Frederica Wilson: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I am honored to be here on the floor of the U.S. Capitol to kick off this Special…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I am honored to be here on the floor of the U.S. Capitol to kick off this Special Order hour on Black men and boys. I am Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, chair of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and the Congresswoman representing Florida's 24th District, but you can call me Frederica ``Prevention'' Wilson because that is what I do. I believe, as Frederick Douglass said: ``It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.'' Thus, as a woman and even during Women's History Month, I want to take a moment to talk about our fathers, our brothers, our uncles, and our sons. We have wasted far too much time allowing conditions to fester that work to break Black men and extinguish the lives of Black boys before they become men. I refuse to allow Black men to be among the highest mortality rates, who, on average, are dying before they can collect their Social Security checks. I refuse to let this happen on my watch. I have to speak up. As Members of Congress, we have to speak up. So, those of us who are here tonight are here to speak up for Black men and boys. This is such an important topic near and dear to my heart because of what we are doing, committing to make 2024 the year of Black men and boys.…”