AP Photograph/LM Otero
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was eulogized by Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday throughout the Houston consultant’s funeral at Fallbrook Church.
The funeral, which lasted over three hours, featured a mixture of notable present and former elected officers and celebrities.
Among the many friends: former President Invoice Clinton, former Secretary Hillary Clinton, a number of members of the U.S. Home and Senate, former Houston Mayor Sylvester, Harris County Choose Lina Hidalgo, and performances from Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Stevie Marvel, gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin and Pastor Shirley Caesar.
“Sheila Jackson Lee, to know her was to know a real champion, a fierce champion for justice,” Harris mentioned. “Sheila Jackson Lee was a lady of deep religion and deep compassion. She was a beloved member of our Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and he or she was an expensive, expensive good friend to my husband Doug and me.”
Harris targeted on Jackson Lee’s work in D.C. and Houston.
“When it got here to crafting coverage, there was no element too minor, or level of order too obscure,” Harris mentioned. “If it wanted to be understood, the congresswoman would ensure everybody understood it and understood it effectively, and used it to the good thing about the folks she served.”
Harris additionally mentioned Jackson Lee was a “sensible” and “strategic” lawmaker.
“She was additionally some of the unrelenting,” she mentioned. “As these of us who had been her colleagues can attest there was by no means a trite or trivial dialog with Sheila Jackson Lee. There have been occasions if I noticed her strolling down the corridor, I might nearly wish to disguise. As a result of no matter was on my thoughts, Sheila Jackson Lee would require a really critical and particular dialog with you about what she had on her thoughts. After which she would inform you precisely what she wanted you to do to assist her get it carried out.”
Harris mentioned Jackson Lee wasn’t afraid to do what she wanted for residents in Houston.
“Sheila Jackson Lee would at all times discover a method to assist, even when she wanted to get a bit artistic. As a few of it’s possible you’ll bear in mind, a variety of years in the past, the town of Houston confronted a finances shortfall, and to economize, determined to shut a variety of public swimming pools,” Harris mentioned. “Nicely, Sheila Jackson Lee wasn’t having that. And so she known as round, because the story goes, to enterprise leaders throughout Houston and satisfied them to donate greater than $350,000. And people swimming pools then stayed open all summer time lengthy.”
She additionally touted Jackson Lee’s work for girls’s rights, voting rights, LGBTQ rights and making Juneteenth a federal vacation. In the intervening time, Harris stumbled and mentioned “As president, it was my honor,” earlier than correcting herself and calling herself “vp.” The second acquired cheers and applause within the crowd.
“It was my honor with our President, Joe Biden, to face beside Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, as our president signed her invoice into legislation,” she mentioned, after correcting herself.
Others who spoke embrace Rev. Al Sharpton, Lawyer Ben Crump and Dr. Glenda Glover. The funeral concluded with legendary singer/songwriter Stevie Marvel singing.