[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 36 (Thursday, February 25, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND HONORING JOSHUA SIMMONS

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                        HON. STEPHANIE N. MURPHY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 25, 2021

  Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Madam Speaker, as part of our national 
celebration of Black History Month, I am paying tribute to African-
American leaders from Florida who have made outstanding contributions 
to our community and our country. These accomplished men and women have 
not always received the recognition they have earned.
  Today I rise to honor Joshua Simmons. Joshua was born in St. Louis, 
Missouri, and attended high school in Virginia. He moved to Coral 
Springs in 2011 to raise his younger sister while their mother was 
deployed overseas with the U.S. Navy. Joshua was an active member of 
the city's Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-Cultural Advisory and Customer 
Involved Government committees.
  Joshua earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Florida 
Atlantic University and his master's degree in psychology from Kaplan 
University, after which he worked in the mental health and subsequently 
as a teacher in the Broward County Public School system. Currently, he 
works in the private sector as an Account Manager at Hotwire 
Communications, an internet and cable service provider.
  In 2018, Joshua was elected to Coral Springs' City Commission, 
becoming the first Black elected official in the city's history. In 
2020, Joshua became the first African-American man to serve as the 
city's Vice Mayor.
  As both an educator and a public servant, Vice Mayor Simmons has 
brought new perspectives to the City of Coral Springs. He is a strong 
advocate for his community, working tirelessly to improve the lives of 
his constituents.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Joshua 
Simmons.

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