Recognizing Dr. Renee F. Washington Gardner

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a woman of many firsts, an upstanding member of our community, and someone I am blessed to call a constituent. Her name is Dr. Renee F. Washington Gardner.

She is the longest-serving female pastor of Harlem's Memorial Baptist Church in its entire history, dedicating decades of her life in service to church, her community, and God. This past Sunday marked her 17th year of service.

She is the first woman to also be named a moderator of the United Missionary Baptist Association in the group's 60-year history. Pastor Gardner is no stranger to shattering glass ceilings and paving the way for the next generation of cleric leaders.

Under her guiding principle of unity, hope, and grace, Memorial Baptist Church has proven vital to the strength and resiliency of Harlem, and we are forever indebted.

With Pastor Gardner at the helm, I trust that this work is only the beginning, and the Memorial Baptist Church will continue their mission of uplifting our community's most vulnerable and ingraining the spirit of strength into the fabric of our neighborhood.

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