[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E89]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO CHERYL A. HICKMON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 1, 2022

  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
dedicated community servant, mentor, and advocate for social justice 
and economic empowerment. Cheryl A. Hickmon, the 27th National 
President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., transitioned from this 
life on January 20, 2022. She left a legacy that enriched the lives of 
women and girls globally and uplifted African American communities 
particularly.
  Cheryl A. Hickmon, was a native of Hartford, Connecticut. She was 
born on May 11, 1962, to the late Dr. Ned Hickmon and Consuella 
Anderson Hickmon. She was a graduate of my alma mater, South Carolina 
State University, where her leadership journey in Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority, Inc. began when she was initiated through the Alpha Xi 
Chapter in 1982. She became president of the Alpha Xi. Chapter (1983 to 
1984) and South Atlantic Regional Representative (1984 to 1986). After 
graduating from South Carolina State, Cheryl Hickmon returned to her 
hometown, where she joined the Hartford Alumnae Chapter and eventually 
became Chapter President (2009 to 2013).
  She remained actively involved in the Sorority for 39 years and held 
numerous elected and appointed positions at the national, regional, and 
local levels; most recently being elected as National President and 
Chair of the Board of Directors of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
  Professionally, Cheryl Hickmon was a licensed Clinical Laboratory. 
Technologist and worked in the Reproductive Medical Laboratory for more 
than 30 years. She was most recently employed at Montefiore's Institute 
for Reproductive Medicine and Health in Hartsdale, New York, a division 
of the Montefiore Medical Center and a teaching hospital of the Albert 
Einstein: College of Medicine. She supervised the In Vitro 
Fertilization Laboratories for Andrology and Endocrinology. Cheryl 
Hickmon was highly skilled and experienced in the specialties of 
Andrology and Endocrinology. One of her greatest joys was assisting 
couples with the gift of children.
  Cheryl Hickmon served her community in various ways; the NAACP, the 
National Council of Negro Women, the National Brotherhood of Skiers, 
and was a member of St. Monica's Episcopal Church. She was the 
recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Outstanding 
Accomplishments and Achievement Award from South Carolina State, the 
``100 Most Influential African Americans in the State of Connecticut'' 
by the Connecticut Chapters of the NAACP, and the Citizen of the Year 
Award from the Tau Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
  She is survived by her older brothers Ned and David Hickmon, a host 
of other family and friends, and the entire membership of Delta Sigma 
Theta Sorority, Inc. Those who had the pleasure of knowing Cheryl 
Hickmon agree that she embodied integrity, grace, and an unselfish, 
giving spirit.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in 
commemorating the life of Cheryl A. Hickmon, a woman who led with 
humility and lived by the motto, ``Don't measure life by the number of 
breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath 
away.''