[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 112 (Thursday, July 7, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E698-E699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING KENNEDY ANDERSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAUREN UNDERWOOD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 7, 2022

  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Kennedy Anderson 
for her service to my office.
  Kennedy joined our team as our D.C. staff assistant in July 2021, and 
quickly proved herself indispensable to our organization. In February 
of this year, she took on additional responsibility with my 
communications team and was promoted to staff assistant/press and 
digital assistant. Kennedy embodies our office's values of excellence, 
kindness, service, responsiveness, productivity, and accessibility. 
Kennedy's role is demanding and involves serving not only our staff, 
but also our broader community, as well as managing our paid internship 
program. On top of this workload, she always finds time to connect with 
each colleague, mentor each intern, and identify opportunities to 
improve our office's operations and constituent communication.
  In her management of the internship program, she often went above and 
beyond, providing additional skills training, life advice, and job 
seeking support to talented young people with ambitions for public 
service. She worked with our Chief of Staff to improve recruitment of 
interns from underrepresented backgrounds. Kennedy unfailingly treats 
all who interact with my office with respect and enthusiasm and is 
among those special people whose positive energy illuminates a room--
even a Zoom room. During our office's celebration of Black History 
Month, she shared

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daily presentations of her family's experiences facing and rising above 
discrimination in the Jim Crow South and pioneering their way to 
success in professions where Black Americans are under represented. She 
also took a leadership role in supporting diversity, equity, and 
inclusion in our office by bringing educational programming to our 
staff meetings.
  We will miss the joy and creativity Kennedy brings to our office, the 
sweet potato pie she brought to our office holiday party, and her being 
the one staff member who truly commits to the theme on celebratory Zoom 
gatherings--sometimes even through costume. Prior to joining my staff, 
Kennedy earned a Bachelor's degree from Converse University in 
Spartanburg, South Carolina.
  We are incredibly proud of Kennedy's professional growth in the time 
she has been with our office and wish her the best in her next 
opportunities. Although Kennedy may be leaving our office, our 
community in northern Illinois and my entire staff will always consider 
her as part of Team Underwood. Madam Speaker, I would like to formally 
thank Kennedy Anderson for her service to my office, to Illinois' 14th 
Congressional District, and to our country.

                          ____________________