REP. BRENDA LAWRENCE (D-MI)
Brenda Lulenar Lawrence (born October 18, 1954) is an American Democratic politician and member of the United States House of Representatives who previously served as the Mayor of Southfield, Michigan, from 2001 to 2015. The Democratic nominee for Oakland County Executive in 2008 and for lieutenant governor in 2010, she was elected U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 14th congressional district in 2014. The district covers most of eastern Detroit, including downtown, and stretches west to take in portions of Oakland County, including Lawrence’s home in Southfield.
Lawrence grew up in Detroit’s northeast side, on Lumpkin Street. She was raised by her grandparents after her mother died when she was three years old. She attended local schools, graduating from Detroit’s Pershing High School. She then earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University.
Lawrence had a 30-year career with the United States Postal Service, advancing to work in human resources. In the early 1990s, as an active member of the Parent-Teacher Association at her children’s school, she sought and earned a seat on the Southfield Public Schools Board of Education. She served as president, vice president, and secretary of the board.
