TAMPA, Fla. — People around the world and in the Tampa Bay area are mourning the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
"When you would have an interaction with him, he made you feel like you were the most important person in the room," said Christopher J. Harris.
WATCH: People around Tampa Bay area reflect on Rev. Jesse Jackson's life and legacy
Tampa Bay 28 spoke with Harris, the Executive Pastor and Chief Operating Officer at Crossover Church.
He's met Rev. Jackson several times, calling him one of the greatest, most genuine humanitarians that you'd ever want to meet.
"I had the amazing opportunity to meet him as a teenager, as a young kid, but also I had the amazing privilege, sort of a full circle moment, to work at the church where he was affectionately known unofficially as the co-pastor. That's what they called him, which was Fellowship Chicago," said Harris.
Decades later, Harris retained a precious memento.
"This is his autograph when I met him back in 1988," said Harris. "That's January 11, 1988, and he was running for President of the United States."
"He was probably one of the most consequential civil rights leaders for our time," said Esther Sanni, President of the St. Petersburg NAACP.
Tampa Bay 28 asked what Sanni thinks people can learn from Rev. Jackson's advocacy on certain issues.
"If there's something that we can take from Rev. Jackson, it is truly to embody the vision and the mission that you move forward," said Sanni. "He was very intentional with fighting for equitable development, protecting in particular voting access, workforce opportunities, just really ensuring that the African American history is not erased."
Those who remember him said they pray that people honor his legacy by continuing his work.
"I think he was a consistent voice for the least, the lost, the last, the left out," said Harris. "Those that wouldn't normally have a voice or have a microphone or a platform, and I think it's just sort of really ignited a fire and a motivation in folks like me and others to say how do we continue that legacy."
RELATED: Former State Senator Arthenia Joyner remembers The Rev. Jesse Jackson
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