[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 103 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2741-H2744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING MICHELLE ALLMAN
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Soto) for 30 minutes.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Caribbean Heritage Month, I
recognize Michelle Allman.
Michelle, otherwise known as Coach Mea Allman, born in Jamaica, comes
from a diverse, mixed cultural heritage: her father, Costa Rican, and
her mother, Jamaican, Arawak Indian, Scot. She was raised in Canada and
now resides in Florida.
She noticed early in her career the bullying of young people with
cultural accents in schools and the general lack of awareness about
their Caribbean heritage. Coach Mea felt a need to be part of educating
her Caribbean-American community by publishing an online publication
called Karibbean Under One Magazine in 2008, along with her son,
Michael Morgan, as cofounder and CFO, to show the richness of diverse
cultures; to be a community liaison for other Caribbean organizations
and businesses to provide resources, outreach, disaster relief; and to
help others to unite and grow our cultural awareness in the larger
community.
As a cultural advocate, she is passionate about building a welcoming
community with her Women of Kulture brand that comes together as
community leaders to educate, empower, and celebrate while keeping
their own sense of cultural identity.
As a certified professional life, health, and nutrition coach, she
encourages others to make, meet, and exceed goals in both their
personal and
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professional lives by using her success as a 21-year breast cancer
survivor as a health advocate to produce and host her monthly virtual
show, ``G.L.O.W. 365 = Greater Level of Wellness 365,'' that brings
awareness of the latest health and wellness information in America and
the Caribbean islands.
She also celebrates and honors individuals who have overcome or
continue to battle chronic illnesses and conditions with her Ribbons of
Survivors 365 brand that launched in 2014.
Additionally, she is an empowering speaker for KweliWorks and host of
several virtual shows. And now, she is the international cultural
ambassador for the Orlando International Film Festival Lions Club. Her
focus this year is to provide a platform to celebrate Caribbean
filmmakers.
For this and more, Michelle Allman, we honor you.
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Honoring Rachelle R. Grand-Pierre
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Caribbean-American Heritage
Month, I would like to recognize Rachelle R. Grand-Pierre.
Rachelle R. Grand-Pierre is the founder of RGP Law Firm, a boutique
immigration law firm in central Florida specializing in immigration,
removal defense, and humanitarian relief.
Rachelle received her bachelor of arts degree in English, creative
writing, at the University of Central Florida. She earned her Juris
Doctor at Barry University where she was a member of the inaugural
class of the collaborative family law clinic.
Rachelle currently serves on the executive board of the Central
Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association as
regional vice president of Orlando where she liaises between the
organization and the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services office
in Orlando.
As the daughter of brave, hardworking, Haitian immigrants, Rachelle
saw firsthand how immigrants selflessly dedicate themselves to
providing better lives for their families. For this reason, Rachelle
has a passion for fighting for immigrants to have the ability to live,
love, and work in the United States the way she has been blessed to do.
Rachelle has had the opportunity to help hundreds of immigrants in
her career, and she hopes that she will continue to touch the lives of
countless others. Even though she is from south Florida, Rachelle has
called central Florida her home for over 14 years.
When Rachelle is not tirelessly fighting for her clients, she can be
found traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with her family.
For this and more, Ms. Rachelle R. Grand-Pierre, we honor you.
Honoring Doreen Edwards-Barker
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Caribbean-American Heritage
Month, I would like to recognize Doreen Edwards-Barker.
Originally of Caribbean descent from Jamaica West Indies, Doreen
Edwards-Barker relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, in the early
seventies.
Doreen's philosophy is ``no one is useless in this world who lightens
the burdens of another.'' She has accomplished this by pursuing a
nursing degree and attending Bethel Bible College. While attending
Bethel Bible College, Doreen joined a street outreach ministry team
feeding the homeless on the streets.
Looking at the possibility of a life change and an escape from cold
winters, Doreen and her husband, Aldwin Barker, chose to call
Kissimmee, Florida, their new home in 2002. Immediately, Doreen saw the
same need that she saw in Boston. She realized helping others was the
secret to living a happier, healthier, and more productive, and
meaningful live.
Her passion was in her giving. They founded Clarita's House, Inc.,
and that later changed to Clarita's House Outreach Ministry, Inc., or
CHOM, as a testament to her late mother, Clarity Edwards. The outreach
ministry has covered areas in Orlando for the Coalition For the
Homeless as well as now in Kissimmee.
CHOM consistently serves the unsheltered and homeless by helping to
build trust relationships with those hardest to reach. They also reach
out to people living in the woods and homeless shelters of the
community. This is done by providing groceries, new and gently used
clothing, hygiene supplies, and down-payment assistance when needed.
CHOM also works with the Infinite Scholars Program, facilitating
scholarship fairs for more than 500 students and their families,
resulting in $10 million in scholarship offers.
Doreen has been recognized multiple times within the community, even
though she has never sought recognition for her work.
CHOM was awarded the 2021 Best of Kissimmee award in the category of
charity services. Additionally, CHOM accepted the Second Harvest Food
Bank of Central Florida's selection as the 2020 Osceola County Agency
of the year.
For this and more, Ms. Doreen Edwards-Barker, we honor you.
Honoring Andy King
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Caribbean-American Heritage
Month, I would like to recognize Andy King.
Andy King currently works in the Finance/Shared Services department
for the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
For the past 10 years, Andy has served as president of the board of
directors of Southchase Parcel 5 Homeowners Association and served
previously as president of the Southchase West Master Homeowners
Association. His career also allowed for exposure in the management of
some prominent business departments in the private and public sectors,
such as banking, customer service, credit management, and a stint in
project management with New York City's Department of Housing
Preservation and Development.
He is also a founding member and past-president of the Guyanese-
American Cultural Association of Central Florida, treasurer of the Ann
Marie De Goveia Scholarship Fund, and immediate past-president and
current chairman of the advisory board of the Caribbean and Floridian
Association.
Andy credits these experiences with helping him to lead the call for
the promotion and introduction of programs and activities that are
consistent with the desires of the Caribbean-American community.
He was instrumental in launching the annual Caribbean Fusion Festival
in Osceola County, a cultural collaboration between CAFA and the City
of Kissimmee, and also the annual Turkey Giveaway at Thanksgiving in
Kissimmee. Andy is married and the father of two.
For this and more, Mr. Andy King, we honor you.
Honoring Sterling Blake
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Caribbean-American Heritage
Month, I would like to recognize Sterling Blake.
Hailing from Jamaica West Indies, Sterling C. Blake came to the great
United States of America as a sugarcane farmworker. He has resided in
Kissimmee, Florida, for most of his life, where he served as an
assistant pastor at the Church of God in Christ for 24 years.
Sterling then started a landscaping company in 1987, and the company
grew tremendously. In 1994, Sterling Silver Scape & Sod, Inc., was
nominated as the third largest African-American business in the central
Florida area, and he was featured in the Orlando Business Journal that
same year, and also in 2006. Sterling was also honored by the Orange
County Minority Board department.
Sterling served on the board of the Council on Aging for 10 years and
is also the pastor of Restore the Path for Christ church located in
Kissimmee, Florida.
Sterling was also a member of the Tuskegee Airmen for over 10 years,
and his commitment to the Tuskegee Airmen has afforded him the honor of
a red jacket.
Sterling has served his community well by feeding the poor, visiting
the sick in the hospitals, and helping the needy. Sterling is known in
his community as an upstanding and honest businessman.
For this and more, Mr. Sterling Blake, we honor you.
Honoring Grace Peek-Harris
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of LGBTQ-plus Pride Month, I would
like to recognize Ms. Grace Peek-Harris.
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Ms. Grace Peek-Harris has served the central Florida LGBTQ-plus
community for several years. Grace's Navy career brought her to the
region in the 1990s where she served on several deployments, including
Operation Enduring Freedom. In 1998, she transitioned from active duty
to the reserves and joined the Orlando Police Department.
While at OPD, she became well-known as an advocate for LGBTQ-plus
issues and a friend to the LGBTQ-plus community. After the Pulse
tragedy, Grace was officially appointed as the lead LGBTQ liaison where
she continued to foster numerous relationships throughout the Orlando
area and became the first full-time driver of the #0049 Orlando United
patrol car. While in this role, Grace played an integral part in
expanding the Safe Place program where over 230 Orlando businesses
display a sticker identifying them as a safe place to report LGBTQ
crimes.
In 2019, Grace founded the Gay Officers Action League of Central
Florida, GOALcfl, whose mission is to support, educate, and promote
positive relationships between LGBTQ, law enforcement and the
communities they serve. Under her leadership as president, GOALcfl has
become a driving force within the community by bridging the gap between
the two.
She has led the organization through tremendous growth and has
supported many central Florida LGBTQ-plus non-profits. In 2021, GOALcfl
hosted their first major training event in partnership with the Matthew
Shepard Foundation. This day-long program educated many community
advocates, law enforcement, and legal personnel on current hate crimes
legislation.
Grace retired as a commander from the Navy after 23 years and retired
as a master sergeant from OPD after 20 years.
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She currently enjoys serving on the board of The Center and GOALcfl
and continuing to volunteer with LGBTQ-plus organizations, including
Zebra Coalition and KindRED Pride Foundation.
Grace lives in Windermere with her wife, Elie and their son, Dylan.
For this and more, Ms. Grace Peek-Harris, we honor you.
Honoring Eleanor McDonough
Mr. SOTO. In honor of LGBTQ-plus Pride Month, I would like to
recognize Eleanor McDonough.
Ms. Eleanor McDonough was born and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea,
Massachusetts, to parents Frank and Sally McDonough. She moved to
Kissimmee, Florida, in 2016 where she came out as a transgender woman.
She currently works as a legislative assistant to Representative
Kristen Arrington of Kissimmee, Florida, House District 43, and is the
only out transgender person working at the Florida Capitol.
She previously worked for the Florida Democratic Party as a field
organizer in Osceola County in the Celebration, Reunion, and Champions
Gate area. She currently serves as the corresponding secretary of the
Osceola County Democratic Executive Committee, is the deputy director
of Region 4, central Florida, of the Florida LGBTQ-plus Democratic
Caucus, is the secretary of the Florida Democratic Party Diversity and
Inclusion Committee, is the secretary of the Osceola County Democratic
Women's Club, and is a board member of the Democrats of St. Cloud and
the Osceola County LGBTQ-plus Democratic Caucus.
She is also passionate about commonsense gun reform as a volunteer
and former social media lead of the Osceola County chapter of Moms
Demand Action.
In 2019 Eleanor graduated from the National Democratic Training
Committee Staff Academy in the digital organizing track. Before her
career in politics, she previously worked in the technology field for
20 years and was a small business owner.
She has three siblings: her brother Joseph McDonough, and her sisters
Virginia and Siobhan McDonough. She is also the proud aunt of nephews
Connor Fresia and Gus McDonough.
Eleanor is working to make the world a better place, especially for
transgender kids. She looks forward to serving her community in
Kissimmee for many years to come.
For this and more, Ms. Eleanor McDonough, we honor you.
Honoring Mandy Kimmer
Mr. SOTO. In honor of LGBTQ-plus Pride Month I would like to
recognize Mandy Kimmer.
Mandy Kimmer, APR, CPRC, is the public information officer for Orange
County Parks and Recreation, having worked there for 13 years.
Born and raised near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she earned her BA
degrees in public relations, journalism, and economics from Florida
Southern College in Lakeland in 1983.
In 2015 she and friend Karen Castelloes cofounded the Zebra
Coalition's Jefferson R. Voss Education Fund for LGBTQ-plus students in
central Florida, establishing an endowed scholarship at the University
of Central Florida and helping direct funds from a separate donation
for students pursuing courses for a GED or technical and community
college. Since the inception of this funding, numerous students have
received thousands of dollars in financial assistance to further their
education.
After the Pulse tragedy occurred in Orlando on June 12, 2016, Mandy
formed the LGBTQ Pride and Allies of Orange County for county
colleagues and others outside the organization. Knowing that people
wanted to help and needed to heal, she invited LGBT community leaders
to speak at meetings held in Orange County's administration building.
Topics included volunteer opportunities with Zebra Coalition, civil
rights work of Equality Florida, community involvement of The LGBT-plus
Center Orlando, personal transgender stories, and coming-out
experiences of youth and adults. Five years later this small assembly
is now in the process of meeting requirements to become a recognized
employee resource group for the Orange County government's 8,000
employees.
Mandy has sung first alto and second soprano parts in the Orlando Gay
Chorus for the past 4 years and is a 9-year breast cancer survivor. She
is the proud mom of sons Matthew Luber, a former U.S. marine, and
Andrew Luber, who is majoring in accounting at the University of South
Florida in Tampa.
For this and more, Ms. Mandy Kimmer, we honor you.
Honoring Brandon Wolf
Mr. SOTO. In honor of LGBTQ-plus Pride Month, I would like to
recognize Brandon Wolf.
Life changed for Brandon Wolf when, on June 12, 2016, he escaped
Pulse nightclub with his life. That night a gunman murdered 49 mostly
LGBTQ people of color, including his best friends, Drew and Juan,
celebrating in their safe space.
In the wake of the tragedy, Brandon dedicated his life to honoring
the victims with action. He has become a fierce advocate for
commonsense gun safety reforms, becoming the first survivor of the
shooting to share his testimony before this Congress. He frequently
steps forward to share his story courageously and demands better from
lawmakers.
Brandon has also become an unapologetic advocate for LGBTQ civil
rights, amplifying the voices of marginalized people and resisting
homophobia and transphobia.
He cofounded The Dru Project, a youth-serving organization that has
given over $100,000 in college funding to emerging LGBTQ leaders.
Brandon also serves as the media relations manager for Equality
Florida, our State's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization
For this and more, Mr. Brandon Wolf, we honor you.
Honoring Lisa Barr
Mr. SOTO. In honor of LGBTQ-plus Pride Month, I would like to
recognize Ms. Lisa Barr.
Lisa Barr joined the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida, Inc.,
in August of 2014 as executive director, prior to which she was the
vice president of development at Habitat for Humanity of Brevard
County, Florida. Lisa spent over 20 years as a Department of Defense
contractor prior to moving to the nonprofit sector. She holds an MBA in
management from the Johns Hopkins University and has a diverse
background in the fields of government defense contracting, business
consulting, not-for-profit leadership, and fundraising.
Her major career accomplishments include leading the expansion of a
small, grassroots health organization into a regional operation with
multiple satellite locations and successfully
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leading 22 government subcontractors to surpass their targets
throughout the rebuild challenges following the September 11, 2001,
attack on the Pentagon.
Lisa is known throughout the region as a thought leader when it comes
to innovation and new ideas to address the area's health disparities.
She has recently been featured on WKMG News 6 for her work on HIV
prevention and education and the reopening of a new medical facility.
She has contributed to the field of HIV and not-for-profit management
through speaking engagements, mentorship of senior organizational
leaders, and volunteer service on major projects, including the United
States Conference on AIDS. Lisa has fostered an environment of
excellence, compassion, and service that has earned Hope and Health the
reputation of the warm hug of healthcare.
In her spare time Lisa enjoys spending time with her family and
friends, traveling, and building houses with Habitat for Humanity of
Brevard County Women Build.
For this and more, Ms. Lisa Barr, we honor you.
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Honoring Joel Junior Morales
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, I would like
to recognize Joel Junior Morales.
Joel Junior Morales--pronouns he, him, his, el,--is a proud queer
Puerto Rican. He is currently the operations director for the LGBT+
Center Orlando, spearheading efforts to affirm and empower the LGBTQ+
community.
Morales served as a victim service navigator during the aftermath of
the Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016. He assisted more than
900 individuals and 255 families, alongside 50 other government,
community, and business organizations at the Family Assistance Center,
which transitioned to being what is known now as the Orlando United
Assistance, currently under Joel's leadership.
He was instrumental in creating the Central Florida LGBTQ+ Relief
Fund, a collaboration of several LGBTQ organizations and mutual aid
fund that helped over 700 LGBTQ+ families during the peak of the
pandemic in 2020.
Throughout volunteerism, a longstanding community builder, Joel is
one of the cofounders of QLatinx, a grassroots racial, social, and
gender justice organization dedicated to the advancement and
empowerment of the LGBTQ+ Latinx community.
He also serves on many community boards, including grant committee
member for Contigo Fund, stakeholder forum for the National Mass
Violence Victimization Resource Center, leadership team for the
American Cancer Society, and others.
An advocate for survivors, he was trained and certified with the
Florida Crisis Response Team. Joel is also the regional chapter
coordinator for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. He advocated
and organized around Florida House bill 7125. The new Florida policy
improves the probation system, gets Floridians back to work, and
removes barriers to victims' compensation.
In addition, Joel has recently joined the Office for Victims of Crime
Training and Technical Assistance Center as a consultant under the
Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program, working closely with
other trauma centers around the Nation. He aims to continue his efforts
through social justice and advocacy.
For this and more, Mr. Joel Junior Morales, we honor you.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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