[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO MRS. AGATHA SHORTER-LEWIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 2021

  Mr. CARBAJAL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the life of 
Mrs. Agatha Shorter-Lewis, a member of CA-24's NAACP Branch. Mrs. 
Shorter-Lewis has been described as ``a social justice, human and civil 
rights champion,'' because of her hard work fighting for equal rights 
throughout the Central Coast. Agatha Noel Shorter-Lewis was born in Los 
Angeles, California on September 7, 1950, to Leon and Martha Shorter. 
As a young woman, she studied at a community college in the Los Angeles 
area, transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara and 
earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1975.
  In 1973, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis began volunteering with Santa Barbara 
County Probation Department, interned with them in 1974 and in 1975 at 
the age of 24, she took the test for Deputy Probation Officer II and 
scored 1#. On January 20, 1976, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis was sworn in as the 
first Black female Deputy Probation Officer hired by Santa Barbara 
County. Her first assignment was working with Juveniles.
  In an April 2001, Santa Maria Times newspaper article, Mrs. Shorter-
Lewis recounted her time at the Probation Department noting one case 
stands out: ``A boy, who just wouldn't go to school and was giving his 
parents, school administrators and teachers chaos. She told him, 
``Listen, if you don't get up and go to school on time, I'm going to 
have to get there to your house and when you turn over, I'm going to be 
in bed with you, because I told you to get up and go to school.'' The 
young man thought she was playing with him and wasn't going to do it. 
Early one morning his mom called saying he wouldn't get out of bed. She 
told his mom ``I'm on my way'' and when she arrived at the house, she 
told the mom ``don't wake him up anymore, begging him to go to school'' 
and eased up in bed with him. When he turned over, he said ``Oh, Oh, 
Miss Shorter, Miss Shorter, I'm going to school, I'm going to school.'' 
She said, ``sure you are going to school because I'm going to wait 
right here until you get up.'' She drove the boy to school that day and 
his mother never had problems with him again.
   While at Probation, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis helped countless youth and 
their families changing their lives through dedication and caring while 
providing structure to help them reach their full potential. Mrs. 
Shorter-Lewis served the last 8 years with the department in the Adult 
Investigation Unit, investigating felony offenses, and determining 
whether or not to grant probation. She represented Probation in Court 
once a week as a Hearing Officer in Judge Rogelio Flores courtroom.
  Mrs. Shorter-Lewis served 27 years as Deputy Probation Officer, 
retiring on April 27, 2001, due to health issues.
  Mrs. Shorter-Lewis married Rev. Henry Littleton Lewis, Jr. on January 
16, 1993. Their wedding was the biggest wedding event in Santa Maria, 
with 25 bridesmaids many of whom were Judges, attorneys, and Probation 
Officers and more than 1,000 guests in attendance. One of her biggest 
joys was on September 12, 2013, when Rev. Lewis became Pastor of New 
Hope Missionary Baptist Church and she became First Lady of the church, 
a position she absolutely treasured. She was an active church member, 
and in her own words she served in every office of the church but 
``Pastor!'' In addition to First Lady, at New Hope Missionary Baptist 
Church, she served in the capacity of Church Clerk, Sunday School 
Teacher, Women's Ministry President, Program Committee Chair, and 
Women's Choir. She was also active with Coast Counties District 
Association serving as local president, District President, Minister's 
Wives Chairperson, and on various activity planning committees. At the 
State Baptist level, she was Vice-President of the Women's Department, 
Chair of Advisory Council of past Presidents, Serendipity Speaker and 
Teacher. At the National Baptist level, she was a delegate representing 
California State Baptist many times, Queen candidate for the Women's 
Department under Women's President Sister Alma Tate. With Rev. Lewis 
untimely death on September 13, 2013, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis First Lady 
position ended; however, she remained an active leader and member of 
the church.
  In addition to church, Mrs. Lewis was very active in the community. 
After being sworn in as a Deputy Probation Officer, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis 
moved to Santa Maria. Once in Santa Maria, she tried renting a home, 
but each time would be denied when she showed up and the owner saw she 
was African American. She did not let blatant racism deter her instead 
renting an apartment for two years and then becoming a homeowner before 
age 30. She was a lifetime/lifelong member of the National Association 
For the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and made history again as 
the Santa Maria-Lompoc Branch second President in 1981 at the age of 
31. Under her presidency the Branch's annual professional fashion show 
was born, an event that allowed the community to come out, get dressed 
up, enjoy dinner and the latest fashions from all over the world while 
supporting the Branch and the Branch's Scholarship recipients. Since 
its inception, the annual Fashion Show has awarded hundreds of 
scholarships to underserved youth to attend college and it continues 37 
years later. When Mrs. Shorter-Lewis's presidency ended in 1984, she 
continued her advocacy serving as first vice-president from 1985 to 
1988, second vice president from 1989 to 1990, on the Executive 
Committee from 1991 to 2018, and as Executive Committee Emeritus from 
2019 to her untimely death on October 5, 2021. In each role, she was 
always a Drum Major for Justice answering every call she was asked to 
do.
  Continuing as a trailblazer, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis was a business owner 
of Almagathai Ladies' Hats & Suits, Men's Ties and Jewelry along with 
her best friend, Mrs. Alma Tate. Mrs. Shorter-Lewis loved cruises and 
vacations and celebrated many birthdays on cruise ships including her 
30th, 50th and 60th. On one of those cruises, she was crowned the 
ship's queen. She and Rev. Lewis spent their 20th wedding anniversary 
in Hawaii.
  Mrs. Shorter-Lewis was known by most people, well respected in the 
community, larger than life, outgoing, family and people oriented, with 
a bubbly personality, a disarming smile, was a dynamic public speaker, 
very assertive, compassionate, a good listener able to discern truth. 
She celebrated many family vacations and reunions, chaired extra-large 
celebrations for her family and friends including her sister Carolyn's 
65th birthday, numerous retirement celebrations for her friends, 75/
76th birthday celebration for her friend and arranged for the community 
to attend the play ``The Color Purple'' in Los Angeles on a chartered 
bus.
  Over her lifetime, Mrs. Shorter-Lewis, received numerous community 
awards and recognitions including awards from the Santa Maria-Lompoc 
Branch, City of Santa Maria, and Vision of Hope, among others.

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