Terri A. Sewell

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31 held · 12 searchable for Terri A. Sewell. The searchable lines are below in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.

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1. “May we honor their memory not only with our words but with our actions, and may we forever remember that the freedoms we enjoy today come at a tremendous cost--costs that are borne by Americans. We must uphold their legacy, extend their legacy, and we must never ever forget. ____________________”

   House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗

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2. “Speaker, remembering those four little girls cannot simply be about looking backward. It must also be about what we do today because the freedoms that they died for are not guaranteed. Every generation has a responsibility to protect them and to advance it. That is why we must teach our children the truth about our history. It is why we must never forget what happened on that day and that we must protect the sacred right to vote. It is why we must continue the fight for the equal justice and equal opportunity of every American. It is why, on this anniversary, we must recommit ourselves to the unfinished work of the civil rights movement. Today, I ask my colleagues to pause and remember four precious children: Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley.”

   House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗

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3. “As Black Alabamians took to the streets to demand justice, they were met with violence and brutality, resulting in the loss of two more children: 16-year-old Johnny Robertson and 13-year-old Virgil Ware. For too long, their families were denied the justice that they deserved. It took more than three decades before the perpetrators of this heinous attack were finally brought to justice. Six decades later, we must remember that these were not simply events in a history book. These were children whose lives were stolen because of the color of their skin. While we can never undo the pain of that day, we can ensure that these precious lives are never ever forgotten. Mr. Speaker, in 2013, I was honored to have my very first bill passed by Congress. That legislation awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the four little girls.”

   House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗

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4. “Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and to honor the lives of four little girls whose lives were taken in one of the darkest chapters of our Nation's history.”

   House of Representatives14 September 2026Source ↗

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5. “Today, we celebrate Yolanda. We also celebrate the extraordinary work of the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. Their groundbreaking research, innovative treatments, and compassionate care have transformed countless lives, and Yolanda's story is a powerful testament to their mission. Today, we celebrate an iron strong survivor, my dear friend Yolanda Jackson. More than that, we celebrate an iron strong woman, a faithful servant, a devoted mother, loyal friend, and an inspiration to everyone blessed enough to know her. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Yolanda on this well-deserved honor. Her courage, her faith, and her unwavering hope inspires everyone who has been privileged to know her. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Ms.”

   House of Representatives21 July 2026Source ↗

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6. “She believes that even at our hardest moments, God is at work, and that through suffering, he walks beside us, gives us strength to endure, and uses our trials to shape our character, deepen our faith, and make us into the people he wants us to be. Yolanda has lived that belief every day of her life. She encourages everyone facing cancer to hold on to hope, to stay positive, and never stop fighting. She believes we all need someone to love, something to look forward to, and something to live for. For Yolanda, that purpose shines brightest through her beautiful family. In 2019, she welcomed and adopted two precious twin boys, Ayden and Jayden, into her life. Last year, she opened her heart again by adopting their younger brother, Kyrie. Those three boys are truly blessed to have such a loving, faithful, and determined mom.”

   House of Representatives21 July 2026Source ↗

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7. “Not long after moving to Birmingham in 2005, Yolanda was diagnosed with breast cancer. She would go on to face two more cancer diagnoses in 2022 and again in 2024--three cancer diagnoses, three difficult battles, and three remarkable victories. Throughout every step of that journey, Yolanda received exceptional care from the physicians, nurses, and staff at the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. Her final treatment was in October of 2025. Her treatment was a success. Today, I am grateful to say that she remains in remission. When you ask Yolanda where she finds her strength, her answer is simple: her faith.”

   House of Representatives21 July 2026Source ↗

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8. “We became fast friends as neighbors in 2005, after we moved into the same apartment complex in Birmingham, Alabama. But our connection actually began years earlier. While working as a human resource consultant for the city of Selma in the early nineties, Yolanda became known to my mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell--Selma's first Black city councilwoman--and she adored Yolanda. It was a wonderful reminder of how small and how special our Alabama family can be. Over the past two decades, we have celebrated life's blessings together, and we stood beside one another through some of life's toughest moments. Yolanda has been there for me, just as I try to be there for her, and I am extraordinarily grateful for her friendship. My life is richer because she is in it.”

   House of Representatives21 July 2026Source ↗

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9. “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dear friend and extraordinary woman of faith, and a living testament to courage and resilience: Ms. Yolanda Jackson. This week, the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will present Yolanda with its Iron Strong Award for her courageous battle with breast cancer. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. I have known Yolanda for more than 20 years.”

   House of Representatives21 July 2026Source ↗

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10. “Mr. Speaker, with the eyes of the Nation on Alabama and Auburn men's basketball as they compete in the NCAA March Madness championship tournament, I would like to also shed a light on the outstanding high school basketball players in Alabama's Seventh Congressional District who led their teams to championship victories this season.”

    House of Representatives26 March 2025Source ↗

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11. “Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Jefferson County Schools superintendent Dr. Walter Gonsoulin, who was just named the 2025 National Superintendent of the Year. Superintendent Gonsoulin was celebrated at the AASA's National Conference on Education for his leadership within Alabama's Jefferson County School system.”

    House of Representatives11 March 2025Source ↗

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12. “Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Brenda Lovelady Spahn, the founder of The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama, who passed away on December 18, 2024, at the age of 75. Miss Brenda founded The Lovelady Center in 2004 to rehabilitate women involved in the criminal justice system.”

    House of Representatives15 January 2025Source ↗

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