--JACKSON, Mississippi
Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
Standing on the historic grounds of the private Mississippi HBCU—once a sanctuary and launch pad for the Civil Rights Movement—the Congresswoman reflected on the paradoxical nature of the moment: that in 2025, her very presence as a speaker remained controversial.
"As I stand here in this safe space, still only one of the few places that an institution can invite me to speak... to think about the fact that people have to be fearful of having a sitting member of Congress come and address their graduates tells us that we still got a lot of work to do," she told the graduates.
Drawing parallels between past and present struggles, she reminded the audience that Tougaloo was one of a few places in Mississippi where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could speak during the Civil Rights Movement. Now, decades later, she noted the irony of similar limitations placed on Black voices in positions of power.
"The president of the United States having a temper tantrum that strips funding because I'm Black and I'm proud should not be something that we are dealing with in 2025," she stated, her voice rising with conviction.
The Congresswoman, who acknowledged working multiple jobs during her own college years, spoke candidly about personal struggles and the fatigue that comes with fighting systemic barriers. Invoking the refrain from the gospel song "I Don't Feel No Ways Tired," she encouraged graduates to persevere despite exhaustion.
