The Seattle Times, June 4, 2018: Rev. Jesse Jackson to Amazon: You have the power to lift up our youth, diversify boardroom
His step is slow and a bit unsteady. His once powerful voice — a voice that gave hope to millions of African Americans — is now a gravelly whisper. His hands tremble slightly and his gaze, at times, is fixed on the horizon, as if looking at something we cannot see.
But like all good politicians, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson can summon an inner resolve, and shake off his age and illness. His trademark cadence and passion is reignited when he’s questioned about immigration, voter suppression, Obamacare, the NFL protests, and of course, President Donald Trump.
Although he is living with Parkinson’s disease, Jackson, at 76, can still reel off distant dates, names and details gathered from a lifetime of achievement that has made him one of America’s most influential African-American voices.
His return to Seattle last week is a reminder that his work here is not yet done, that our work as a nation is not yet done. Jackson’s vision for a more just America, one that lifts people from poverty through education and social investment, is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago in Selma, Alabama.
