[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16968-16969]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MS. TEOLA SANDERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and service of Ms. Teola Sanders, and I commend her fifty years of 
impassioned leadership and unyielding volunteerism to the East Bay 
community. Ms. Sanders' dedication to Bay Area women's rights, 
horticulture, arts and humanities, reflects the lasting legacy of her 
service.
  Ms. Sanders was born in Mansfield, Louisiana in 1931 and was the 
oldest of four children. In 1938, the family relocated to Oakland, 
California. Ms. Sanders attended Oakland Public Schools and was a proud 
graduate of Oakland Technical High School. In 1951, she met Jeff 
Sanders and from this union three children were born: Tori, Andre, and 
Jay.
  Ms. Sanders completed community college courses before obtaining her 
Real Estate License. For 27 years, she worked for the Shorenstein 
Company (formerly Milton Meyer and Company), one of the country's 
oldest and most respected real estate organizations. Her tremendous 
leadership led to her appointment as the company's lead organizer for 
political and humanitarian events throughout the San Francisco Bay 
Area.
  Extremely passionate about local politics, Ms. Sanders was a founding 
member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA). One of 
BWOPA's first major successes was helping elect Ronald V. Dellums to 
the United States Congress in 1971. Ms. Sanders' passion for political 
activism continued and she was appointed to serve on numerous boards, 
including the Commission of the Deputy Chief of Protocol by Oakland 
Mayor Elihu Harris, and the Horticultural Commission by Governor Jerry 
Brown. She was also the Founding President of Today's Women, Inc., and 
a founding member of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
  Ms. Sanders' life was dedicated to the service of others. She 
generously donated her time to the Oakland Museum, the Oakland 
Symphony, the African American Museum and Library Coalition, the 
American Red Cross and many other humanitarian organizations.
  Ultimately, Ms. Sanders was blessed to live a full life with no 
regrets. A loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, 
Ms. Sanders will truly be missed. But we can rest assured knowing her 
lasting memory of love and wisdom will continue to guide all those who 
knew and loved her.
  Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes the legacy of 
Ms. Teola Sanders, and her contributions which have truly impacted 
countless lives throughout the Bay Area. I join all of Ms. Sanders' 
loved ones in celebrating her incredible life and offer my most sincere 
condolences.

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