HOUSTON – Hillary Rodham Clinton was awarded the first Barbara Jordan Leadership Award last Thursday, at a ceremony at Texas Southern University, by Sheila Jackson Lee. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, represents the historic 18th Congressional District which was also represented by the Honorable Barbara Jordan.
“Barbara Jordan has a unique and special leadership that placed her in the annals of American history. She had a great love for the Constitution and for the rights of all people.
She used her oratorical skills to speak for the voiceless and challenged us to be more courageous with a great sense of integrity,” stated Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. For that reason, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee envisioned a gold medallion presentation that would capture the essence of these qualities in the service of women in the United States and around the world. This project was developed in the last year and many who heard about it were impressed and inspired. Because of Barbara Jordan’s relationship with Texas Southern University, where her oratorical skills and scholarship were enhanced, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee was inspired to bring this vision and to connect it to the Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Now that this proposal has come to fruition, we bestowed the annual presentation on June 4, 2015 and set the pace for honoring women and leaders around the world.
The first recipient of this inaugural award is the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton. ” Hillary Clinton personifies the courage and strength of Barbara Jordan through her years of work to ensure health insurance for all children, fighting for human rights for girls and women around the world, and her service to the most vulnerable in our society,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee. Secretary Clinton has exemplified a unique scholarly approach to public service through her many works as First Lady, United States Senator, and as Secretary of State. Her efforts to ensure early childhood education, health insurance for all children, fighting for human rights for girls and women around the world, and her service to the most vulnerable in our society makes her a fitting nominee for the first Barbara Jordan Gold Medallion for Public-Private Leadership.
“For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future” – Barbara Jordan. “The future is our children and we must not fail them,” stated Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
The ceremony took place last Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 2:00 pm on the campus of Texas Southern University in the Health and Physical Education Arena.