Congratulations to Fisk alumna, educator and former Florida State Senator Frederica Wilson (’63) as she was recently elected as United States Representative for Florida’s Congressional District 17.
“My years at Fisk prepared me well for a career in public service. Fisk taught me the value of maintaining a standard of excellence and equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to give back to our community,” Wilson said. “I am proud to be a part of a legacy that includes my brother Thirlee Smith, Jr., the first African American reporter at the Miami Herald, Congressman John Lewis, Board of Trustees member Donna Rice, and many others. I applaud Fisk for continuing this tradition for a new generation of young leaders.”
As state senator, Wilson worked with Governor Charlie Crist to grant voting rights to individuals convicted of non-violent felonies after completion of their full sentence. She also worked with former Governor Jeb Bush to reform the implementation of Florida’s Comprehensive Assessment Test ( FCAT.)
As an educator, Wilson has served in District 17 as a principal in addition to being named as member of the school board. During her board tenure, she founded the initiative “5000 Role Models of Excellence”, a drop-out prevention and academic excellence program, which has awarded over $5 million in college scholarships to graduating high school seniors among underrepresented populations. The program currently operates in 110 Miami-Dade County schools and assists over 6000 youth.
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