Leader. Traitor. Honest. Corrupt. All of this has been said and more about Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, whose very name inspires both the most ugly kinds of vitriol and utmost admiration. However despite the misgivings some may hold for here, there can no doubt that Pelosi is one of the most powerful women in politics and her long list of impactful accomplishments can attest to that. As both the first female Speaker of the House and as an immensely successful and experienced politician, Pelosi’s name will continue to inspire conversation for generations to come. 

Like so many great figures in American history, Pelosi’s story begins with immigrants. Her mother, Annunciata M. “Nancy” D’Alesandro was born in South Italy, where she would live until 1912 when she came to the United States. Here, Annuciata D’Alesandro and Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. would have seven children, the youngest of which and the only girl of the batch was Nancy Pelosi. It can be no surprise that Pelosi would venture into politics; it ran in her blood. Pelosi’s father would serve as both a Democratic congressman from Maryland and later as the Mayor of Baltimore, a position later occupied by Pelosi’s brother. Moreover, Mrs. D’Alesandro held an active Democratic presence in her community, where she would organize like minded progressive women. 

With the political ambition of her family having been passed on to her, Pelosi would graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. This would be the stepping stone for a long career in politics, the longest of which is her occupation as a congresswoman representing the 12th District of California, a position she still holds. While all of this is admirable, it would be Pelosi’s nomination to Speaker of the House, the first woman to ever have done so, under George W. Bush’s presidency is perhaps the crowning jewel of her career. In her acceptance speech, Pelosi acknowledged the historic honor by saying “It is the moment for which we have waited for over 200 years.” However this is not the first time the Madam Speaker has paved the way for girls; she was also the first woman to become House Minority Whip, and the first woman to lead a major party in the House. 

Nancy Pelosi also helped champion the Affordable Care Act and was critical in both constructing and establishing it. The ACA would go to provide health coverages for millions of Americans while providing protections for pre-existing medical conditions. Moreover, she helped pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in an effort to lower unemployment rates and prevent further job loss. The list of laws passed under her leadership goes on and on; regardless of any ill-feelings some may possess for her, Pelosi is anything but ineffective. 

Few names can inspire such dramatic reactions as Nancy Pelosi’s does. Be it Republican dislike or Democratic approval, nothing can diminish the massive influence Pelosi has had over the political landscape for decades now. With this presumably being her last term in the House, it is unclear who will take on the mantle next. Whoever it may be though, Pelosi will have paved the way for them, just as she has for millions of young girls around America who saw Pelosi’s leadership and were told one powerful thing- that could be me.