Val Demings is a consistent supporter of welcoming refugees and immigrants. Long before becoming Orlando’s first female Chief of Police, Demings learned from her parents about the American Dream. She took her first job at 14 as a dishwasher, worked hard in school, and became the first in her family to go to college. After working as a social worker, she signed up to be a police officer. It was a tough path, and tougher still for a Black woman in the ‘80s. But nonetheless, she served 27 years at every rank in the department, earning a bold reputation as a creative cop willing to take on conventional thinking, and rising to Chief of Police. After nine years in this role, Demings was elected to Congress in 2016, quickly building a reputation as a tireless champion for public safety, civil rights, and the American Dream.