101-year-old Austin residen ‘virtual’ guest of Cong. Davis at State of the Union

Drummond a founder of South Austin Coalition Community Council

By AUSTIN TALKS Reporting Partner

Longtime Austin resident Lillian Drummond was a “vir tual” guest of Cong. Danny K. Davis at last week’s State of the Union address

Although Drummond, a co-founder of the South Austin Coalition Community Council (SACCC), was not able to travel to Washington, D.C., to attend President Joe Biden’s annual address in person, she took par t over Zoom instead. She may be the oldest State of the Union guest in U.S. history

Drummond has distinguished herself as a community activist in many battles for justice. She was active and working into her 90s, advocating for social causes like utility reform.

“I have known Mrs. Drummond for more than three decades, working on the battlefield,” Davis said in a statement. “As a member of the Committee of Ways and Means with oversight over Social Security, it is my honor to invite her to participate in the State of the Union to hear how under President Joe Biden’s leadership, Democrats will always defend Social Security and Medicare.”

When Drummond was 95 she was ored by the city of Chicago by r a street in her name. The cor ner gress Parkway and Leamington Av now known as Lillian Drummond way. Her Cong ress Parkway home few houses down from her renamed street.

“It feels real good to be honored,” mond said in a statement. “I have the cong ressman for a real long time always thinking about and ing about being inv and it is a honor to be honored by The Social curity increase of 8.7% is por tant, we need money. The thing Cong needs to cut Social rity and care. What we live on?

FILE

Above, people take sel es with Lillian Drummond during a ceremony that honored her with a honorar y street sign on the corner of Congress Parkway and Leaming ton in Chicago. e ceremony brought elected o cials and communit y leaders to the ceremony on Oct. 22, 2015. Le , Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel escorts Drummond during a ceremony that honored her.

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