In a poignant ceremony at Fallbrook Church in Houston, Texas, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the US, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, paid tribute to the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee.
Ambassador Marks celebrated the life and legacy of a outstanding chief whose roots had been deeply intertwined with Jamaican heritage.
Invited by the Jackson-Lee household to talk, Ambassador Marks highlighted the importance of August 1st, the date of the funeral, which coincided with the one hundred and ninetieth anniversary of the emancipation of slavery in Jamaica and the British Caribbean. “This can be a most becoming day to honor the profound connection she had with a rustic that holds a particular place within the hearts of over 3.2 million Jamaican People,” she famous.
Addressing the congresswoman’s household, together with her kids Jason and Erica, Ambassador Marks emphasised Jackson-Lee’s delight in her Jamaican ancestry and her lively help for Jamaica. The congresswoman, the granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants, was an icon to the Jamaican diaspora in the US, embodying cherished Jamaican traits and setting an instance for future generations of Jamaican People.
Ambassador Marks highlighted Jackson-Lee’s function within the custom of Caribbean diaspora members who’ve embraced the American dream whereas contributing to societal progress. “Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee’s life and work represented an extension of that nice custom,” Marks acknowledged, noting that over 400 Jamaican People are at the moment concerned in representational politics throughout federal, state, and native governments in the US.
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In an viewers that included US Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Invoice Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and members of the US Congress and Senate, Ambassador Marks praised Jackson-Lee’s advocacy for each her Houston district and broader U.S. pursuits, whereas steadfastly supporting Jamaica and the Caribbean. She credited the congresswoman for championing help to Jamaica through the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and for her function within the laws that acknowledged June as Caribbean American Heritage Month in the US.
Describing Jackson-Lee’s work as “sturdy and brave,” Ambassador Marks counseled her unwavering dedication to justice, her ardour for making a distinction, and her dedication to religion and household life. “She was the embodiment of what it means to be in service of others, to face up for justice, brotherhood, and peace, and to assume generously and truthfully,” Marks declared.
Ambassador Audrey Marks concluded by affirming that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee’s legacy will proceed to encourage and uplift generations to come back, embodying the values cherished in each her adopted dwelling and her ancestral land.
The ceremony was attended by many dignitaries, together with US Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Invoice Clinton and his spouse Hillary Clinton, and quite a few members of the US Congress and Senate.
Learn: US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the Granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants, dies