Black Women Are Dominating The White House Press Briefing and It's About Time

Jessica Washington
·2 min read
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, center, accompanied by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, right, and Council of Economic Advisers Chair Cecilia Rouse, left, speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Friday, March 10, 2023
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, center, accompanied by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, right, and Council of Economic Advisers Chair Cecilia Rouse, left, speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Friday, March 10, 2023
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The White House press briefings have never had so much melanin, and we’re kind of living for it. Karine Jean-Pierre made history last May when she became the first Black person to serve as White House Press Secretary.

But she’s not the only Black woman to dominate the White House briefing room. Last week, the podium was graced by three Black women, Jean-Pierre, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, and Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, Cecilia Rouse.

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The trio (who are all the first Black women to occupy their positions) presented President Joe Biden’s new budget, which included tax increases for the rich, and increased spending on climate change, health care, and the military.

With Republicans in control of the House, we shouldn’t need to tell you that this exact budget isn’t going to pass. But it’s still worth talking about the significance of the White House briefing.

In an interview with CNN, Young laid out what the moment meant for her.

“The three of us, because I consider us all friends, all have daughters,” said Young. “So I look at what this means for the next generation that they will not be first if they want to pursue these jobs or any other, and that’s the goal, right? To leave this country in a better place than we found it.”

Young, who was raised in Clinton, Louisiana, says she hopes that moments like this inspire the younger generation to dream.

“Make sure that all of our children, no matter where they’re from, including a small town in Louisiana, can reach whatever their dreams are,” Young told CNN, “and frankly beyond their dreams... representation matters but more importantly as mothers, it matters what we leave behind for our children.”

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