the celebration of life continued today for lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver yesterday her political career was honored in Trenton and today in Newark where she was originally from Governor Phil Murphy U.S senator Bob Menendez and other political dignitaries were there to speak about her impact on their lives and on the state today Oliver's casket was escorted to the Essex County historic Courthouse where the public was able to pay their respects she was the first black assembly speaker and influence a generation of younger women of color who are currently serving in the State House there will be a final farewell tomorrow at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark and Reverend Al Sharpton will give the service and the eulogy senior correspondent David Cruz was in Newark for the celebration he joins me now David or even day two of this three-day celebration of the life and career of lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver brings us to Newark Where it All Began because before she became a historic figure as assembly speaker and lieutenant governor Sheila Oliver was a daughter of Essex in the bright Sunshine of a Newark morning Governor Phil Murphy U.S senator Bob Menendez and community and political leaders from across Essex greeted the casket carrying Sheila Oliver erstwhile of the East Orange Board of Ed Essex County Board of freeholders and assembly speaker from the 34th District it was a return to the place where she grew up and learned how to scrap from boardrooms to back rooms County Executive Joe divincenzo in whose administration Oliver once worked first met her when she was 18 years old he remembers the fight to elevate Oliver to speaker back in 2010. and what was our prize becoming the speaker and being able to deal with Christy and with Sweeney a republican governor and a South Jersey Democrat as Senate President it was not easy to fight for a progressive agenda with a tough crowd like that but Oliver was never afraid to push back I have never engaged in the name calling that the governor has I've left that to his wheelhouse but I think there comes a time when enough is enough the governor likes to say we're all adults and the adults are in charge well what the governor did yesterday reflects that he's not acting like an adult the relationship between Christy Sweeney and Sheila was you know it was a hot and cold relationship but they worked together to move this government forward because those are two tough guys and she had to be up to that task and Beyond yeah oh absolutely listen when reporters talk to me they they say to me Joe you know how is it to be her boss I said listen nobody would shell Oliver's boss nobody you know when they talk about mentoria you have mentors well no there was nobody Sheila did it on her own and she was on a mission you see uh Timberlake and and Spate and and McKnight they are living proof of the impact of Sheila Oliver I'm living proof of the impact of Sheila Oliver and I made that very clear at uh the date if it were not for her there would not be people like me she was she she shattered ceilings when when when she was the only one in those spaces and so many of us have had the opportunity to ride on her shoulders Sheila was always the smartest person in the room in my opinion but she didn't like flaunting you know she didn't let you notice she was smarter than you were you knew her but she didn't like she never let you know she was just so subtle and efficient at what she did and the kind kind person no question about it a champion for truth justice uh and the Essex County way we can come and give our Graces to her but it will be most important to get up on Sunday and carry the power of her Legacy the state will say a final farewell to Oliver tomorrow at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart here in Newark Governor Murphy will speak at the service and the eulogy will be delivered by the Reverend Al Sharpton in Newark I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight News