Mirinda Della Jackson

Our dear sister, friend, mentor, and colleague, Mirinda Della Jackson, transitioned suddenly from Earth to Glory on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

Mirinda, the daughter of the late Andrew Parker and Christine Parker Rogers was born on August 24, 1945, in Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up in King George County, Virginia. Smart and ambitious, Mirinda decided to leave home in pursuit of new experiences and greater opportunities. Mirinda set off to Washington DC in the early 1960’s with $17 in her pocket and over the next 60 years built the life that she desired. A big life filled with action, joy, professional accomplishment, and lots of people that she loved dearly.

Mirinda enjoyed spending time with her large network of family and was committed to being a loving and involved sister, aunt, and “bonus” mom. She was a caring, fun-loving, and adventurous person who enjoyed entertaining friends, planning events, and travelling. Mirinda was a loyal and loving companion to James McKinnon, with whom she happily shared her later years. No matter how Mirinda touched your life, when she was around, you were infected by her energy, warmed by her smile, and bolstered by her generosity. Mirinda was a dynamic mover and shaker with a zest for helping people whose paths crossed hers in life.

Mirinda was very accomplished professionally. For 50 years she was a passionate advocate for small, minority and women owned business. Soon after coming to Washington DC, Mirinda began a career in acquisition. In 1967 she started working for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) where she literally learned the business from the bottom up. Mirinda was hired as a purchasing agent and retired as Deputy Associate Administrator for GSA’s Office of Enterprise Development. Her priorities focused heavily on supporting minority and women owned business. Mirinda received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including an award from the White House during the Clinton Administration. After retiring from GSA, Mirinda established Mirinda Jackson and Associates, Inc. and became a consultant to VISA to help implement a program for small and minority businesses. She left VISA to become the MBE Compliance Manager for the Prince George’s County, Maryland County Council. For 16 years, she worked diligently with various economic development stakeholders to ensure that local small and minority entities had the necessary resources and capacity to work on major development projects.

Mirinda was affiliated with many business, governmental and political organizations that shared her passion for supporting the small business community. She has been widely honored and awarded for her work. MEA (Minority Enterprise Advocate) Magazine recognized her as one of the most influential and powerful women in the U.S.

Mirinda’s loss will be deeply felt by the business community, not only because of what she did, but how she did it. Trailblazing, creative, visionary, collaborative, mentor, and friend are all descriptors that have been applied to her. Mirinda often said of herself that she loved working with the small and minority businesses of Prince George’s County and was passionate about ensuring that those entities thrive.

In honor of her legacy, the Bi-County Business Roundtable has created “The Mirinda Jackson MBE Excellence in Advocacy Award.”

Mirinda leaves to cherish her memory her devoted friend, James McKinnon, stepchildren, Kimberly Kelton (Paul), Sherra Marie Jackson, five sisters, Jacquelyn Lucas, Sharon Clarke (Nathan), Deborah Sorden, Carole Baynard and Sarah Sorden, three brothers, James Rogers (Phyllis) Lawrence Sorden (Cheryl) and Lehr Sorden (Linda). One sister-in-law Margaret Cypress (Jonathan), two brothers-in-laws Frederick Jackson and Phillip Jackson (Deb). Four grandchildren, Olivia Jackson, Lauryn Kelton, Liyah Dimbo, and Christopher Dimbo. Two aunts Elsie Fincher and Mary Lou Gray, and a host of other relatives (nieces, nephews, cousins) and many friends. She was an honorary mother to Kim Ford and grandmother to Kenzie Ford. She was also a mother figure and auntie to so many more. Her husband, Burton F. Jackson and two brothers Douglas Rogers, and George Sorden, preceded Mirinda in death.

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