Mykell Wilson

The grandstands sound so quiet this morning. I remember vividly the first time I had a front-row seat. He stopped by my church, stepped into my office, and said with that unmistakable blend of warmth and audacity, “I thought it would be a shame for us to live and die in the same era and never meet each other.” He was uniquely gifted. Steadfast in conviction. A bridge builder when others were creating barricades. He expanded access and opportunity for countless Americans long told to “wait their turn”. He never feared taking a position or confronting opposition. His message and methodology were controversial to some, but always courageous. Those who witnessed him at the zenith of his roar will remember him standing in the world’s fiercest arenas—negotiating the release of hostages when diplomacy had stalled, traveling to Syria during the Cold War when tensions were high and trust was thin. Not with governmental authority, but with the moral authority of conviction, meeting directly with President Hafez al-Assad. A paradigm shifted when he entered one of the grandest coliseums and ran for the presidency. Whether cheered or jeered from the stands, he was a gladiator for his community and a relentless champion for change. Today, the coliseum is quiet. The lions return to their lairs; the gladiator has laid down his armor. Others will follow the path he forged, but the echo of his voice will endure. Our arenas were different and our methods distinct, yet when our paths crossed I was humbled, a convergence of callings, united by love for our people, each willing to lend our voice when the other called. There will not be another quite like him. Thank you, Reverend Jesse Jackson, for the battles you fought and the hope you ignited. “Keep hope alive” is now a torch in our hands. In these tempestuous times, when hope’s pulse may feel faint, we must carry it forward. To his beloved wife, family, and close friends, you have lost more than the world can measure. Our prayers are with you in your private memories as the world honors him publicly.