Reverend Jesse Jackson was one of America’s greatest patriots. He spent his life summoning all of us to fulfill the promise of America and building the coalitions to make that promise real. A son of Greenville, South Carolina, Reverend Jackson first rose to the national stage as one of the young leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. His presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 electrified millions of Americans and showed them what could be possible. From Washington, DC to the Bay Area, from the Mississippi Delta to Appalachia, from South Africa to the South Side of Chicago, Reverend Jackson gave a voice to people who were removed from power and politics. He let us know our voices mattered. He instilled in us that we were somebody. And he widened the path for generations to follow in his footsteps and lead. As a young law student, I would drive back and forth from Oakland, where I lived, to San Francisco, where I went to school. I had a bumper sticker in the back window of my car that read: “Jesse Jackson for President.” As I would drive across the Bay Bridge, you would not believe how people from every walk of life would give me a thumbs up or honk of support. They were small interactions, but they exemplified Reverend Jackson’s life work — lifting up the dignity of working people, building community and coalitions, and strengthening our democracy and nation. I was proud to partner with and learn from him on this work throughout my career, and I am so grateful for the time we spent together this January. Reverend Jackson was a selfless leader, mentor, and friend to me and so many others. Doug and I are praying for Jacqueline, their children and grandchildren, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and the millions of people across our country and around the world whose lives he impacted. Today and every day, we will carry forward his call to “Keep hope alive.”