[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 65 (Thursday, April 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MR. ROOSEVELT BROWN

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                            HON. JUAN VARGAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2025

  Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Roosevelt Brown, 
an outstanding member of our community who has served the youth in San 
Diego for more than 40 years.
  Mr. Brown spent his formative years in the San Diego school system, 
attending Logan Elementary School, Memorial Junior High School, and San 
Diego High School. At a young age, Mr. Brown struggled with a speech 
impediment that hindered his academic progress. He feared being called 
on by teachers to read or speak aloud due to his stutter. It is this 
limitation that inspired his community work.
  Mr. Brown pursued several professional avenues following his high 
school graduation, and in his thirties, he decided to take classes at 
the University of Redlands and San Diego City College. These courses 
nurtured a newfound passion for reading. He decided to channel this 
passion into community work, with a goal to make sure children didn't 
have to wait as long as he did to discover the joys of reading. He knew 
that reading opened doors to learning and confidence.
  Mr. Brown began his ``Children's Book Party'' in his backyard, aiming 
for every child to form a collection of books. The books covered a 
variety of subjects including math, science, short stories, and novels. 
His continued dedication expanded the program to the Education Cultural 
Complex and then the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. His book parties 
have come to fruition through the nonprofit he founded 35 years ago, 
``Reading Literacy Learning, Inc.''
  Mr. Brown's dedication to his nonprofit and community work has 
allowed him to overcome challenges throughout the years. During the 
COVID-19 pandemic, he still delivered books to schools. His efforts 
have proven fruitful as his nonprofit has distributed over a million 
books to children in the San Diego Community.
  Mr. Brown's family has been heavily involved in his community work, 
with the support of his wife aiding in the success of his nonprofit, 
and his children recently taking over the operations of his book 
parties.
  Mr. Brown was honored as the 52nd District Constituent of the Month 
in February 2025, when Black History Month was celebrated, for his 
dedication to providing learning opportunities to the youth of San 
Diego, which will undoubtably impact generations to come.

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