[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9904]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     PASSING OF WALKER A. WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAREN BASS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 26, 2017

  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the life and memory of 
Walker Alexander Williams. Born in East Orange, New Jersey in 1940, 
Walker lifted his eyes well beyond our shores and developed an 
international reputation as a businessman and an advocate for the 
African and Caribbean diaspora communities. His passion for economic 
empowerment led him to create Alternative Marketing Access, Leadership 
Global (formerly Leadership Africa USA) and NiQuan Energy as platforms 
for development. Walker leaves behind a legacy of uplifting others and 
promoting the advancement of under-represented groups, especially those 
of African and African American descent.
  Walker also recognized the importance of training people to fill 
leadership roles and developing talent to serve in African political 
and economic contexts. He had a vision for developing countries in 
which their diverse communities and nations overall could reach their 
full potential. His distinguished career included testifying in 
Congress on ``The Future of Energy in Africa'' where he urged this body 
to support and encourage partnerships to improve Africa's access to 
energy. He also provided vital leadership around the initial passage of 
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), arranging several 
Congressional briefings for African Ambassadors, key members of 
Congress, and Administration officials on AGOA and its potential effect 
on infrastructure, energy, agriculture, health, nutrition, and 
security.
  During his long career as a businessman, advocate, and 
philanthropist, Walker remained committed to mentoring and empowering 
young people and professionals, and he always aimed to make those who 
worked with him feel valued. He worked with more than 100 non-
governmental organizations over thirty-plus years, and he facilitated 
scholarship and educational opportunities in Africa and the Caribbean 
through the Education Africa Presidential and Premier Education Awards, 
Nelson Mandela Presidential Medallions, and the Walter Sisulu 
Scholarship and Training Fund. He encouraged Africans and Americans 
alike to envision and achieve personal power and a more prosperous 
future. Walker believed that a better Africa and Caribbean meant a 
better United States of America.
  Walker is remembered by his partner, children, and grandchildren as a 
humble and dedicated man. I would like to celebrate a life of service 
while I offer condolences to those he has left behind.

                          ____________________