"She was very aware of the fact that she was a pioneer."

"Paved the way with humility, grace and intention for her and other women of color."

"Hers was a life of purpose, and I will always be grateful that she walked the halls of the Statehouse before me so I …"

"She loved it. She threw herself into it wholeheartedly. To me, it was probably the pinnacle of her professional life."

"She was actually more of an activist than a politician."

"She didn't think she'd win her first campaign, but her years of community involvement and a catchy slogan (“The Time …"

"She wasn’t looking to run. She wasn’t looking to be political."

"She chose the path that allowed her to be there and speak on behalf of people who weren’t there. And that made space …"

"I think getting into politics was just a natural progression of what she was doing and how she was living her life."

"I'm so proud of my mom, yeah. I'm really, really proud of her. I wish I was in a place when I was younger to understa…"