Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) said Friday that she will not seek another term in the U.S. House of Representatives, though she told supporters she does not consider the decision a retirement.
The 83-year-old lawmaker said she would instead travel the country to expand 5000 Role Models of Excellence, a mentoring program she founded to steer young men away from crime and violence.
Wilson made the announcement in Miami Gardens, where the city named a street after her on Friday. She spoke near the school where she worked as a principal before entering politics. The school is also named after her.
"This has been a journey, but it's time," Wilson said. "It’s time. And I know all of you [are wondering], 'What is the congresswoman going to do?' Well, the congresswoman is not going to seek another term. Even leather wears out."
She added that she would travel the country to grow the mentoring program rather than step back entirely after her term ends in January.
According to the program's website, its mission is "to intervene in the lives of youth, providing them with alternatives that steer them away from crime and violence."
Wilson, known for the colorful outfits and matching hats she wore throughout her congressional career, appeared at the event in a bright pink outfit and a matching pink cowboy hat.
Wilson has represented Florida's 24th Congressional District since 2010. The district covers parts of North Miami-Dade and southern Broward counties. Before Congress, she worked as a teacher and elementary school principal, served on the Miami-Dade County School Board, and held seats in the Florida House and Senate.
In the current Congress, she serves as the ranking Democrat on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Education and Workforce committees.
Last month, Florida's Republican-led legislature passed a new congressional map. Wilson's South Florida district was redrawn, with the changes consolidating a single concentrated Democratic district in Miami-Dade. Even with the redraw, Wilson was still left positioned to remain in office there, according to The Associated Press.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wilson had "been an unyielding champion of our children, a defender of the disadvantaged and a voice for the voiceless."
"For more than a decade in the United States House of Representatives, Frederica Wilson has been a relentless advocate for our young people, fighting to increase economic growth, create jobs, and lower costs for working families," Jeffries said in a statement. "Congresswoman Wilson forced our government to confront and begin to address the unique racial inequities persistent across our communities through her landmark bipartisan legislation to create the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys."
The House Democratic Caucus said in a statement that it would "deeply miss" Wilson and her "iconic hats," which it said represent "her many roles throughout a lifetime of service." The caucus added, "We are forever indebted to her for her tenacity, and we wish her and her family the very best in this next chapter."