Melat Kiros becomes first woman from Gen Z elected to Congress

The 29-year-old democratic socialist from Colorado made history as the first woman from Generation Z to be elected to Congress.

Washington — Melat Kiros, who defeated Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado's primary in July, was born in 1997, the same year DeGette began her decadeslong congressional career.On Tuesday night, the 29-year-old democratic socialist made history as the first Generation Z woman to be elected to Congress. Kiros joins Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, who in 2022 was the first member of the generation born between 1997 and 2012 to win a congressional seat. In an interview with CBS News, Kiros declined to say what advice she's received from Frost about entering Congress as the youngest member, but said he's "been really wonderful in helping me get a sense of what it's like walking into this institution as young as we are." She knows she has a lot to learn: "What's intimidating is the sheer amount of knowledge that is necessary to be able to be effective in Congress, and that's going to take time to grow and build." Nonetheless, Kiros says she thinks of her youth "as one of my greatest advantages." "I'm not burdened by the traditions and the norms of the past," she said.

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kiros' family immigrated to Denver when she was a baby. She graduated from Washington College in Maryland in 2018, where she studied political science and economics, before