By Holly Melvin Rodriguez —
Our dear, fierce and compassionate warrior of justice, Congressman John Lewis, has retired from this life, his body at rest while his spirit takes a rightful place among the angels. Though we know a great such as he was on borrow from God, the incredible presence he carried during his time on this earth leaves an immense, crater-sized wound upon the soul of this country as we adjust our lives to accommodate his physical absence.
Congressman Lewis would tell us that we must not use the enormity of our grief from his passing as an excuse to put down the torch, stop, and give up. Instead, I suspect he would say that he did his job for more than six decades, to stitch his triumphant piece to the quilt that is the complicated story of America. And now that his time to rest has come, it is our time to carry the torch, burning bright for the demand of justice. Congressman Lewis was outspoken about how his fight was not just for his own rights, and the rights of the living, but for future generations. He often spoke of the importance of passing the torch for social justice and equality on to younger generations.
My daughter, Isla, is a fierce advocate for justice, and when Congressman Lewis’s book “March” appeared on the shelves of our local library in 2016, she literally ran to the bookshelf to check it out. That summer, Isla entered a national essay contest sponsored by the Library of Congress for fifth and sixth graders. Called “A Book that Shaped Me,” the contest encourages students to reflect on a book that made a personal impact on their lives. Isla’s essay was about “March,” which is a graphic novel that tells the story of the civil rights movement from the perspective of John Lewis. She was 11 years old when she won the contest for the state of Virginia.
Winners were recognized at the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the end of that summer. Following the awards ceremony, Isla learned that Congressman Lewis was also at the book festival that day signing copies of his books. She had brought her copy of “March” with her and waited in line for two hours before finally being able to shake hands with the civil rights legend. Isla had practiced what she would say if she got the chance to meet him, but when Congressman Lewis took her hand, she was so star-struck she said she searched for the words in her mind, but nothing was there.
As a parent, I want to instill in my children the importance of the fight for civil rights and how they have an obligation to, as Congressman Lewis says, speak up and speak out when faced with injustice. Watching my daughter’s excitement, then speechlessness, and the glow she had for months after meeting the beloved Congressman, gave me an incredible feeling of pride, heightening my passion for social justice and racial equality.
We cannot deny our sorrow, but mustn’t get stuck in an attempt to make sense of what feels like a great loss. No matter the caliber of greatness, the place of leadership is always a temporary endeavor. But the greats, like Congressman Lewis, use that time and space to build a legacy of strength, fortitude, and resilience for all of us to stand and build upon to reach higher, for better.
That is his gift to US.
What we must now do is pause to honor this incredible soldier of racial and social justice – but ONLY pause. Then we must press on in the direction of progress, continuing to pave the pathway of justice as we go. This is our gift to HIM.
And when we do the work, if we are lucky, we may leave our own legacy of greatness, adding our own patch to the quilt of America’s story, representing progress and justice and above all, a love greater than ourselves for all of the human race.
Rest well, Congressman Lewis. You were a luminary among us, and may your light continue to guide us toward demanding the best of ourselves, toward standing on the right side of justice, fostering peace, and making America face her conscience while growing her consciousness.
We are all better for having the gift of admiring your light. Now, we have the chance to stand in that light as fuel to propel us forward.
Thank you, John Lewis. May you rest in power, and in peace.
Holly Melvin Rodriguez is a journalist and non-profit development professional in Richmond, Virginia.
Photo: Isla Rodriguez meets Congressman John Lewis after winning an essay contest for writing an essay about how his book, “March,” impacted her life.