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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a passionate activist and |
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esteemed civic leader with the death of Sylvia Rodriguez of San |
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Antonio, who passed away on January 23, 2013, at the age of 71; and |
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WHEREAS, Sylvia Rodriguez first discovered her enthusiasm |
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for politics while working as an administrative assistant for Texas |
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state senator Joe J. Bernal during the 1965 legislative session; |
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soon after leaving the position in 1973, she became actively |
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involved in the Democratic Party, running voter registration |
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drives, organizing successful community events, orchestrating |
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political fund-raising campaigns, and helping women candidates get |
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elected to office; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1975, Mrs. Rodriguez became a charter member of |
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the Mexican American Democrats of Texas, and by 1978 she was |
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appointed to the Democratic National Committee; the first Hispanic |
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woman from San Antonio named to the organization, she later became |
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the founder and first chair of the party's Hispanic Caucus; in 1980, |
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President Jimmy Carter invited Mrs. Rodriguez to lead the |
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recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National |
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Convention; and |
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WHEREAS, While she shuttled between commitments in |
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Washington, D.C., and Texas, Mrs. Rodriguez also served as director |
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of the annual San Fernando Health and Safety Fair, where she |
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organized and coordinated hundreds of volunteers to help provide |
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health screenings and medical consultations to thousands of |
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uninsured and undocumented people who did not have access to health |
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care; and |
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WHEREAS, A proud member of many local and national community |
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organizations, Mrs. Rodriguez participated in Las Damas de San |
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Fernando, the Political Divas of San Antonio, Parent/Child, Inc., |
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the YWCA, the Inman Christian Center, and the Commission for |
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Mexican American Affairs; in addition, she was a founding member |
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and treasurer of the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas and she |
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organized the first Hispanas Unidas Conference, which more than |
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1,000 women attended; for her tireless efforts working in behalf of |
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women, Hispanic Texans, and Americans, Mrs. Rodriguez was inducted |
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into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Rodriguez's faith sustained her and motivated |
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her commitment to community service, and she was a Eucharistic |
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minister and lector at her church; and |
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WHEREAS, This beloved Texan was supported in all of her |
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endeavors by her family, including her husband, Gene, who was her |
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partner in activism and whom she affectionately called "sweet'ert"; |
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the couple enjoyed 45 years of marriage and were blessed with a |
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daughter, Clarissa; and |
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WHEREAS, Sylvia Rodriguez was a national Hispanic political |
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leader, a trailblazing role model for women, and a loving wife, |
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mother, and friend; though she will be deeply missed, her legacy |
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will extend well beyond her passing; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the life of Sylvia Rodriguez and offer |
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sincere condolences to her family: to her husband, Eugene |
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Rodriguez; to her daughter, Clarissa M. Rodriguez; and to her other |
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relatives and many friends, including Dora Dilley, Jeannette and |
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Telesforo Gutierrez, Yolanda and John Johnson, Roger Rodriguez, |
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Nancy Rodriguez and Viviana Enrique, Carol and Larry Medellin, |
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Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Anthony and Hilda Rodriguez; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sylvia |
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Rodriguez. |