On July 25, 2024
Updates & Current News
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The relaunched Echo profoundly mourns the loss of Sheila Jackson Lee, a passionate Democratic Congresswoman from Texas. Her shameless plus tireless advocacy on behalf of Black Americans, a legacy that will be felt for years to come, has left an enduring mark on American society. In a heartfelt statement released on Friday, her family expressed, "It is with profound grief that we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. While we mourn her loss, we are grateful for the life she shared with us."
Sheila Jackson Lee was not just a congresswoman, but a revered figure in her community. Her constituents affectionately called her 'Congresswoman' due to her wise, beautiful presence and dedicated service to their daily lives over 30 years. She was widely acknowledged as a 'fierce champion of the people', a title she earned through her unwavering commitment to her constituents.
Jackson Lee was a trailblazing Yale University graduate born on January 12, 1950, in Queens, New York. Before assuming her congressional role, she served as a respected municipal judge in Houston and held the city councilwoman position. In 1994, she was elected to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District, unseating a Democratic incumbent for the Houston-area seat in the primary.
Recently, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, reintroduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to commemorate the fourth anniversary of George Floyd's death, per an article by By Ashlee Banks of Afro News titled: Sheila Jackson Lee Reintroduces George Floyd Justice In Policing Act on May 24, 2024. https://afro.com/george-floyd-justice-policing-act/ Per Bank's report, Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis Police Officer, infamously placed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd desperately cried out, "I can't breathe." Floyd, aged 46, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly after the incident occurred. His tragic death led to widespread protests globally and reignited discussions about the urgent need for police reform.
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On May 23, Lee was joined by a united front of members of Congress, civil rights groups, and the families of victims of police brutality. This collective effort underscores the strength of the movement against Police Brutality, a cause that Lee was deeply committed to. Some of the families in attendance who suffered the lost of a family member because of police brutality were: Philonise and Keeta Floyd, George Floyd's relatives, Allisa Charles-Findley, the sister of Botham Jean, and Wanda Jones-Aubery, the mother of Ahmaud Aubery.
Democratic U.S. Representative Sheila Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas is famously known for her stand for equal rights and reparations for Black citizens. Her famous quote, "We will not stop until the nation knows Black lives matter, and reparations are passed as the most significant Civil Rights Legislation of the 21st century," Lee stated at a march in Washington in 2020, fifty-seven years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Lee was a forerunner of a new generation of leaders who raised their voices in the continued fight for King's vision of an equal and just nation. The famous "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Neck" was organized by the National Action Network and took place at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Lee passed away Friday, July 19, 2024, from pancreatic cancer, and it is said that she had faith that God would strengthen her. But instead, the Lord took her home to glory. To know pain no more.
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Services:
On Monday, July 29, 2024, Congress Woman Sheila Jackson Lee's Body to Lie-in-State
WHERE: Houston City Hall
901 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002
TIME: 9 A.M. to 7 P.M.
The city also added in a news release, "Following a private arrival, the Jackson Lee family, Mayor Whitmire, City Council members, and clergy will hold a brief ceremony. The City Hall rotunda will be open to all, allowing the public to pay their final respects and sign a book of condolence." Congresswoman Lee is the second person to have the rare honor of lying in the Houston City Hall Rotunda, a testament to the profound impact she had on the city and its people.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Viewing & Remembrance
WHERE: God's Grace Community Church
9944 W. Montgomery Road, Houston, TX 77088
TIME: 4 P.M. to 8 P.M.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Community Celebration of the Life
WHERE: Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
TIME: 11 A.M.– 3 P.M. - Viewing
3 P.M. to 8 P.M. - Community Farewell & Appreciation Service
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Celebration of Life Service - "Remembering Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee"
WHERE: Fallbrook Church
12512 Walters Road, Houston, TX 77014
(*Pre-registration may be required)
TIME: 11 A.M.
All services and tributes will be live-streamed.
National Weather Service Weekend
Climate Perdictions
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Picture Source Provided by Bishop Hilliard of Cathedral International
Tragic Crash: Remembering Kevin Scoda Seton Hall Alumni
On Tuesday, July 23, the Stafford Township Police Department announced that a tragic crash on Route 72 resulted in the loss of 24-year-old Kevin Scoda from Edison N.J. The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, near milepost 24.5. According to investigators, Scoda's 2023 Chevrolet Corvette collided with a 2018 Subaru while heading east on Route 72. As a result of the collision, Scoda's sports car veered off the road, struck a utility pole, and subsequently caught fire.
Before the ambulance arrived, "unknown individuals" extracted Scoda from his vehicle. He was then rapidly transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center, where he was later declared deceased. As stated in his obituary, Scoda obtained a bachelor's degree from Seton Hall University's business school in 2022 and served as the vice president of Federal Metals and Alloys, a company based in South Plainfield. (Gif Source: Wix GIF)
Remembering Emmett Till: A Reverent Tribute On His 83rd Birthday
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On June 25, 2024 marks the date when Emmett Till would had been 83 years old. Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was brutally murdered in Mississippi on August 28, 1955 after being accused of flirting with a white woman. His murder and the subsequent trial of his killers became a catalyst for the civil rights movement in the United States. An all-white jury acquitted the two men accused of killing Emmett Till, but later admitted to the murder in a magazine interview. Emmett Till's death and the lack of justice served as a powerful symbol of the racism and violence endured by African Americans, and his story continues to be remembered and honored in the struggle for civil rights.
Above The Emmett Till Antilynching Act, which makes lynching a federal hate crime, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on February 26, 2020. Gif Provided by Wix Media
President Trump Is Coming To Deal NJ To Attend A Fundraiser
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Sunday, July 28, 2024 President Donald Trump is expected to attend a fundraiser in Deal. The previous time Trump visited the Jersey Shore was in May 2024, when he hosted a rally in Wildwood that "reportedly attracted 80,000 to 100,000 people." The upcoming Sunday event is a private fundraising dinner; the exact location has yet to be disclosed in the invitation. To view the invitation, please click or copy and paste Carly Baldwin's Middletown Patch article here: https://patch.com/new-jersey/longbranch/trump-appear-private-fundraiser-jersey-shore-weekend
Tickets are at minimum $3,300, and VIP tickets are $10,000. The Press reports that a photo with Trump is $50,000 per person, and a seat at his dinner table is $150,000. Deal Police said they cannot comment on whether there will be any road closures or extra security measures in place this Sunday.
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