[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 10, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E224-E225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING DR. WILLIE BLAIR'S LIFE AND LEGACY OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JUAN VARGAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 2021

  Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congresswoman 
Sara Jacobs, to honor Dr. Willie Blair. A Vietnam Combat veteran, 
former congressional staffer, and leader of the Black American 
Political Association of California-San Diego Chapter (BAPAC).
  Dr. Blair was born in 1951 in Knoxville, Tennessee and was one of 
eight children.
  He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Maryville 
College in 1973, attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode 
Island and was commissioned as a U.S. Naval Officer.
  Dr. Blair served as a Naval Officer for eight years, including a tour 
of duty in Vietnam as a small boat leader, where he participated in the 
evacuation of Saigon and Cambodia in May of 1975.
  After being honorably discharged in 1981, Dr. Blair moved to San 
Diego and earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a 
subsequent Doctorate in Humanities and Arts from Point Loma Nazarene 
University.
  Dr. Blair was a special assistant to former Congressman Bob Filner, 
focusing on veterans' issues, including veteran homelessness, retiring 
in 2013.
  As a San Diego community leader, Dr. Blair left a legacy of social 
justice and equity.
  From 2008 to 2017, he served as board chairman for BAPAC, an 
organization that strives to ensure the Black community in San

[[Page E225]]

Diego County remains a relevant economic, social, and political force 
in Southern California.
  Dr. Blair strongly believed in the mission of BAPAC: to work for the 
maximum effective representations of Black people in the political, 
economic, and educational systems of San Diego County and find 
solutions to issues related to jobs, education, and healthcare.
  In 2017, he was elected as BAPAC's President where he continued his 
work in civil and human rights and used his stature to promote quality 
leadership in the community.
  Dr. Blair devoted his life to bridging the achievement gap for ethnic 
and minority groups and elevate the positive educational outcomes of 
disenfranchised communities.
  Dr. Blair devoted his life to mentoring leaders in the black 
community ensuring status within the Democratic party and in other 
institutions and he was passionate about reaching common ground among 
Latinos, Asians, and other ethnic and minority groups.
  Dr. Blair is survived by his daughter, U.S. Airforce Officer Deborah 
Smith, siblings Janet, Trece and Roger, and several nieces and nephews.

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