After a three-year struggle with brain cancer, Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, passed away on March 23 at the age of 49. According to her relatives, she died at home with her loved ones by her side.
Love was born to Haitian immigrants who had immigrated to the US a year before her birth. She was raised in Connecticut and participated actively in high school play and color guard. After receiving a scholarship to attend the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, she went on to work as a flight attendant. She married Jason Love and had three kids after relocating to Utah in 1997.
Love’s protests against a developer’s negligence in Saratoga Springs, Utah, marked the beginning of her political career. She was motivated by her activity to compete for City Council, becoming Utah County’s first elected Black woman. She rose to prominence nationally as a rising Republican leader in 2009, when she was elected mayor amid a financial crisis.
Love made history in 2014 when she defeated Democrat Doug Owens to win a congressional seat. After joining the Congressional Black Caucus, she had connections with powerful people like Elijah Cummings and John Lewis.
Love was renowned for her fervent beliefs, supporting the American Dream while opposing certain of her party’s policies. Notably, she voiced her opposition to President Trump’s disparaging remarks toward Haiti, the country where her family is from. Love continued to be involved in politics after losing her quest for reelection in 2018 by contributing to CNN and occasionally hosting The View.
Love bravely recounted her story after receiving a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in 2022. Her faith and fortitude inspired many. Following the failure of her treatment, her family confirmed her death.
