White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was warmly welcomed back to her hometown on Wednesday.
Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr. honored the local native by presenting her with the keys to the city.
“It feels great to be home,” said Jean-Pierre. “It really does.”
Jean-Pierre made history as the first Black woman and openly LGBTQ individual to serve as White House Press Secretary under the Biden administration.
A Haitian immigrant, she relocated from Queens to Hempstead at the age of 10. Before rising through the ranks of politics, Jean-Pierre also served as a volunteer firefighter in the village.
“It feels amazing,” Jean-Pierre added when asked about holding the key. “It’s emotional. It’s a big day and I’m incredibly thankful to the village of Hempstead which really truly help me be the person that I am today.”
As part of the celebrations, Jean-Pierre returned to her alma mater, Joseph McNeil Elementary School, to speak with students.
“Oh it was great,” she said. “It was great. It was wonderful, joyous. I have a 10-year-old and she’s in elementary school. so seeing those and their eyes light up and how excited they were to be there and I got hugs from many of them, a lot of love.”
Mathew Oseni, an 8th grader from Hempstead, praised Jean-Pierre for her humility and dedication to making a positive impact on others. When asked about the approaching end of her tenure at the White House, Jean-Pierre expressed her focus on the future.
“I’m focused on the work ahead, we have 30 some odd days,” said Jean-Pierre. “There’s a lot of work to do to deliver for the American people. That’s what the president wants us to do. I will process all of this on January 21st.”
