Richard Gephardt: “Patsy Mink was my friend and my colleague and I am deeply saddened by her death. Patsy fought hard every day for the…”

“Patsy Mink was my friend and my colleague and I am deeply saddened by her death. Patsy fought hard every day for the values and ideals that make our nation great. She worked to ensure access to good public schools for every American child. She stood out as a leading voice for women's rights, civil rights and labor unions devoted to raising living standards and providing opportunities to all Americans. And Patsy Mink never lost her passion for righting the economic and social injustices in Hawaii and across America. Patsy Mink blazed a trail unlike few members in the history of the House. She was the first Asian American woman admitted to the Hawaii bar, the first Asian American woman elected to the state legislature and the first woman of color to win national office in 1964. She knew first-hand the sting of discrimination as a young Asian-American woman growing up in Hawaii, and she had the ability to use her experience to lift up the hopes and dreams of other human beings. I will always admire her willpower, courage and faith in her country and in her fellow Americans. Through sheer force of her personality, Patsy breathed life into the values and ideals enshrined in our Constitution. While she had many legislative accomplishments, her leadership on Title IX deserves special recognition for opening doors to women's achievements in athletics and beyond.”