Brooklyn, N.Y. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou, the celebrated author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her extraordinary contributions to American literature and to the Civil Rights Movement:
 
“As we mourn the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou, let us remember her as a woman of conviction, dedicated to her belief in the capacity of her words to transcend the boundaries of the racial divides that exist, not only in literature, but in our society as well.   She was a woman of courage and valor, whose acts defined her character, and whose leadership on civil rights inspired activists around the world. As a coordinator with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, she worked with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X to secure for every American the rights protected by our Constitution. Let us celebrate her life, as a renowned poet and author, who traveled around the world to share her interest in arts, as a performance artist and letters with audiences eager to hear the passion in her voice and the brilliance of her elocution. An American proud of her West Indian heritage, Dr. Maya Angelou will remain forever a part of our lives and culture.”
 
“Let us remember Dr. Maya Angelou’s life and legacy with her own words: ‘Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.’”

U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke is a member of the House Committee on Small Business, Ethics, and Homeland Security, where she is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. She represents many neighborhoods in central and southern Brooklyn, NY which include Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Gerritsen Beach, Madison, Midwood, parts of Park Slope and Flatlands, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, and Windsor Terrace.