INTERVIEW BY SOPHIE LOVERING.
Photograph provided by the Washington Post.
ADRIENNE A. JONES, SPEAKER OF THE MARYLAND HOUSE OF DELEGATES
On her place of special meaning: When I became Speaker, the first session was January of 2019. February tenth, we dedicated the former House Chamber, which was the place where slavery was abolished in Maryland back in 1864, and we had the Harriet Tubman statue. We dedicated it February tenth, so about a month after I became the first African American woman speaker. So, it has some historical significance with me being the first, historical significance to Harriet Tubman in terms of what she had achieved, and the fact that it was in the former House Chamber which is not too far from our existing one. So the parallels in terms of the history and time, I thought that was significant.
“[Shirley Chisholm] had many expressions, but a lot of times people remember: ‘If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.’”
On entering politics: I’m what I call an accidental politician—I don’t like the word politician—elected official. I started as a member of the Democratic Central Committee. Just like a lot of women, I also helped in everybody else’s campaign. By being on the Central Committee, when one of the delegates in the tenth legislative district passed away, I was asked to apply for her seat…it wasn’t actually that I sought it. And this is the message that I give to young ladies, and young boys too: you never know when circumstances present themselves. I had no idea, but I knew I liked public service…the second would be, I would say: you never know who is watching you.
“I try to give people the best fit so they can be successful, in terms of our members.”