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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 970
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great pride |
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in recognizing Olga Ramirez Gallegos, who is receiving an |
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honorary degree from Houston Community College for her legacy of |
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exceptional service to her community, state, and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houston, Mrs. Gallegos was born into a |
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family of community activists; her father played an important |
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role in the Hispanic community of the city's East End as |
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cofounder of the first League of United Latin American Citizens |
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chapter in Houston and of the Sociedad Benito Juarez; her |
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husband, the late Mario Gallegos, Sr., was one of the first three |
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Hispanics to serve in the Houston Fire Department, and a Houston |
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elementary school has been named in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Gallegos began her journey as a community |
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activist in the early 1960s when she realized that Hispanics had |
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little input into the decisions that affected the neighborhoods |
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in which they lived, despite constituting a majority of residents |
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in those communities; to address this disparity, she entered the |
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race for precinct judge and, drawing on the efforts of a strong |
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core of grassroots supporters, defeated the longstanding |
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incumbent; and |
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WHEREAS, She was elected to the board of trustees of the |
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Houston Independent School District in 1987 and held numerous |
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offices on the board, including president and secretary; she |
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became the longest-serving Hispanic on the board, with 16 years |
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of exemplary service; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to her service to the public as an |
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elected official, Mrs. Gallegos has played a vital role in the |
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life of her community in many other ways; she is a lifetime member |
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of the Parent-Teacher Association and has worked with countless |
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other organizations, including the Magnolia Park YWCA, the |
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American Legion Post 472 Ladies' Auxiliary, and the Tejano |
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Association for Historical Preservation; and |
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WHEREAS, She has long been a stalwart of the Harris County |
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Democratic Party and has served as a delegate to the Democratic |
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National Convention; among her many awards are the Fiestas |
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Patrias Mexican American Recognition Award, the La Campana |
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Award, and the Trailblazer Award; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to her family, she has instilled in her |
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children the principle that personal participation is the key to |
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making a difference in the lives of others; her seven children, |
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14 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren have learned to |
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volunteer and give back to their communities, and her son, State |
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Senator Mario Gallegos, represents the district in which the |
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family was raised; she is truly deserving of special recognition |
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for the profound impact she has had on the lives of countless |
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people; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby commend Olga Ramirez Gallegos on her many |
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achievements and contributions to her community and extend |
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congratulations to her on being awarded an honorary degree from |
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Houston Community College; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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Gallegos |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 12, 2011. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |