Hakeem Jeffries

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are American values. We shouldn't be running away from it. We should be embracing it.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are American values. We shouldn't be running away from it. We should be embracing it.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are American values. We shouldn't be running away from it. We should be embracing it.

Yeah, you know, I think that we have to, higher education is important, And I think all of us were beneficiaries of higher education as an opportunity. I grew up in a very working class household, union household, central Brooklyn, in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic. Life was very dangerous at the time. My parents made very modest livings. My dad was a substance abuse social worker.

Yeah, you know, I think that we have to, higher education is important, And I think all of us were beneficiaries of higher education as an opportunity. I grew up in a very working class household, union household, central Brooklyn, in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic. Life was very dangerous at the time. My parents made very modest livings. My dad was a substance abuse social worker.

Yeah, you know, I think that we have to, higher education is important, And I think all of us were beneficiaries of higher education as an opportunity. I grew up in a very working class household, union household, central Brooklyn, in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic. Life was very dangerous at the time. My parents made very modest livings. My dad was a substance abuse social worker.

My mom worked for the Human Resources Administration. And my grandma, mother, I think maybe had a year or two of a college education. And her view was that for myself, for my younger brother, the pathway to success was higher education. And that was typical in a lot of African-American households. And so in fact, she would

My mom worked for the Human Resources Administration. And my grandma, mother, I think maybe had a year or two of a college education. And her view was that for myself, for my younger brother, the pathway to success was higher education. And that was typical in a lot of African-American households. And so in fact, she would

My mom worked for the Human Resources Administration. And my grandma, mother, I think maybe had a year or two of a college education. And her view was that for myself, for my younger brother, the pathway to success was higher education. And that was typical in a lot of African-American households. And so in fact, she would

She would say to myself and my younger brother, look, you and Hasan, that's my younger brother, you're going to go to elementary school, and then you're going to go to middle school and graduate, then you're going to go to high school and graduate, then you're going to go to college and graduate, then you're going to go to either law school or get a PhD or become a doctor or get a business degree.

She would say to myself and my younger brother, look, you and Hasan, that's my younger brother, you're going to go to elementary school, and then you're going to go to middle school and graduate, then you're going to go to high school and graduate, then you're going to go to college and graduate, then you're going to go to either law school or get a PhD or become a doctor or get a business degree.

She would say to myself and my younger brother, look, you and Hasan, that's my younger brother, you're going to go to elementary school, and then you're going to go to middle school and graduate, then you're going to go to high school and graduate, then you're going to go to college and graduate, then you're going to go to either law school or get a PhD or become a doctor or get a business degree.

And we're like, Grandma, we're going to be in school our whole lives. And in fact, she believed in it so much that she, and this is a woman of very modest means, every time we graduated, starting in elementary school, she gave myself or my younger brother $500 in cash. Still not sure where she got the money from. And by the way, I made the mistake of telling this story in front of my sons.

And we're like, Grandma, we're going to be in school our whole lives. And in fact, she believed in it so much that she, and this is a woman of very modest means, every time we graduated, starting in elementary school, she gave myself or my younger brother $500 in cash. Still not sure where she got the money from. And by the way, I made the mistake of telling this story in front of my sons.

And we're like, Grandma, we're going to be in school our whole lives. And in fact, she believed in it so much that she, and this is a woman of very modest means, every time we graduated, starting in elementary school, she gave myself or my younger brother $500 in cash. Still not sure where she got the money from. And by the way, I made the mistake of telling this story in front of my sons.

They said, dad, you've been shortchanging us our whole lives. Your sons are here? They're not here. Oh. I've told it before them in the past. And, um, but that's how much she believed in higher education as a pathway. But when I got in the public service, you know, what was startling for me, having had that life experience.

They said, dad, you've been shortchanging us our whole lives. Your sons are here? They're not here. Oh. I've told it before them in the past. And, um, but that's how much she believed in higher education as a pathway. But when I got in the public service, you know, what was startling for me, having had that life experience.

They said, dad, you've been shortchanging us our whole lives. Your sons are here? They're not here. Oh. I've told it before them in the past. And, um, but that's how much she believed in higher education as a pathway. But when I got in the public service, you know, what was startling for me, having had that life experience.

was very early on in the Congress. And I realized that something like 67 and a half percent of adults age 24 or older in America don't have a four-year college degree. And so that means that for decades, the path into the American dream, the path into a middle-class lifestyle actually didn't run through college alone.

was very early on in the Congress. And I realized that something like 67 and a half percent of adults age 24 or older in America don't have a four-year college degree. And so that means that for decades, the path into the American dream, the path into a middle-class lifestyle actually didn't run through college alone.