Queer Black Woman Park Cannon Elected to Georgia House
Park Cannon, a health advocate from Atlanta, just won a runoff election that will make her the third openly queer member of Georgia’s House of Representatives.
According to Colorlines, Cannon will be the filling the seat of Representative Simone Bell, the first Black lesbian to serve in any state legislature. She’ll be joining two other openly queer House members Representatives Keisha Waites and Karla Drenner.
Cannon defeated Ralph Long in a runoff election, by winning 59 percent of more than 1,100 votes, according to ProjectQ.
According to her LinkedIn, Cannon spent more than a year as the coordinator for a Black Woman’s Wellness program before declaring her candidacy. She joins the Georgia state legislature as they prepare to consider a “religious freedom” bill that will protect organizations that oppose gay marriage.
No swear-in date has been announced for Cannon as of yet.
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