Houston High grad introduces President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris in Atlanta

Memphis native Jillian Jackson, a Houston High grad and Spelman College student, introduced President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris before their Tuesday appearance in Atlanta

"I am so excited to hear the current administration's plans to combat the ongoing voting rights issues in our state," Jackson said in her introduction.

In the speech, Jackson introduced herself as being from Memphis.

Jackson graduated from Houston High in 2018. She is currently a senior political science major and Spanish minor at Spelman, a prestigious college in Atlanta.

"Truthfully, the superlatives for this remarkable scholar, Jillian Jackson, are too numerous to narrow down," English teacher Karen Garrison said via the Houston High spokesperson. "Miss Jackson embodies the attributes of a developing leader supported by solid family values and a personal work ethic. Her social and political advocacy for meaningful change makes her an authentic Influencer. Selecting Jillian Jackson to introduce the Vice president is an honor, and I am incredibly proud of her. Get ready, the world; this is only a rehearsal."

Jackson is the Spelman Student Government Association president and has served in student government each year she has attended Spelman. Her SGA biography notes she is also actively involved in one of the college's honors programs, Alpha Lambda Delta, URGE and Fair Fight U, a program started by voting-rights activist and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Spelman College SGA posted a photo of Jackson and Harris along with a caption that said, in part, "during the event the board had the chance to meet prominent political and social figures such as" civil rights activist and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist Al Sharpton, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

Jackson is also a member of the Mu Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a sorority membership she shares with Harris.

"It was an honor to be in the presence of so many influential individuals while taking part in such an important conversation, voting rights," the Spelman SGA said in the instagram post.

Biden and Harris were in Atlanta to speak about voting rights. In his speech, Biden said he supports eliminating the filibuster in order to pass voting rights legislation. The trip came as various state legislatures, including Georgia's, pass bills restricting voting

"It is our duty as campus leaders and change agents to combat voter discrimination on behalf of our peers and surrounding community," Jackson said in her speech. "We all are aware of Georgia's current legislation and how it poses a threat to the voting rights of citizens."

The speech took place at the Atlanta University Center, in a district that was formerly represented by the late civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

"People wait hours in line to cast out their civic duty to sometimes find that they are unable to place their vote because of technicalities," Jackson said. "Small mishaps, like misspelled names, incorrect addresses as well as laws preventing food and water distribution to long polling place lines inhibit many citizens and their right to vote, especially within the Black community."

Jackson spoke for just under three minutes. She talked, in part, about how excited she was to register to vote in Georgia after turning 18 during her first semester of college and of the challenges that face citizens attempting to vote.

"I was so eager to vote in my very first election, especially a gubernatorial one," Jackson said. "Unfortunately, when attempting to vote, citizens face many challenges including strict absentee requirements, limited polling place access and overall lack of voter education."

Gina Butkovich covers DeSoto County, storytelling and general news. She can be reached at 901-232-6714.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Native Memphian Jillian Jackson introduces President Biden in Atlanta