By now, you have probably read several articles that spotlight the incredible bio of an impactful life lived by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
You are undoubtedly well-versed in the fact that she proudly represented the legendary and historic 18th Congressional District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives from her election in 1994 until her last day.
Bio
You are probably aware that Jackson Lee, a Queens, New York native, was one of the most influential voices in Washington, and was named by ‘Congressional Quarterly’ as one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress.
But as controversial as she was, at least to individuals and organizations in conservative (Republican) circles, with many spewing their disrespectful vitriol toward her even after her passing, two of her last public acts speak to the essence of Jackson Lee.
With millions of Harris County residents groping in the dark without electricity, she rallied organizations to provide those impacted by Hurricane Beryl with much-needed resources.
And just days before Beryl delivered its wrath to the Gulf Coast, and while consumed by her battle against the monster known as pancreatic cancer, Jackson Lee evidenced the character that defined her tenure as a public servant – her willingness to see and honor humanity in all, including those across the political isle from her who regularly attacked her.
She posted this message to Donald Trump after the shooting at his Butler, PA rally: “My thoughts and well-wishes are with former President Trump and his family – I wish him a speedy recovery.”
There are so many Congressional committees she led or was part of (House Committee on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, Crucial Budget Committee, etc.), entities she founded and/or supported (i.e. the Congressional Children’s Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, etc.) and bills championed, with many becoming law, that no one Jackson Lee bio contains them all.
For some, her educational accolades would be enough for a life’s resume – earning a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University with honors in the first graduating class including women, followed by a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. But the one called “Warrior Queen,” “fighter” and “omnipresent one” (everywhere at all times), did not stop there.
Legislative Legacy
The litany of legislative accomplishments is astounding. Here is just a sampling.
Lee’s major legislative initiatives include the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, The RAISE Act, The Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, Kaleif’s Law, the American RISING Act.
She also introduced the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization and Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act, the Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act, and hundreds more.
For a more comprehensive picture, visit her legislative website. However, for context, Jackson Lee secured over $38 million in funding for her district in one year alone. Multiply that out by a nearly 30-year career, and it is not a stretch to say that she was one of the most successful lawmakers in history in terms of delivering resources to her constituents.
Legacy of the Heart
But Jackson Lee’s legacy stretches far beyond legislative accomplishments and courageous stances made. The real essence of her impact can be found in the overwhelming number of personal and organizational testimonies from her constituents.
Whether from individuals and/or organizations with mammoth reputations or salt-of-the-earth individuals considered by the “powers that be” too “small” and “unimportant” to treat respectfully, Jackson Lee constantly answered the call to go to battle on behalf of her people.
The following few examples symbolize but cannot fully encapsulate this deep, heart-to-heart aspect of Jackson Lee’s work.
Nakia Cooper, publisher of Bayou Beat News and president of the Houston Association of Black Journalists, recalled when the state’s General Land Office attempted to take possession of her mother’s home. In Cooper’s mind, there wasn’t a second thought regarding who she was going to call for help to bring resolution to her dire family situation.
“I speed-dialed the Congresswoman and she fixed the issues within days,” said Cooper. “She sent me a text saying, ‘I called George P. Bush already.’ And everyone from the GLO was calling to apologize for the mishap. There was no mishap. They just knew they couldn’t mess with our Congresswoman.”
Cooper’s affection for Jackson Lee grew not only from the personal help Jackson Lee provided but also from the Congresswoman’s willingness to help anyone in need who was brought to her attention.
“Anytime I had a situation I learned of in the newsroom about a citizen who needed her help, I called and she fixed it before the end of the day,” said Cooper who continues to describe Jackson Lee as a “fierce, fabulous force to be reckoned with.”
When the question was posed recently to several individuals from Houston’s vast Black spiritual community, in what church did Jackson Lee claim membership, nearly a dozen different answers were given, with one person offering, “Whether she was a member or not, she was regularly present seemingly everywhere, and every Black faith leader in the region has their own personal litany of ‘Sheila Jackson Lee helped us, her favorite congregation’ stories.”
One of those stories comes from the Fountain of Praise, Co-Pastor Dr. Mia Wright.
“In 2006, as a relatively new leader in the city, I had a casual conversation with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee,” recalled Wright. “She barely knew me but listened attentively to what I had to say. It centered on our desire to lead a mission team of 10 African American women to Tanzania. For most of these women, it was their first international trip; for others, it was their first trip to Africa. It was a significant mission to train the women of the villages with life and leadership skills and biblical history to equip them to share with other women in other villages.
“Our team was ambitious, without experience, and unaware of governmental processes, including regulations for this type of travel. From a mere desire shared with our Congresswoman, she walked our team through every necessary step.”
Former Houston City Councilman and current Texas Southern University professor Carroll Robinson has a Jackson Lee story that hundreds, if not thousands, share in common.
“When my brother passed, the Congresswoman personally came to my house to check on me and my family,” said Robinson, who also serves as a Houston Community College trustee and heads the Texas Black Democrats. “I am sure she has done it thousands of times for other people all across the city, state, and country.”
