[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 20, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E845-E846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PASSING OF WALKER A. WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAREN BASS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 20, 2017

  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the life and memory of 
Walker Alexander Williams.
   Born in East Orange, New Jersey in 1940, Walker lifted his eyes well 
beyond our shores and developed an international reputation as a 
businessman and an advocate for the African and Caribbean diaspora 
communities. His passion for economic empowerment led him to create 
Alternative Marketing Access, Leadership Global (formerly Leadership 
Africa USA) and NiQuan Energy as platforms for development. Walker 
leaves behind a legacy of uplifting others and promoting the 
advancement of under-represented groups, especially those of African 
and African American descent.
   Walker also recognized the importance of training people to fill 
leadership roles and developing talent to serve in African political 
and economic contexts. He had a vision for developing countries in 
which their diverse communities and nations overall could reach their 
full potential. His distinguished career included testifying in 
Congress on ``The Future of Energy in Africa'' where he urged this body 
to support and encourage partnerships to improve Africa's access to 
energy. He also provided vital leadership around the initial passage of 
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), arranging several 
Congressional briefings for African Ambassadors, key members of 
Congress, and Administration officials on AGOA and its potential effect 
on infrastructure, energy, agriculture, health, nutrition, and 
security.
   During his long career as a businessman, advocate, and 
philanthropist, Walker remained

[[Page E846]]

committed to mentoring and empowering young people and professionals, 
and he always aimed to make those who worked with him feel valued. He 
worked with more than 100 non-governmental organizations over thirty-
plus years, and he facilitated scholarship and educational 
opportunities in Africa and the Caribbean through the Education Africa 
Presidential and Premier Education Awards, Nelson Mandela Presidential 
Medallions, and the Walter Sisulu Scholarship and Training Fund. He 
encouraged Africans and Americans alike to envision and achieve 
personal power and a more prosperous future. Walker believed that a 
better Africa and Caribbean meant a better United States of America.
   Walker is remembered by his partner, children, and grandchildren as 
a humble and dedicated man. I would like to celebrate a life of service 
while I offer condolences to those he has left behind.

                          ____________________