Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland’s 7th congressional district passed away on October 17, 2019 at the age of 68. He’s survived by his children and his wife Maya Rockeymoore, a force in the Maryland Democratic Party herself. Together they made a political power couple. After Cummings’ death, Rockeymoore shared a heartfelt tribute celebrating her husband’s work which she too was a part of. Our Maya Rockeymoore wiki sheds more light on this impressive woman married to a hardworking policymaker.
| About Maya Rockeymoore | |
|---|---|
| Age | 53 Years |
| Birth | January 31, 1971 |
| Gender | Female |
| Spouse | Elijah Cummings 2008 - 2019 |
| Siblings | Mark, Meredith |
| Parents | Hazel Brown Rockeymoore, Thomas Charles Rockeymoore |
| Job | Entrepreneur, Humanitarian |
| Owns | Global Policy Solutions |
| Alumni | Praire View A&M University, Purdue University |
Maya Rockeymoore Was Appointed Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party
Maya Rockeymoore, born on January 31, 1971, married Rep. Elijah Cummings in 2008. They don’t have any children together, although Cummings has two daughters, Jennifer and Aida, and a son from previous relationships.
A Texas native, Rockeymoore is the daughter of Hazel Brown Rockeymoore and U.S. Air Force soldier Thomas Charles Rockeymoore. Maya, her brother, Mark, and sister, Meredith, grew up in a military family with parents active in the community, in the Democratic party, and in their church.
Elijah Cummings is a well-known face in Maryland, having served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 14 years and currently serving his 13th term in the House of Representatives from Maryland’s 7th Congressional district. But Rockeymoore is more than just the longtime Congressman’s wife.
In 2018, Maryland Democrats elected Rockeymoore as party chair. Rockeymoore won the vote over incumbent, Kathleen Matthews, 438-319. With the Maryland governorship falling into Republican hands, there was much dissatisfaction against Matthews for losing the post to Rockeymoore.
Rockeymoore Ran for Maryland Governor
In 2017, Rockeymoore announced her bid for Maryland Governor, her first run for a public office. She was one of the two women and three African-American candidates in the Democratic primary.
She hoped to be the Democratic gubernatorial candidate against Gov. Larry Hogan in the 2018 elections. If elected to the governor, she would have been the first woman and first black governor of Maryland.
She gained the endorsement of EMILY’s List, a pro-choice political action committee that aims to elect female candidates.
However, Rockeymoore suspended her campaign in January 2018 citing “personal considerations.” Not long after, it was announced her husband was hospitalized over health concerns.
Rep. Cummings had surgery to repair his aortic valve in 2017 and suffered a few complications weeks later. In December 2017, he was treated for an infection in his knee. However, Rockeymoore’s campaign did not elaborate if her husband’s health had anything to do with her dropping out of the race.
Rockeymoore Has a Doctorate from Purdue University
Though a novice in governance, Rockeymoore has an impressive academic background and experience with public policy. She proudly proclaims her HBCU education from Prairie View A&M University in Texas.
She graduated from PVAMU in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government. She later acquired her master’s degree from Purdue University in Indiana, in 1996.
She went on to receive her Ph.D. in political science from Purdue in 2000. At Purdue, she specialized in public policy, international relations, American politics, and African-American studies.
Rockeymoore Was a Congressional Aide
While pursuing her masters in Indiana, Rockeymoore served as an administrative assistant to the director at the Marion County Health Department. Soon after receiving her post-graduate degree, she came to Washington, D.C., where she gained experience in public policy.
She worked in the office of former Congressman Melvin Watt as a Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Fellow. She later joined the staff of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee.
From 1999 to 2000, Rockeymoore was a congressional aide and chief of staff in the office of Congressman Charles Rangel, the Representative for New York districts from 1971 to 2017.
Among her other accomplishments, she was a senior resident scholar with the National Urban League and vice president of research and programs for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Rockeymoore Is a Policy Consultant
In 2005, Rockeymoore established Global Policy Solutions, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based firm. The team of consultants under Rockeymoore’s leadership works with corporate, philanthropic, academic, non-profit, and governmental entities to make policy work for people, communities, and the environment.
As the president and CEO of Global Policy Solutions, she works on public relations, analysis, strategy development, and securing grants and donors.
She has published numerous papers and contributed to publications on matters of health policies, social insurance, economic equality, women’s issues, and youth civic participation.
Her book, The Political Action Handbook: A How to Guide for the Hip Hop Generation, traced the influence of hip-hop on youth political activism.