Meet Muriel Bowser, the mayor of DC who turned a street near the White House into a Black Lives Matter monument and has become a key player of the anti-Trump movement

Marguerite WardJun 8, 2020, 23:35 IST

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser recently renamed a street near the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza."Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, recently ordered the protest slogan "Black Lives Matter" be painted on a street in front of the White House.
It's a bold statement to President Donald Trump, who's encouraged increased use of police and military force against peaceful protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Here's a closer look at Bowser's political career, and what's led her to become one of the more prominent faces of the resistance movement.

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, recently renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the protest slogan painted on the street in massive yellow letters.

Reuters

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, recently renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the protest slogan painted on the street in massive yellow letters.

The move comes after President Donald Trump had peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park tear-gassed to disperse them so he could take photos in front of a nearby church.

Eric Thayer/Reuters

“There was a dispute this week about whose street it is, and Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear whose street it is and honor the peaceful demonstrators who assembled Monday night,” said John Falcicchio, the mayor’s chief of staff.

Reuters

“There was a dispute this week about whose street it is, and Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear whose street it is and honor the peaceful demonstrators who assembled Monday night,” said John Falcicchio, the mayor’s chief of staff.

In recent weeks, Trump and Bowser have exchanged heated tweets after Trump falsely accused Bowser of "always looking for money & help," and saying she "wouldn't let the DC police get involved" in controlling recent protests. Bowser replied by calling Trump "a scared man."

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Washington. Bowser announced the start of the Phase 1 response to the coronavirus in Washington is to begin Friday, May 29. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Associated Press

In recent weeks, Trump and Bowser have exchanged heated tweets after Trump falsely accused Bowser of "always looking for money & help," and saying she "wouldn't let the DC police get involved" in controlling recent protests. Bowser replied by calling Trump "a scared man."

While this is arguably the most media attention the DC mayor has received in recent years, Bowser, 47, has been busy behind the scenes leading a number of initiatives in the nation's capital. Most recently, this included the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Muriel Bowser

While this is arguably the most media attention the DC mayor has received in recent years, Bowser, 47, has been busy behind the scenes leading a number of initiatives in the nation's capital. Most recently, this included the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the years, she's advocated for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, more public support for prison inmates once released, affordable child care, and boosting funding for public education.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Over the years, she's advocated for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, more public support for prison inmates once released, affordable child care, and boosting funding for public education.

Bowser was born in DC, and she was elected mayor in 2007. She is the second female mayor of the nation's capital after Sharon Pratt, who was mayor from 1991 to 1995.

Jim Bourg/Reuters

Before being elected to oversee the nation's capital, Bowser was a local politician who served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Commissioner of the District of Columbia for district 4B09.

Gary Cameron/Reuters

Before being elected to oversee the nation's capital, Bowser was a local politician who served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Commissioner of the District of Columbia for district 4B09.

Mayor Bowser earned a bachelor's degree in history from Chatham University and a master's degree in public policy from American University. She's also received honorary doctorates from Chatham University and Trinity University.

J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Mayor Bowser earned a bachelor's degree in history from Chatham University and a master's degree in public policy from American University. She's also received honorary doctorates from Chatham University and Trinity University.

In her first term in office, Bowser worked to address a dramatic rise in homicides in the nation's capital, as well as reform policy around homelessness.

Al Drago/Reuters

She continues to advocate for more affordable housing. In 2019, Bowser set a goal of creating 36,000 new housing units (12,000 of them affordable) by 2025.

Al Drago/Reuters

She was re-elected in 2017, becoming the first mayor to win a re-election in DC since 2002.

Muriel Bowser

The mayor has traveled internationally to places including El Salvador, Cuba, and China to promote education, tourism, and economic partnerships.

Jose Cabezas/Reuters

Bowser is a single mother to 2-year-old daughter Miranda, whom she adopted in May of 2018.

Al Drago/Reuters

Since adopting Miranda, the mayor has been open about her personal life, admitting that it's hard work being a single mom.

Al Drago/Reuters

While her schedule has undoubtedly become much busier since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests, the mayor always tries to schedule in quality time with her daughter. Often, they'll have quiet time together in the mornings.

Muriel Bowser

While her schedule has undoubtedly become much busier since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests, the mayor always tries to schedule in quality time with her daughter. Often, they'll have quiet time together in the mornings.

She says a major goal of hers is to make her daughter proud of her work.

Muriel Bowser

Thousands of protesters took to Washington, DC, for the city's largest demonstration yet over George Floyd's death

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Meet Muriel Bowser, the mayor of DC who turned a street near the White House into a Black Lives Matter monument and has become a key player of the anti-Trump movement

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, DC, recently renamed a street in front of the White House "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and had the protest slogan painted on the street in massive yellow letters.

The move comes after President Donald Trump had peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park tear-gassed to disperse them so he could take photos in front of a nearby church.

“There was a dispute this week about whose street it is, and Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear whose street it is and honor the peaceful demonstrators who assembled Monday night,” said John Falcicchio, the mayor’s chief of staff.

In recent weeks, Trump and Bowser have exchanged heated tweets after Trump falsely accused Bowser of "always looking for money & help," and saying she "wouldn't let the DC police get involved" in controlling recent protests. Bowser replied by calling Trump "a scared man."

While this is arguably the most media attention the DC mayor has received in recent years, Bowser, 47, has been busy behind the scenes leading a number of initiatives in the nation's capital. Most recently, this included the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the years, she's advocated for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, more public support for prison inmates once released, affordable child care, and boosting funding for public education.

Bowser was born in DC, and she was elected mayor in 2007. She is the second female mayor of the nation's capital after Sharon Pratt, who was mayor from 1991 to 1995.

Before being elected to oversee the nation's capital, Bowser was a local politician who served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Commissioner of the District of Columbia for district 4B09.

Mayor Bowser earned a bachelor's degree in history from Chatham University and a master's degree in public policy from American University. She's also received honorary doctorates from Chatham University and Trinity University.

In her first term in office, Bowser worked to address a dramatic rise in homicides in the nation's capital, as well as reform policy around homelessness.

She continues to advocate for more affordable housing. In 2019, Bowser set a goal of creating 36,000 new housing units (12,000 of them affordable) by 2025.

She was re-elected in 2017, becoming the first mayor to win a re-election in DC since 2002.

The mayor has traveled internationally to places including El Salvador, Cuba, and China to promote education, tourism, and economic partnerships.

Bowser is a single mother to 2-year-old daughter Miranda, whom she adopted in May of 2018.

Since adopting Miranda, the mayor has been open about her personal life, admitting that it's hard work being a single mom.

While her schedule has undoubtedly become much busier since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests, the mayor always tries to schedule in quality time with her daughter. Often, they'll have quiet time together in the mornings.

She says a major goal of hers is to make her daughter proud of her work.