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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Ann Williams Cass has dedicated herself to assisting |
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economically disadvantaged residents of the Rio Grande Valley for |
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more than three decades, and her steadfast commitment has made a |
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positive difference in many lives; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Cass completed her undergraduate studies in |
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biochemistry at Marycrest/St. Ambrose College and holds a master's |
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degree in parish administration and liturgy from Loyola University; |
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after moving to South Texas in 1981, she helped establish Holy |
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Spirit Parish in McAllen and then worked as an administrator for the |
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United Farm Workers from 1984 to 1988 before returning to her work |
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in the parish; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, Ms. Cass was appointed as the pastoral |
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administrator at Holy Spirit; during her tenure, she was involved |
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in refugee assistance and the sanctuary movement and served on the |
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National Advisory Council to the U.S. Conference of Catholic |
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Bishops; on the local level, she campaigned for higher wages for |
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school district employees and the creation of single-member |
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districts for the city of McAllen; and |
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WHEREAS, She helped organize the employees of six parishes to |
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join the United Farm Workers Union in 2000 and later worked with the |
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South Texas Civil Rights Project to successfully win reinstatement |
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for those workers who had been wrongfully terminated for their |
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participation; that endeavor ultimately helped to establish new |
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union membership policies for all employees in the diocese; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2006, Ms. Cass became the executive director of |
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Proyecto Azteca, a housing organization that had been founded in |
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1991 with the help of the United Farm Workers, Texas Rural Legal |
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Aid, and the Texas Low-Income Housing Information Service; under |
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her guidance, the group has enabled more than 700 families in |
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Hidalgo County colonias to become homeowners by providing them with |
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financing and construction assistance so that they could build |
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their own houses; moreover, since 2011, she and her colleagues have |
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been overseeing the development of one of the first environmentally |
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sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods in the region; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in a broad range of other organizations and |
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initiatives as well, Ms. Cass is a cofounder of Hope Family Health |
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Center and Call to Action-Rio Grande Valley, and she is a member of |
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the Hidalgo County Drainage Advisory Committee as well as |
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committees focused on bioethics, housing, and health care; her |
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impressive record in the field of social justice is being honored in |
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May 2013 with her receipt of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Human Rights |
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Award from the South Texas Civil Rights Project; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her leadership and dedication, Ann Cass has |
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been a source of encouragement and empowerment for colonia |
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residents and for other vulnerable individuals in South Texas, and |
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her work is indeed deserving of special recognition; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Ann Williams Cass for her many |
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accomplishments in behalf of the greater good and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Cass as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |