Reflection on the Legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson
The passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson has prompted reflections from leaders across the country, including our Executive Director Sunshine Mathon, whose own journey of service was shaped by an early encounter with Rev. Jackson’s work. Below, he shares a personal reflection on the lasting impact of Rev. Jackson’s legacy and the values he inspired in generations.
“When I woke up this morning and saw the headline of Rev. Jackson’s passing, I was instantly cast back to 4th grade when my mother brought me to my first political event – a Rainbow Coalition rally in small town Vermont for Rev. Jackson’s 1984 Presidential run.
Although I don’t remember what he specifically said, I remember standing in a high school gym surrounded by hundreds of inspired people in awe of Rev. Jackson and his oratory. I was in awe of how passionately he spoke to me, to my mom, to those next to me. I didn’t know the word at the time, but he exuded authenticity. He was speaking and acting because he fundamentally believed his life was best used in service to others.
That rally in 1984 opened my eyes and my heart. Rev. Jackson planted the first seed in my mind’s eye that a life of service was not only possible, but the true expression of being human.
Rev. Jackson had so much positive impact in this world, including on an unsuspecting 10-year-old boy he never actually met decades ago. We are all a little less because of his passing, and yet, his legacy will continue to cascade through generations.
In reverence,
Sunshine”