Honoring Joseph Debro

Floor Speech

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and career of Bay Area community leader and tireless advocate for the underserved, Mr. Joseph Debro. Known throughout the Greater Oakland/Bay Area region as an innovative and dedicated mentor for minority businesses, Joseph Debro was also a stalwart community member. With his passing, we look to Mr. Debro's tremendous legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work.
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Debro attended and graduated from McClymonds High School in Oakland, California. He later enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley, where he was awarded an undergraduate and Master's Degree in bio-chemistry. Upon graduation, Mr. Debro put his extensive knowledge to work as research assistance at the University of California at San Francisco, and later when he was recruited by NASA as a bio-chemical engineer.
In his own words, Mr. Debro was the son of former slaves, who had to ride in the back of the bus with his parents, drinking water from fountains designated for coloreds only, and picking cotton in fields owned by White people. And even though he saw some diminution of racism throughout his lifetime, he was always quick to point out glaring inequalities in our justice system that persists to this day.
Mr. Debro tirelessly sought to raise awareness of the experiences African American contractors faced in their attempts to be recognized as viable businessmen in their industry. In the mid-1960's, Mr. Debro observed that Black contractors were excluded from urban redevelopment projects occurring in their own backyard. In his efforts to fight this disparity, Mr. Debro organized minority contractors and co-founded the National Association of Minority Contractors. Along these same lines, in 2009, he founded the Bay Area Black Builders, an organization composed of black construction workers and contractors fighting for economic justice.
As a community activist, Mr. Debro fought for fair housing policies, lending practices, and employment in building trades, among other issues. Alongside Congressman Bennie Thompson, he helped build thousands of units of rural housing throughout the nation. As a contractor, Mr. Debro built and rehabilitated numerous structures, such as the Malonga Casquelord Arts Center in Oakland. And in keeping with his role as a guarding of the community, in 2012, he again challenged the Raiders football team in court to repay a $53.9 million loan to the City of Oakland and County of Alameda.
Furthermore, Mr. Debro boasted an impressive history with local and state government. Throughout the years, he served as the Director for the State of California's office of Small Business, Director of the Oakland Small Business Center, Director of the Oakland Model Cities Program, and the Vice President of the Mayor's office of Economic Development in San Francisco.
I had the honor to have known Joe since the early 1970s. He was a visionary, bold, and never wavered with his commitment to the African American community. He helped fund California Resources, which Elihu Harris and I organized, and provided a Washington presence for minority owned firms. I learned a lot from Joe and will always remember his friendship and his wise counsel.
Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors a great friend of the Bay Area and a true champion for equity, Mr. Joseph Debro. His steadfast commitment to ensuring that minorities have access to a better quality of life will forever live on with the legacy of his vision. I offer my sincerest condolences to his many loved ones and to all of those whose lives he touched over the years. He will be deeply missed.

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