Get to Know: Wintta Woldemariam, Capitol Hill Legislative Aid

Who said Capitol Hill was too white?

Before working behind the scenes in Congress, Wintta Woldemariam had a bit of a political career of her own. While in law school at the University of Texas she served as the National Chair of the National Black Law Students Association representing the interests of nearly 6,000 black law students from around the country. Very much inspired by the political process, Woldemariam, who studied political science and African-American studies at Duke, took her skills to Capitol Hill, where she now works as a legislative assistant for Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Previously she served as counsel to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Despite charges that Capitol Hill is too white, she stands out as one of the growing numbers of black faces occupying powerful roles and impacting the way the political process works for the American public. As hundreds network at the Congressional Black Caucus’s Annual Legislative Conference, it’s important not just to recognize the black members of Congress, but the black staffers who help keep Washington and the country running.

Name: Wintta Woldemariam

Title: Legislative Assistant

Years in Washington, D.C.: 2

Twitter: @Winttana

Alma Mater: Duke University & The University of Texas School of Law

How did you get involved in politics? After watching the 2000 election unfold, I got involved in voter registration and education at Duke and in the Durham community, making sure that students and community members were aware of their rights as they cast their ballots.