Meet the first Black, openly gay White House press secretary: Karine Jean-Pierre, who works under President Joe Biden, is a former MSNBC political analyst and an outspoken advocate for mental health
- Before serving as press sec, Jean-Pierre was regional political director for the White House Office during Barack Obama’s administration; she currently co-parents her kid with ex-CNN journalist Suzanne Malveaux
- Her family fled Haiti and moved to Martinique, eventually settling in Queens, New York, and she is the author of a memoir titled Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America
Karine Jean-Pierre is the first Black person, first Haitian-American and first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as White House press secretary. The powerful political player speaks for US President Joe Biden to a global audience.
But her journey to the lectern has not been easy. Jean-Pierre grew up in a conservative household that was not tolerant of her sexuality, and she also faced sexual abuse as a child. Later, though, she studied at Columbia University and eventually became a political analyst.
Here is what you need to know about Jean-Pierre’s incredible journey to the White House.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s background
According to philanthropic fund Carnegie Corporation of New York, Jean-Pierre’s parents fled Haiti and moved to the Caribbean island of Martinique, where she was born. The family later immigrated to New York, US, settling in Queens.
Jean-Pierre opened up about her childhood on X (formerly Twitter), writing that even though her father was a teacher and engineer in Haiti, he worked as a cab driver in New York. She added that her mum was not only a home healthcare aide, but also ran her own hair salon.
She co-parents a daughter with her ex-partner
Jean-Pierre is a single mother to a daughter, nine-year-old Soleil, who she co-parents with ex-partner, ex-CNN journalist Suzanne Malveaux. Jean-Pierre and Malveaux were together for a decade but eventually split up, Vogue reported in 2023. They adopted their daughter in 2014.
The political heavyweight has openly spoken about being gay. She recalled how she told her mother she was lesbian at 16 and could immediately see the “revulsion in her face”, per The New York Times. She added that she and her mum did not discuss the issue for years afterwards.