In Portsmouth, Pressley pushes get out the vote message [View all]

PORTSMOUTH — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts choked up on Thursday as she talked about an immigrant girl in her district who took care of a baby sister while her mother was in the hospital fighting COVID-19.

“For two weeks, that 11-year-old cared for her 9-month-old little sister, scared, hungry, afraid, and alone. She’d run out of food. She’d run out of diapers. Her little sister was in a towel with safety pins,” Pressley said.

A neighbor noticed and was able to connect the girl with the services she needed.

“I wish I could tell you that story, that devastatingly lived experience, that she is an anomaly. But she is not. That is Donald Trump’s America,” Pressley said.

Pressley, a nationally known progressive lawmaker and one of four women in the U.S. House of Representatives known as the “Squad,” was at the house of Tanna Clews for the get-out-the-vote event. The “Squad” is made up of Pressley, Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

Read more: https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/in-portsmouth-pressley-pushes-get-out-the-vote-message/article_57951b57-9da2-5c47-822f-e949ea810f52.html