{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://beatty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-joyce-beatty-hosts-the-power-of-one-ohio-s-20th-annual-statewide-tribute-to-rosa-parks", "Congresswoman Joyce Beatty Hosts  The Power of One: Ohio\u2019s 20th Annual Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Joyce Beatty", "B001281", "beatty.house.gov", "beatty", "https://beatty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "COLUMBUS, OH \u2013 Tonight, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) hosted The Power of One: Ohio\u2019s 20th Annual Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks at Vitria on the Square, marking the 20th anniversary of Ohio becoming the first state in the nation to designate December 1st as Rosa Parks Day.\n\nThe evening featured The Power of One: In the Company of Courage, a panel discussion with Congresswoman Beatty and Congressman James E. Clyburn, moderated by Emmy Award-winning journalist Ed Gordon. Some of the conversation drew from themes in Clyburn\u2019s new book, The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation, connecting lessons from Reconstruction-era leadership to the responsibilities of public service and civic engagement today.\n\nEvent special guests included Walter \u201cTed\u201d Carter Jr., President of The Ohio State University, and Monica T\u00e9llez-Fowler, President and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Former Governor Bob Taft, Ohio\u2019s 67th Governor, who signed theRosa Parks Day bill into law received special recognition as a 20th anniversary event honoree. The event was also graced by a cousin of civil rights icons Coretta Scott King and a cousin of Martin Luther King, Jr.\n\nIn her opening remarks, Beatty reflected on the continued resonance of Parks\u2019 courage. \u201cOn December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks made a deliberate choice to stay seated. In that moment, she accelerated the struggle for equality and forced our nation to confront the disconnect between what America declared and what America delivered,\u201d said Congresswoman Beatty. \u201cIt galvanized a movement that transformed the American story. Today, as the challenges facing her legacy and America\u2019s democracy grow more urgent, that single act still calls us to action.\u201d\n\nRegarding the stories in The First Eight and their place in our shared history, Congressman Clyburn said, \u201cThe First Eight is about eight South Carolinians, one of whom was a graduate of Ohio's Wilberforce University, who blazed the trail that made my journey possible. Their courage, conviction, faith, and fortitude helped shape a nation, and I hope the people of the great city of Columbus, Ohio, will come to know these extraordinary public servants and the important lessons their experiences teach us.\u201d\n\nIn speaking about Rosa Parks\u2019 enduring impact on equity and justice, Monica T\u00e9llez-Fowler, COTA President and CEO, said, \u201cBy refusing to give up her seat, she forced our nation to confront an uncomfortable truth. That equal rights could not be delayed, denied, or negotiated. She affirmed that access in every sense of the word is foundational to freedom. Her act reminds us that public transportation is more than getting from one place to another. It is tied to justice and to dignity. It reflects the promise that every person deserves the ability to move freely through their community and toward opportunity. At COTA, that belief guides every decision we make.\u201d\n\n\u201cCourage is about doing what we believe is right, even when it\u2019s hard, unpopular or risky. Rosa Parks embodied this quality as well as any figure in our history,\u201d said Ohio State President Walter \u201cTed\u201d Carter Jr. \u201cWith quiet strength, she made courageous choices that have inspired future generations to action here in Columbus and across our nation. It was an honor to join with Congresswoman Beatty, Congressman Clyburn, COTA and community leaders to honor Rosa Parks\u2019 life and legacy for this very special 20th anniversary event.\u201d\n\nAs part of the anniversary celebration, Congresswoman Beatty recognized four Ohioans whose leadership reflects the courage, service, and commitment of Rosa Parks:\n\nGovernor Bob Taft, Ohio\u2019s 67th Governor, signed Rosa Parks bill into law\n\nDr. Laura Espy-Bell, System Medical Chief, Health Equity, OhioHealth\n\nAndr\u00e9 Washington, Special Assistant to the Executive Director, OAPSE/AFSCME\n\nDawn Tyler Lee, Founder & CEO, Forrest Street Consulting\n\nThe event also brought together a broad coalition of civic, faith-based, and cultural organizations, who served as Honorary Community Hosts for this historic celebration:\n\nThe Links, Incorporated \u2013 Columbus Chapter\n\nThe Links, Incorporated \u2013 Twin Rivers Chapter\n\nAlonzo Edmundo\n\nShari Hicks-Graham, MD\n\nLawrence Lemon\n\nJerry Saunders\n\nGayle Saunders\n\nSean Walton, Jr.\n\nCarlton Weddington\n\nBrian Winston\n\nClick HERE to screen a video recording of the event.\n\nWhile serving in the Ohio House of Representatives, Beatty wrote the legislation establishing Rosa Parks Day in Ohio. The legislation passed unanimously during the 50th anniversary of Parks\u2019 historic refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, an act that sparked the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped launch the modern civil rights movement. Beatty served five terms in the Ohio House, where she became the first female Democratic House Leader in state history. Former Governor Bob Taft, signed the legislation into law.\n\nEarlier this week, the nation marked the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks\u2019 defining act of defiance. This year\u2019s tribute honored that milestone by reaffirming Parks\u2019 enduring influence and underscoring the ongoing responsibility to protect progress and strengthen democratic institutions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://beatty.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-joyce-beatty-hosts-the-power-of-one-ohio-s-20th-annual-statewide-tribute-to-rosa-parks"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6724849119782448, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}