First lady Jill Biden to visit Lehigh Valley to meet with Latino community

First lady Jill BIden, center, flanked by U.S. Reps. Susan Wild, left, and Madeleine Dean, appears at a campaign rally at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, several days before the Novemeber 2022 election. / File photo by Donna Fisher

First lady Dr. Jill Biden will visit Allentown on Tuesday to meet with members of the Latino community.

She will be accompanied by U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, who is seeking reelection to a fourth term in Congress from the 7th District. Also attendng will be Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Rep. Nanette Barragán and Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez to discuss workforce development in the greater Lehigh Valley with the Latino community. 

Her visit was announced Friday. It is part of “CHC on the Road,” an initiative allowing lawmakers and White House officials to engage with Latino communities.  

Wild faces a challenge this November from Republican Ryan Mackenzie, a state representative from the 187th District. In May, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stopped in the Lehigh Valley to support Mackenzie.

In 2022, Wild defeated Republican Lisa Scheller. 

This is not the first time the first lady visited the Queen City to speak with the Latino community, as she also did so in 2021. That visit, in support of Head Start preschool programs, included a visit to The Learning Hub and Neighborhood Resource Center, a facility run by Community Services for Children.

Biden’s most recent visit to the area was at Muhlenberg College in support of Wild several days before the 2022 election.

Wild represents the 7th Congressional District, which includes the Lehigh Valley (Lehigh and Northampton counties), Carbon County and parts of Monroe County. The district is considered a pivotal political battleground in the Nov. 5 election.

Education is a key issue for the first lady, who has a doctorate in educational leadership and two master’s degrees. Her teaching experience spans various high schools and community colleges.

Correction: The purpose of First Lady Jill Biden’s visit is to engage with members of the Latino community, according to press information. A previous version of the story described it as an event supporting U.S. Rep. Susan Wild.