The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO SOJOURNER KINCAID ROLLE--CALIFORNIA'S 24TH CONGRESSIONAL
WOMEN OF THE YEAR
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HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Mr. CARBAJAL. Madam Speaker, each year, through the Women of the Year Award, my office extends special recognition to women on the Central Coast who have made a difference in our community. I would like to recognize one outstanding Women of the Year Award recipient, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, of Santa Barbara, California.
It is community members like Sojourner that make Santa Barbara County special, and it is hard to put into words all of her contributions to our community. She is a poet, playwright, environmental educator, and cultural and peace activist. She is known for her work raising awareness of our diverse cultural history throughout the county and is heavily involved as a guiding elder for Juneteenth Santa Barbara and Healing Justice Santa Barbara organizations.
In 2015 Sojourner was named Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara and served a two-year term. As a selldefined ``public poet'', she is invited to compose and present poems for numerous special occasions. She is a two-
time recipient of the California Arts Council's Artist-in-Residence program and for nearly 30 years has led poetry workshops throughout the West Coast. Since 1997, she has engaged young poets through her ``Song of Place Poetry Project'' and her work with City at Peace, Speak for the Creeks, California Poets in the Schools, Poetry OutLoud, and the MLK Poetry and Essay Contest.
She is the author of seven books of poetry and six plays, and her poetry is published in across social media. Her arts reviews and commentaries have also appeared in local and regional publications. Sojourner is a truthteller. She exhumes our past stories and brings them to life as a reminder of where we have been and where we can go.
A founding member of Santa Barbara's Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee, Sojourner has also served with multiple Santa Barbara County organizations including the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, Santa Barbara NAACP, Santa Barbara Arts Council, the Fund for Santa Barbara Grantmaking Committee, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and the UCSB Center for Black Studies Research.
Sojourner is the glue that connects community members. She holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice with emphasis in Juvenile Delinquency and a J.D., but she is a teacher at heart, always ready to teach and inspire the community at large. She is a worthy candidate for this honor and a role model for community leaders of all kinds. I am honored to recognize Sojourner for her continued commitment to improving our community and the residents of Santa Barbara County. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an exceptional woman of California's 24th Congressional District, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, for her incredible service to her community.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 110
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