Political Quotes

“I stand here as the first, but not the last, Black Member of Congress in Oregon's history, and I rise today to celebrate Black History Month. It is not lost on me that I am just one generation removed from segregation. It is not lost on me how recently this moment standing before you as a Congresswoman would have seemed impossible. My mother was valedictorian of a segregated high school in Conway, South Carolina. She had the brilliance and drive to do anything she dreamed, but America didn't believe in her future. She made sure that I had the opportunity to write a different story. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am reminded that I am not in this fight alone. We are a community of leaders, united in our goal to shape a more just, a more inclusive, and a brighter future for this Nation. Our country needs it now more than ever. We are seeing attacks on our communities and on our values by this administration. Mr. Speaker, humbly, I ask that we must continue to rise together, not only during Black History Month but every day.”