[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 99 (Wednesday, June 7, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                       HONORING WAIKINYA CLANTON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2023

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable person, Waikinya Clanton of Canton, Mississippi.
  Waikinya Clanton is the State Office Director at Southern Poverty Law 
Center. One of Waikinya's professional accomplishments is helping to 
direct nearly $1.5 million in funds to nonprofit organizations who were 
looking to help educate and strengthen engagement of communities in 
electoral politics, to help train women to skillfully assume elected 
office and empower and influence them to disrupt politics on a local, 
state, and federal level.
  Previously, Clanton has served as senior adviser to the Democratic 
National Committee chair. She was the National Executive Director of 
the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, where she 
led efforts that fueled electoral victories for Black women. In 
addition, she was a key aide to my Congressional staff as well. She 
also served as an Equity Adviser on race, gender, policy, and public 
engagement for social networking company Nextdoor and cosmetics 
retailer Sephora.
  Clanton is a graduate of Tougaloo College, where she earned her 
bachelor's degree in sociology. She earned a master's degree in 
business administration from the University of Phoenix. She is a 
certified political operative through the Congressional Black Caucus 
Institute's political education and training Boot Camp as well as The 
Campaign School at Yale University, which is dedicated to increasing 
the number of women in elected and appointed office. Clanton is a 
certified Diversity and Inclusion Specialist through Cornell 
University's diversity and inclusion certification program.
  Clanton is also the founder of Who's Who of MS Women and is a Black 
Church Digital Equity Fellow with the Multicultural Media, Telecom, and 
Internet Council as well as a Public Policy Fellow with the Eric H. 
Holder Public Policy Institute at Tougaloo College. She is also the 
inventor of the new card game, Quonvo.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing my former 
staff member, Waikinya Clanton for her dedication to the oppression 
within the state of Mississippi.

                          ____________________