The FCNL community is grieving the loss of our Friend and activist, Mimosa Thomas. She passed away on April 26, 2020. Her love for her border community in the Rio Grande Valley led her to grassroots organizing.
Mimosa was part of the second cohort of FCNL’s Advocacy Corps program, joining 19 others to demand Congress address the inhumane conditions on the border and lobby for comprehensive immigration reform.
Mimosa and Friends from Texas lobby Sen. Ted Cruz.
She was an amazing organizer, who brought more people into lobby visits and published more articles in the local media than any of the other Advocacy Corps organizer in the five years of the program. During her ten months in the program, she organized two statewide lobby days and always made sure that the voices of people in her border community were heard. She understood the importance of getting representation at each office from Friends and others in the faith community.
After Mimosa completed her term with the Advocacy Corps, she continued to be involved with FCNL when South Central Yearly Meeting appointed her to serve on our General Committee. She was generous with her time, continuing to share her organizing gifts with our community, helping to train future classes of the Advocacy Corps, and providing inspiration to us all.
As we remember Mimosa, two words come to mind: fierce advocate. One particular story comes to mind: When a Senator’s office wouldn’t return her requests to set up a meeting, she wrote a Letter-to-the-Editor of her local paper. They responded right away with a call. When another office wouldn’t take her meetings, she held a press conference outside of that member of Congress’s office to tell the press about his immigration policies. Her fearless spirit will continue to inspire those she touched.
Her mother posted this remembrance on Facebook. Here is some of what we feel:
Mimosa with her Advocacy Corps cohort in front of the U.S. Capitol.
“During her first Washington Summer Intensive, she and her class attended a briefing at the White House during the Obama Administration. At this briefing, Mimosa challenged the Administration’s border policy and asked thoughtful questions about how to make change in this system. I knew then that we had an incredible advocate in our network. I’m glad I was able to travel to Corpus Christi to see her home and watch her lobby train her community. She was a force to be reckoned with.” - Katie Breslin, former FCNL Young Adult Program Manager
“Mimosa was a very important part of the Texas FCNL lobby group for several years after her time in the Advocacy Corps. We will miss her energy and spirit. She grew up and was a member of Coastal Bend Monthly Meeting. She was an inspiration to all of us older Friends. Personally, she will always be with me as a mentor and worthy colleague in being God’s hands on earth.” - Liz Yeats, Clerk of South Central Yearly Meeting
“Mimosa will always be remembered as someone that unapologetically advocated for the rights of others. She wouldn’t let anything stop her.” - Diane Randall, FCNL General Secretary
The Friends Committee on National Legislation and Mimosa’s family will be organizing a memorial service. We also encourage Friends and colleagues to share their memories of Mimosa by using the hashtag #FriendMimosa.
Hear Mimosa speak about the Advocacy Corps program in her own words! She appears at the beginning and end of this video.
