Brenda L. Lawrence '05

Congresswoman Brenda L. Lawrence represents Michigan’s 14th Congressional District that includes a portion of Detroit, the City of Southfield and 16 other cities located in Oakland and Wayne counties. Living in the 14th District her entire life, she was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November of 2014 and has been re-elected in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Congresswoman Lawrence serves as Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, 2nd Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. She’s the Vice Chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and serves on the subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services (LHHS), subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and the subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG). She is also a member of the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform where she serves on the subcommittee on Government Operations.

Born and raised in Detroit, Congresswoman Lawrence is a product of Michigan’s public-school system. She is an alumna of Pershing High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University. Before she began her career in public service, the Congresswoman had a notable 30-year career with the U.S. Postal Service.

In November of 2001, Congresswoman was elected as Mayor of the City of Southfield. She was the first African American and the first woman to serve in that position. She previously served on the Southfield City Council, where she was elected President in 1999. Additionally, she sat on the Southfield Public School Board of Education where she served as President, Vice President, and Secretary.