Ayanna Pressley

Birth Name: Ayanna Soyini Pressley

Place of Birth: Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 3, 1974

Ethnicity: African-American

Ayanna Pressley is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she has been a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts, since January 3, 2019. She was previously a Member of the Boston City Council at-large, from January 4, 2010 to January 3, 2019.

She is the daughter of Sandra Pressley, a community organizer, and Martin Terrell, who taught at the college level. Ayanna was raised mostly on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. She is married to Conan Harris, who runs a consulting firm.

Ayanna’s maternal grandfather is The Rev. James Franklin Echols (the son of James M. Echols and Leola E. Jennings). Ayanna’s grandfather James was born in Georgia. Leola was the daughter of Franklin/Frank Jennings and Bertha Goolsby.

Ayanna’s maternal grandmother was named Lillian Belton.