Liz Miranda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liz Miranda
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| Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the 2nd Suffolk district |
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| Assumed office January 5, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Sonia Chang-Díaz |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 5th Suffolk district |
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| In office January 2, 2019 – January 4, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Evandro Carvalho |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Worrell |
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| Born | June 29, 1981 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Nationality | Cape Verdean, American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Wellesley College |
Elizabeth Miranda (born June 29, 1981) is an American politician and community organizer. She has Cape Verdean heritage. She is currently a state senator for Massachusetts. She represents the Massachusetts Senate's 2nd Suffolk district.
Before becoming a state senator, Liz Miranda was a state representative. She served the Fifth Suffolk district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. This district includes parts of the Dorchester and Roxbury areas of Boston. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. This group works to support the interests of Black and Latino communities.
Liz Miranda has helped pass important laws. These laws aim to improve health for Black mothers. She also worked on laws for environmental justice, which means making sure everyone has a healthy environment. She was a main writer for a big law about police reform in 2021. In 2021, Boston Magazine named her "Best Politician." Progressive Massachusetts also called her "Progressive Legislator of the Year."
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Early Life and Education
Liz Miranda was born on June 29, 1981, in Roxbury, Boston. Her mother was still in high school when Liz was born. This led her mother to leave school and work to support their family.
Liz Miranda went to the John D. O'Bryant High School of Math & Science in Roxbury. From 1998 to 2002, she attended Wellesley College. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there. Her studies focused on Africana studies and urban studies.
She began her work helping communities as a teenager. She was an organizer with the Nubian Roots Youth Committee. This group worked on issues like empty land and environmental fairness in her neighborhood.
Speaking at Wellesley College
On June 4, 2021, Liz Miranda gave a speech at her old college, Wellesley College. She was the main speaker for the Class of 2021 graduation. She pointed out that she was only the 16th Black woman to give this speech in 143 years. She joined famous people like Maya Angelou and Oprah.
In her speech, Liz Miranda talked about growing up in Roxbury and Dorchester. She also shared stories about her grandfather, Manuel Goncalves Miranda. He came to Boston in 1976 from Cabo Verde. He was looking for a better life.
Before the graduation, Liz Miranda supported students who wanted the college to recognize Indigenous people. The students wanted the college to acknowledge that it was built on their land. Because of their efforts, the college agreed to do this for the first time.
Impact of Personal Loss
In 2017, Liz Miranda experienced a personal tragedy. Her brother, Michael A. Miranda, passed away. This event deeply affected her. It inspired her to work on several important issues as a politician.
She became a strong supporter of making communities safer. She also focused on preventing gun violence. Her brother's death led her to advocate for better gun control laws. She also supports reforming the justice system. She believes in offering young people alternatives to violence.
Becoming a State Representative
Liz Miranda decided to run for office after the 2016 presidential election. She wanted to represent the Fifth Suffolk district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The person who held the seat before, Evandro Carvalho, decided not to run again.
She faced a tough election with many other candidates. But she won the Democratic primary election with 59.4 percent of the votes. In the main election, she ran against Althea Garrison. Liz Miranda won by a large margin. She received 88.7 percent of the votes. She was sworn into the State House on January 2, 2019.
Becoming a State Senator
On December 9, 2021, Liz Miranda announced she would run for State Senate. She aimed for the 2nd Suffolk District. This district was redrawn in 2021. It became a very important area for Boston's Black community. She decided to run after Senator Sonia Chang Diaz announced she would run for governor.
Liz Miranda won the Democratic primary election on September 6, 2022. She won with 33% of the votes. She beat four other candidates. She received strong support across the district. She got at least 20% of the votes in 70 out of 73 areas.
Many groups supported her campaign. These included the Elect Black Women PAC and the Boston Globe newspaper. Unions like Boston Carmens Union Local 589 also endorsed her. Environmental and social justice groups supported her too.
The new 2nd Suffolk District includes all of Roxbury. It also covers parts of Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. Other areas are Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, South End, and the Fenway. In the general election, Liz Miranda ran without any opponents. She was elected senator for the 2nd Suffolk District.
See also
- 2019–2020 Massachusetts legislature
- 2021–2022 Massachusetts legislature
