Statement from IL Rep. Abelnasser Rashid on the Passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson

CHICAGO – Rep. Abdelnsasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) released the following statement:

“I was greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the civil rights movement and an inspirational leader in Chicago. From his work alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the founding of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Jackson dedicated his life to expanding the promise of democracy to those long denied it.

“For decades, Rev. Jackson championed a free Palestine, calling for dignity, self-determination, and justice in the Middle East. He approached the issue as a question of moral consistency – insisting that the same principles of equality and human rights must apply universally.

“Throughout his life, Rev. Jackson challenged America to live up to its highest ideals. He advocated for voting rights, economic justice, labor protections, and international human rights, with a message rooted in faith and the unwavering belief in the power of multiracial democracy.

“Rev. Jackson’s legacy is one of speaking hard truths before they were widely embraced, and standing firm when silence would have been easier. His example reminds us that moral leadership often begins where political comfort ends.”