Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) passed away on July 19, 2024. She leaves behind a mountain of advocacy work, often inspired by her religious dedication. An early advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Jackson Lee was a key figure in launching the U=U National Task Force and ensuring people living with and susceptible to HIV were never left out of the equation.
“Collectively, us here at AIDS United mourn her loss,” Carl Baloney Jr., Vice President for Public Affairs & Chief Policy Officer, says. “She had always been a major advocate for HIV equity and a great partner for our organization. We thank her for never leaving HIV out of any discussion on public health. She knew the risks if that funding were stalled or cut entirely. We are grateful for her advocacy and thinking of her family and friends in this time.”
Jackson Lee always stood her ground on progressive public health policy. She remained a fierce defender of Medicare and Medicaid throughout her political career, even as political winds blew otherwise. Her efforts to make Juneteenth a federal holiday came to reality in 2021, and until the lost she fought for the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act. Never-waving, Jackson Lee saw the world as it could be: where public health is celebrated, racial inequities are eliminated, and the HIV epidemic would be at an end. Her allyship and leadership will remain an example to all progressive dreamers working to end inequalities in all of society.
Jackson Lee’s loss is a stark reminder we can all make equity a centerpiece in our actions. The work will continue to be done, and we will not cease until Jackson Lee’s dream of a just and equal world—and the HIV epidemic ceases to impact marginalized communities—is achieved in her name.