T'wina Nobles

T'wina T. Nobles (née Fields, formerly T'wina Franklin, born 1981) is an American politician and educator serving as a member of the Washington State Senate from the 28th district.

Elected in 2020, she assumed office on January 11, 2021.

Nobles was born in a military family in Frankfurt, West Germany.

Nobles' mother was a drug user, and the family lived in Monterey, California before settling in the Columbus, Georgia area.

Nobles was eventually placed in the foster care system in Phenix City, Alabama and became pregnant when she was 19.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and Master of Education in teaching from the University of Puget Sound.

After earning her master's degree, Nobles worked as a teacher at Stadium High School and Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington.

She served as a member of the University Place, Washington School Board and was the president of the Tacoma Urban League.

In March 2020, Nobles announced her candidacy for the 28th district in the Washington State Senate against incumbent Republican Steve O'Ban.

Nobles won the Democratic primary and narrowly defeated O'Ban in the November general election.

When she assumed office on January 11, 2021, she became the first black legislator elected to the Senate since 2010.

Nobles is the vice chair of both Senate Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development and the Senate K-12 Education Committee.

She is also a member of the Transportation Committee.

Nobles and her husband have four children.

Nobles' husband is a non-profit executive director and real estate broker in Tacoma.