Issued February 17, 2026

“Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Reverend Jesse Jackson was real to us. He wasn’t just someone we heard about, he showed up in our neighborhoods, our churches, our marches, and in the way our parents talked about dignity and justice at the dinner table. He showed us what moral courage looks like when it’s lived out loud, with love for people and faith in what we can build together.

As President of SEIU, I lead a union of workers who care for our elders, heal our communities, educate our children, and keep our cities running. Reverend Jackson always stood with and for working people—and for the future of unions. He understood that there is no civil rights movement without workers’ rights, and no economic justice without strong unions. Through the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he showed us how to bring together workers, faith leaders, civil rights organizers, immigrants, and everyday people into one broad, beautiful coalition rooted in justice. He reminded us that our differences are not our weakness—they are our strength when we choose to stand together.

His historic runs for president changed the story of what leadership in America could look like. They widened the circle of who gets to be seen, who gets to be heard, and who gets to dream big enough to claim the highest offices in the land. Because of Reverend Jackson, generations of Black leaders found the courage to step forward—and in doing so, helped this country see itself more clearly.

At a time when it feels easier to tear one another down than to stay in the work of building together, Reverend Jackson’s life offers us a better way. He reminds us that we are bound together. That none of us gets free alone. That the work of justice is not about who gets the credit—but about who gets lifted.

As we mourn his passing with heavy hearts and deep gratitude. We honor Reverend Jesse Jackson by carrying forward the love he showed for our people, the coalitions he built across difference, and the belief he never gave up on—that if we walk this road together, we can bend this country closer to justice.”