Michelle Maldonado

Michelle Maldonado was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Her grandmother was the first Black person to work as a principal in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She is of Cape Verdean-descent. She graduated with an undergraduate degree from Barnard College of Columbia University in Latin American studies and Spanish literature and language. Maldonado moved to Virginia in 1993, to attend George Washington University Law School. She married Roberto Maldonado Jr., with whom she had one son. She was admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C. and Virginia. ==Virginia House of Delegates==

Maldonado filed to run for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates from the 50th district during the 2021 election. She stated that she was inspired to run for office following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the killing of Breonna Taylor, and the attack on the United States Capitol. She defeated Republican nominee Steve Pleickhardt in the general election. ==Political positions==

Maldonado supports increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour stating that "no person should be working 40 hours a week and still be at, below or close to the poverty line". ==Electoral history==