Jackie Wright,
Wright Enterprises

I received two of my three Associated Press Awards while I was still a student at the University of Georgia, working professionally as a news reporter for a country and western station, WNGC and the MOR (Middle of the Road--Pop) WGAU, both owned by the prolific broadcast H. Randolph Holder, who made his staff quote Marcus Aurelius at every staff meeting.

While working my way through UGA, I had the unique distinction of also raising my teenage sister and my elementary age daughter.  Here's where Jesse Jackson comes in... As I was covering a speech of Jesse Jackson at the Georgia Center for the stations, I had to leave my daughter dressed in her Osh Kosh pink striped overalls in the lobby.  Jackson completed his speech in the banquet hall and was dashing out.  I ran behind him needing to get a "one on one" interview,  "Mr. Jackson, Mr. Jackson!"  He stopped and graciously gave me the short interview I needed.  I was so thankful to God.  I had my sound!  What more could I ask?  When I went to get my daughter she was happy and smiling, "I just met Jesse Jackson."  "How did you do that?"  "He saw me sitting over here and just came over and said hi to me and shook my hand."  I was brought to tears that day and to this day, my eyes still mist.

That gracious moment shared with my daughter in the lobby of the Georgia Center and me earlier in the hallway outside the banquet room always comes to mind when I think of Jesse Jackson.  He refreshed the heart of a struggling young woman just by taking a few moments to be gracious not only to me but my daughter also.  No matter what the headlines may say, good, bad or indifferent, my encounter with Jesse Jackson behind the headlines was touching and displayed the heart of a humanitarian.

"Happy Birthday to Ya, Reverend Jesse Jackson! Congratulations on your 2012 Nobel Peace Prize Nomination."