[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E98]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING CARRIE HURST

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 5, 2025

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Black History 
Month to celebrate a change agent, community leader and lifelong Tampa 
Bay advocate, Carrie Jean Lofton Hurst.
  Mrs. Hurst was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, as the youngest of 
six children. She graduated from Tampa Bay Technical High School in 
1977, where she met Robert Hurst, Sr. Afterwards, they became engaged 
but pursued different paths--Mrs. Hurst's mother had always championed 
education as a priority, so Mrs. Hurst attended Hillsborough Community 
College (HCC) and Mr. Hurst started his military career. She worked in 
the library as a student assistant while pursuing her associate's 
degree, which she earned in 1979.
  Mrs. Hurst delayed completing her university studies to marry and 
join her husband on assignment.
  Soon after relocating and starting a family, Mrs. Hurst started at 
the library on base at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where they were 
stationed. She fell in love with the library and learned the skills she 
needed. Her husband was then reassigned overseas, and she went home to 
Tampa to await his return.
  Back in Tampa, she obtained employment again at HCC's library, where 
she remained for 18 years as a library technical assistant. During her 
time there, her love of the work rekindled her desire to further her 
education, so she worked full-time by day and attended classes by 
night. She completed her bachelor's degree in 1998 from St. Leo 
University and then earned her master's degree with honors in 2000 from 
the University of South Florida.
  Mrs. Hurst started her career at Tampa Hillsborough Public Library in 
2000 at the 78th Street Library then at the Ybor City Branch Library. 
In 2008, she became branch manager of the Seminole Heights Library and 
guided the modernization of the popular library. In 2015, Mrs. Hurst 
came back to the Ybor City location to now lead it as the new Robert W. 
Saunders, Sr. Library, named after a prominent Civil Rights leader.
  Being selected to open and lead this library would become Mrs. 
Hurst's greatest professional challenge and role, as this is no 
ordinary library. The Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library is one of 
only two African American research libraries in the entire state of 
Florida. This library is near historical Central Avenue that once 
served as the hub of Black businesses, Black entertainment and culture 
for more than 100 years. The library encompasses a visual focus and 
collection focused on African American life and history. Mrs. Hurst was 
instrumental in developing initiatives that support access to 
information and history of this culture and history. She developed 
community presentations and collaborations, and her efforts were 
supported by the Library Administration, the Ada T. Payne Friends of 
the Urban Libraries, the Robert Saunders Foundation and community 
partners and participants.
  ``Free and accessible information is a human right and a necessary 
part of the pathway to equality.'' Mrs. Hurst yearns to share her 
knowledge and experience with others. She admires the spirit of service 
and egalitarianism inherent in librarianship. Librarians seek 
challenges and continue learning for themselves, to promote and enable 
the acquisition of knowledge of others and uphold libraries as 
institutions for betterment, all the things that Mrs. Hurst dedicated 
herself to.
  Libraries have continued to evolve in the age of technology and in 
the face of the rapid change in the way that information is collected, 
distributed and preserved. It was compelling to her that access to 
information and technology could help lay the cultural groundwork for 
creating social change. Mrs. Hurst embraced this change and mobilized 
within her community, bringing members of her community to the library 
for informational and cultural activities. Mrs. Hurst sought to work in 
urban libraries where she could identify, engage and motivate people 
wherever they were in their lives. Her desire to assist, encourage and 
inspire others to use the resources of the library to rise above their 
circumstances helped to create a strong network of partnerships to 
touch and transform lives of many.
  Mrs. Hurst is also a Charter Member of the Tampa Metropolitan Alumnae 
Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a Member of the NAACP 
Hillsborough County branch and the Beta Phi Mu, International Library 
Honor Society. In her retirement, she continues to assist in creating 
community initiatives and she motivates others by reminding them to: 
``Keep striving, reach for your dreams. It's all attainable. Just put 
one foot in front of the other.''
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Tampa Bay community, I am honored to 
recognize the outstanding accomplishments, leadership and service of 
Mrs. Carrie Jean Lofton Hurst, who stands as a shining example of the 
tremendous impact of hard work, nurturing others and providing service 
to the community to encourage others to reach their highest potential.

                          ____________________