Rachel Talbot Ross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Talbot Ross
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| 104th Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives | |
| In office December 7, 2022 – December 4, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Ryan Fecteau |
| Succeeded by | Ryan Fecteau |
| Member of the Maine Senate | |
| Assumed office December 4, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Ben Chipman |
| Constituency | 28th District |
| Member of the Maine House of Representatives | |
| In office December 7, 2022 – December 4, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Chad Wayne Grignon |
| Succeeded by | Yusuf M. Yusuf |
| Constituency | 118th district |
| In office December 7, 2016 – December 7, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Ben Chipman |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Zeigler |
| Constituency | 40th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1961 (age 63–64) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Gerald Talbot (father) |
| Education | American University Wesleyan University |
Rachel Talbot Ross is an American politician and activist. She is a member of the Democratic Party from Portland. Currently, she serves as a State Senator for District 28 in Maine.
Before becoming a Senator, Rachel Talbot Ross was the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives from 2022 to 2024. She made history when she was first elected to the Maine House in 2016. She became the first Black woman to serve in the Maine Legislature. Later, in 2022, she became Maine's first African-American House Speaker. This made her the highest-ranking African-American politician in Maine's history.
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Early Life and Important Work
Rachel Talbot Ross grew up in Portland, Maine. Her father, Gerald Talbot, was also a Maine lawmaker and a leader in the civil rights movement. He was the first person of color elected to the Maine Legislature. Rachel Talbot Ross says her family has always been involved in helping their community. She is a ninth-generation resident of Maine.
She studied at Wesleyan University and American University. For 21 years, she worked for the City of Portland. Her job was to make sure everyone had equal opportunities.
Rachel Talbot Ross also led the Portland branch of the NAACP. This group works for the rights of African Americans. She helped create the Maine Freedom Trails project. This project teaches people about the history of African Americans in Maine. She also co-founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Fellows program. This program helps high school students of color in Portland learn about racial justice.
She believes in helping people who are in prison. She has worked for over fifteen years to support incarcerated individuals in Maine.
Political Career and Achievements
Rachel Talbot Ross was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2016. She represented District 40. She won her elections without facing much opposition. In 2020, she won her third term.
Later in 2020, her fellow House Democrats chose her to be the House assistant majority leader. This was another historic moment. She became the first Black person to hold a leadership position in the Maine Legislature.
Rachel Talbot Ross has worked on several important committees. These include committees for justice, health, and public safety. She also leads the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Population. She helped create this commission in 2019.
One of her major achievements was proposing a bill called "LD #2." This bill requires new laws in Maine to be checked. They must be reviewed to see how they might affect groups of people who have been treated unfairly. Governor Janet Mills signed this bill into law in 2021. Maine became one of the first states to have such a requirement.
In November 2022, Rachel Talbot Ross was chosen to be the Speaker of the Maine House. She officially became Speaker on December 7, 2022. This was a very important step in her career and for Maine's history.
In 2024, she was elected to the Maine State Senate. She had reached her term limit in the House.
In February 2023, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris honored Rachel Talbot Ross. They recognized her and other Black State House Speakers at a Black History Month event at the White House.
Awards and Recognition
Rachel Talbot Ross has received many awards for her work:
- 2006: EqualityMaine Bayard Rustin award for working with different groups.
- 2009: Roger Baldwin award from the Maine Civil Liberties Union.
- 2014: Deborah Morton Award from the University of New England.
- 2020: Gerda Haas award from the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine for her work on human rights.
- 2020: Emerge Maine Woman of the Year.
Images for kids
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Rachel Talbot Ross's official headshot.
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Rachel Talbot Ross speaking.
