Political Quotes

“while this may not be my maiden floor speech, I think it of vital importance that Marylanders hear from their elected leaders in this moment of chaos. One of my greatest inspirations growing up was my grandmother, Sarah Daisy Alsobrooks. She was my father's mother. She raised my father and his siblings in a one-bedroom apartment in Northeast Washington, DC. My grandmother wanted for her family what all Americans want for their families--an affordable home to live in, a job that allowed her to support her family, and a safe community to raise her kids in. My grandmother dreamed of civil service. She dreamed of working in the Federal Government, and she was determined to do so. Many in this Chamber will recall that you had to pass the civil service exam in order to be hired. And to pass, you had to take a typing test. At the time, my grandmother was a housekeeper. She worked day and night to provide for my father and his siblings. Every dollar she made went to her family. So she couldn't afford a typewriter to practice typing on. But that didn't stop her from pursuing her dream. She took a white piece of paper and hand drew a keyboard on it. She taped that white piece of paper up on the refrigerator, and every night, after my dad and his siblings went to bed, she stood in front of that refrigerator and practiced on that white piece of paper. She taught herself to type every keystroke.…”