fitzpatrick

Pennsylvania (District 9): Dan Meuser

Pennsylvania (District 10): Scott Perry

Pennsylvania (District 11): Lloyd Smucker

Pennsylvania (District 13): John Joyce

Pennsylvania (District 14): Guy Reschenthaler

Pennsylvania (District 15): Glenn Thompson

Pennsylvania (District 16): Mike Kelly

South Carolina (District 1): Nancy Mace

South Carolina (District 2): Joe Wilson

South Carolina (District 3): Jeff Duncan (Retiring)

South Carolina (District 4): William Timmons

South Carolina (District 5): Ralph Norman

South Carolina (District 7): Russell Fry

South Dakota (At Large): Dusty Johnson

Tennessee (District 1): Diana Harshbarger

Tennessee (District 2): Tim Burchett

Tennessee (District 3): Chuck Fleischmann

Tennessee (District 4): Scott DesJarlais

Tennessee (District 5): Andy Ogles

Tennessee (District 6): John Rose

Tennessee (District 7): Mark E. Green

Tennessee (District 8): David Kustoff

Texas (District 1): Nathaniel Moran

Texas (District 2): Dan Crenshaw

Texas (District 3): Ken Self

Texas (District 4): Pat Fallon

Texas (District 5): Lance Gooden

Texas (District 6): Jake Ellzey

Texas (District 8): Morgan Luttrell

Texas (District 10): Michael McCaul

Texas (District 11): August Pfluger

Texas (District 12): Kay Granger (Retiring)

Texas (District 13): Ronny Jackson

Texas (District 14): Randy Weber

Texas (District 17): Pete Sessions

Texas (District 19): Jodey Arrington

Texas (District 21): Chip Roy

Texas (District 22): Troy Nehls

Texas (District 23): Tony Gonzales

Texas (District 24): Beth Van Duyne

Texas (District 25): Roger Williams

Texas (District 26): Michael Burgess (Retiring)

Texas (District 27): Michael Cloud

Texas (District 31): John Carter

Texas (District 36): Brian Babin

Texas (District 38): Wesley Hunt

Utah (District 1): Blake Moore

Utah (District 2): Chris Stewart (Retiring)

Utah (District 3): John Curtis

Utah (District 4): Burgess Owens

Virginia (District 1): Rob Wittman

Virginia (District 2): Jen Kiggans

Virginia (District 5): Bob Good

Virginia (District 6): Ben Cline

Virginia (District 9): Morgan Griffith

Washington (District 4): Dan Newhouse

Washington (District 5): Cathy McMorris Rodgers

West Virginia (District 1): Carol Miller

West Virginia (District 2): Alex Mooney

Wisconsin (District 1): Bryan Steil

Wisconsin (District 3): Derrick Van Orden

Wisconsin (District 5): Scott Fitzgerald

Wisconsin (District 6): Glenn Grothman

Wisconsin (District 7): Tom Tiffany

Wisconsin (District 8): Mike Gallagher (Retiring)

Wyoming (At Large): Harriet Hageman

DELEGATES (They have a voice on the floor but no voting power.)

American Samoa: (Republican) Amata Coleman Radewagen

District of Columbia: (Democrat) Eleanor Holmes Norton

Guam: (Republican) James Moylan

Northern Mariana Islands: (Democrat) Gregorio Sablan

Puerto Rico: (Republican) Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon

U.S. Virgin Islands: (Democrat) Stacey Plaskett

* Cherokee Nation Delegate pending: Since the 116th Congress, the legislature has refused to act on seating the Cherokee Nation delegate-elect Kimberly Teehee (Democrat), nominated in August 2019. Teehee remains unseated as of September 2022, when the Cherokee Nation government reiterated their insistence that Congress seat her.

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Obituaries

Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 — an Aries, like me.

In June of 1973, my roommate at Delta Flight Attendant training school in Atlanta, Georgia, was a Black woman from Chicago, Illinois. Our training only lasted six weeks, but our friendship spanned several years.

I don’t remember her name, but I’ll never forget the secret she shared with me.

As a result, I shared my secret with her as well.

The Christmas following our Delta graduation, she gave me Maya Angelou’s book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Maya Angelou was raped at seven years old — her attacker was dating her mother back then. Maya eventually told her brother about the attack, who subsequently informed their mother. And lucky for Maya, her mother reported it to the police.

Her rapist was found guilty but spent just one day in jail. Immediately after his release, he was found kicked to death.

Some might be appalled by what I think, but in my mind, justice was served as best as it could be.

Upon learning of her rapist’s death, Maya refused to speak for nearly five years, thinking that her saying his name had killed him. Oh, if it were only true for all of us.

In the five years that she was intentionally mute, she depended solely on her listening and observing skills, to which I can relate.

Growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, my Franco-American grandmother taught me that kids are to be seen but never heard. When my grandmother didn’t want me to know what she was saying, she spoke to my mother and great-grandmother in French.

As a result, I became adept at listening, observing, and translating conversational French into English.

It was Angelou’s teacher, Bertha Flowers, who helped her regain her voice, and the rest is poetic history.

Over the years, Angelou’s words have been an enormous comfort and continue to resonate deep within me.

Here are some of my favorite words Maya Angelou taught me to live by:

“There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you.”

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song.”

“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.”

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”

“Every storm runs out of rain.”

“Hate: It has caused a lot of problems in the world but has not solved one yet.”

“You may shoot me with your words; you may cut me with your eyes; you may kill me with your hatefulness; but still, like air; I’ll rise.”

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.”

“We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders.”

“I learned a long time ago, the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side.”

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”

“If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

“When you know you are of worth — not asking it but knowing it — you walk into a room with a particular power.”

“If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”

“The idea of overcoming is always fascinating to me. It’s fascinating because few of us realize how much energy we have expended just to be here today. I don’t think we give ourselves enough credit for the overcoming.”

“I sustain myself with the love of family.”

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.”

“You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it…”

“I am a Woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, that’s me.”