[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 195 (Thursday, December 15, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1311-E1312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF BRODERICK RAYFEL CRAWFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHARICE DAVIDS

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2022

  Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas. Madam Speaker, it is with profound sadness that 
I rise today to mourn the passing of Mr. Broderick Rayfel Crawford, who 
passed away on November 27, 2022. Mr. Crawford was a consummate servant 
leader and his dedication to the people of Wyandotte County touched 
countless lives. He leaves behind a family and community that will miss 
him greatly.
  Mr. Crawford's passion for health and his compassion for others 
manifested early in his childhood, when he would care for his mother 
after surgeries, act as medic for his six siblings, and become the 
problem-solver for the community children his mother helped. He 
graduated from the University of Kansas in 1985 and began to pursue a 
career as an infectious disease specialist, first as a clinic 
supervisor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and later at 
Saint Luke's Health System.
  His medical work inspired a lifelong commitment to improving health 
equity in his community of Wyandotte County. From community health to 
food and nutrition to housing and transportation, Mr, Crawford was a 
tireless advocate, activist, and organizer. He served on over 25 task 
forces in the Kansas City area, using his voice to unwaveringly demand 
better for his community.
  Mr. Crawford was deeply involved with the New Bethel Church, where he 
was a Deacon and beloved member of the congregation. He worked with 
members of the church to create programs that would address community 
health and health inequities in Kansas City, Kansas, including pushing 
for pastors to take the lead in congregation health. He also served as 
Community Health Director, then Executive Director, and ultimately 
President of the New Bethel Church Community Development Corporation. 
In this role, he acquired funding for numerous health initiatives in 
the Douglas-Sumner neighborhood and the greater Kansas City area.
  Mr, Crawford also recognized the disparate impact of COVID-19 on 
minority communities. He co-founded the Wyandotte County Health Equity 
Task Force to respond to the pandemic public health crisis, and he was 
an early advocate for equitable COVID testing and vaccine access.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the well-lived life of Mr. 
Broderick Crawford. Mr. Crawford saw people in his community who needed 
help and chose to dedicate his life to service. Though his absence will 
be keenly felt, his memory lives on in his legacy: the programs he 
started, the lives he saved, the volunteers he inspired, and the 
countless people whose lives he touched.

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