[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 78 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E450-E451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF REVEREND CECIL WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 6, 2024

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life, 
leadership and service of

[[Page E451]]

Reverend Cecil Williams: a spiritual giant who devoted his life to 
empowering those marginalized, forgotten and in need.
  Reverend Williams embodied the Gospel of Matthew: `for I was hungry 
and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a 
stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was 
sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me.' Through 
his many good works, he transformed countless lives--in the Bay Area 
and beyond.
  Reverend Williams stood on the forefront of the American struggle for 
civil rights and social justice: whether fighting against racism, 
protesting the Vietnam War, confronting the crack cocaine epidemic or 
bringing compassion to those with HIV/AIDS, to name just a few of his 
many good works. In a moment when the LGBTQ+ community faced intense 
discrimination and stigma, Reverend Williams began presiding over the 
weddings of same-sex couples in San Francisco--nearly five decades 
before marriage equality became the law of the land.
  Alongside his beloved wife Janice Mirikitani, who was his partner not 
only in marriage but in service, Reverend Cecil Williams helped launch 
and lead the GLIDE Memorial Church for six decades. Strengthened by 
their belief in unconditional love and the power of redemption, GLIDE 
has built a community of compassion and inclusion in the heart of one 
San Francisco's toughest neighborhoods. Today, more than 11,000 San 
Franciscans of all races, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, social classes, 
ages, faiths and sexual orientations are a part of GLIDE's vibrant, 
diverse congregation.
  Living out Reverend Williams and Janice's faith-based social justice 
mission, GLIDE is also one of the largest providers of social services 
in the city. GLIDE serves three nutritious meals a day, 365 days a 
year, to thousands of San Franciscans in need--while offering 
comprehensive support services, including affordable, accessible, 
quality health care, mental health services, and HIV/AIDS and substance 
abuse treatment. GLIDE also helps women overcome domestic violence and 
oppression by providing housing, child care and supportive services.
  Reverend Williams was not only respected but revered in our City as a 
clarion voice for love, respect and justice. At the same time, he 
embodied the spirit of our City's patron saint, Saint Francis of 
Assisi, who taught us to `Preach the gospel. Sometimes use words.' 
Indeed, he preached the gospel with his inspiring deeds each and every 
day.
  May it be a comfort to Reverend Williams' children Kim and Albert, 
his stepdaughter Tianne, his grandchildren and all his loved ones that 
so many San Franciscans mourn their loss and pray for them during this 
sad time--and that his saintly teachings will live on in the hearts of 
all those who were blessed to know him.

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