[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MS. ELIZABETH KEYES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2024

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
trailblazer and fashion designer, Ms. Elizabeth Keyes. Elizabeth has 
shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to 
achieve success.
  Elizabeth's hard work has led to the launch of her first collection 
under House of E. Keyes, a women's clothing brand she describes as 
bold, creative and inspirational. The collection is a collaboration 
with Shein X, a three-year-old program wherein Shein reaches out to 
emerging fashion designers, looks at their portfolios, interviews them 
and sponsors their five-piece collections.
  Elizabeth's upbringing in Bolton, MS, is described in three terms: 
hardworking, hospitality, and faith. She grew up on family land with 
parents who were both ministers at her home church in Bolton. Elizabeth 
was homeschooled until high school but that didn't stop her from 
participating in various extracurricular activities, including dance.
  At 12 years old, Elizabeth crouched over her sewing machine, hard at 
work on putting together her first-ever piece of custom clothing: an A-
line, zebra-print shirt. Elizabeth's mother was blessed enough to hire 
Sharon Knott, a seamstress who worked at Hancock, to give her private 
lessons.
  At 16 years old, she premiered in her first fashion show that raised 
money for a local charity for sickle-cell awareness. The collection 
contained six pieces for kids and teenagers, and her friends modeled 
her designs.
  After graduating from Raymond High School in 2017, she attended 
Savannah College of Art and Design, majoring in fashion design with a 
double minor in graphic design and fashion marketing and management. 
She graduates June 2, 2024.
  To celebrate the release of her first collection, Elizabeth held a 
launch party in her hometown on March 19, 2024, the day after the 
line's official debut. She has plans to host a fall fashion show of her 
collection in Mississippi and to establish her mentorship program, 
Girls in Grace, here as well. The program is her motivator for helping 
invest in the next generation of young women to help them follow their 
dreams.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. 
Elizabeth Keyes for her passion and dedication in the field of fashion 
design.

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