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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The year 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the |
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publication of the novel The House on Mango Street, and this |
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occasion provides a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to its |
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author, Sandra Cisneros of San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Sandra Cisneros was born in |
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1954 and was the only daughter in a family of seven children; she |
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went on to earn a bachelor's degree in English from Loyola |
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University Chicago in 1976 and a master's degree in creative |
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writing from the University of Iowa two years later; in addition to |
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writing, she has worked as a teacher, counselor, college recruiter, |
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and arts administrator; and |
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WHEREAS, Developing a distinctive style and exploring issues |
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of ethnic identification and feminism within the Mexican American |
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community, Ms. Cisneros has published three books of poetry, a |
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collection of stories, a children's book, two novels, and Vintage |
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Cisneros, a compilation of her selected works; her first novel, The |
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House on Mango Street, was released in 1984, and the following year, |
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it was honored with an American Book Award from the Before Columbus |
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Foundation; this vibrant coming-of-age story has been translated |
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all over the world and has sold more than two million copies; the |
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novel is read and studied in schools across the country, and in |
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2009, Ms. Cisneros will be touring the United States to celebrate |
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its 25th anniversary with her readers; her second novel, Caramelo, |
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also received critical acclaim and was selected by the New York |
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Times and other journals and newspapers as a notable book of the |
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year; and |
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WHEREAS, This talented author has been recognized with |
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numerous honors, including the Texas Medal of the Arts and the |
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prestigious MacArthur Foundation Fellowship; she has been invited |
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to serve as a visiting writer at such institutions as the University |
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of California at Berkeley, and she is currently the |
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writer-in-residence at San Antonio's Our Lady of the Lake |
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University; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Cisneros draws much inspiration from the Alamo |
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City, and her collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories |
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references a creek located east of San Antonio, as well as other |
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areas such as the King William historic neighborhood, where she |
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lives; intent on establishing the city as a literary center, she |
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created the Macondo Foundation, a network of dedicated and |
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compassionate writers who view their work and talents as part of a |
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larger task of community-building and nonviolent social change; |
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named after the sleepy town in the Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel One |
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Hundred Years of Solitude, Macondo was established in 1995 and |
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officially incorporated in 2006, and it has grown from 15 to 120 |
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members; participants gather each year at the foundation's home, |
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Our Lady of the Lake University, for the weeklong Macondo Workshop, |
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where they share ideas and critique each other's work; these poets, |
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novelists, journalists, performance artists, and writers of all |
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genres are united by their mission to advance creativity, foster |
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generosity, and honor their communities; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to the workshop, the Macondo Foundation |
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sponsors the Casa Azul Residency Program, provides health coverage |
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to its members, and hosts events at The University of Texas at San |
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Antonio, Trinity University, the Bexar County Juvenile Detention |
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Center, and other community institutions; Ms. Cisneros has also |
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established the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, a |
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grant-giving organization serving Texas writers; and |
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WHEREAS, With her authentic voice and her ability to reach a |
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universal audience, Sandra Cisneros is an inspiration to her |
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readers and fellow artists, and she has further distinguished |
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herself by reaching beyond her work as a writer to serve the greater |
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community and promote social engagement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Sandra Cisneros on her renowned literary |
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career, and on her contributions through the Macondo Foundation, |
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and congratulate her on the 25th anniversary of the publication of |
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The House on Mango Street; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Cisneros as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Martinez Fischer |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1126 was adopted by the House on April |
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9, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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