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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Austin residents lost an esteemed community leader |
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with the passing of Andrew Reyes Ramirez on April 17, 2015, at the |
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age of 73; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of David and Oralia Ramirez, Andy Ramirez |
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was born in Austin on February 13, 1942; he was raised by his mother |
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in the tight-knit Mexican American community on the city's East |
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Side while his father served in the military during World War II; as |
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a boy, he worked long hours shining shoes, but he still succeeded in |
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making straight A's; in 1961, he married Nellie Ancira, and they |
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became the parents of twins, Andrew and Annette; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked at the Glastron Boat Factory |
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before serving his country in the United States Navy; subsequently, |
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he majored in math at The University of Texas at Austin, where he |
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became acutely aware of discrimination against Mexican Americans; |
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in the course of helping his parents run the Chuck Wagon Barbecue, |
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he met many political leaders, and he developed strong loyalties to |
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both the Mexican American and African American communities; and |
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WHEREAS, Determined to advance social justice, Mr. Ramirez |
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became one of the organizers of the historic Economy Furniture |
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strike; he then joined the staff of the governor's office to provide |
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technical assistance and oversight to War on Poverty Community |
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Action programs in South Texas; later, he was appointed to |
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supervise the Austin Community Action Agency, and when it was |
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incorporated into city government, he became Austin's director of |
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human development programs; he administered antipoverty projects |
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as well as initiatives in manpower development, economic |
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development, and juvenile justice, and he secured millions of |
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dollars in grants to benefit his fellow citizens; moreover, he |
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increased the employment of minorities and women, and he was |
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involved in such organizations as the National League of Cities; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Mr. Ramirez urged his friend, |
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Buddy Ruiz, to run for the city council, and together, they waged a |
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spirited campaign that helped energize political activism among |
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Mexican Americans; Mr. Ramirez married Dr. Blandina Cardenas in |
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1978, and while she served in the Carter administration, he studied |
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public administration and policy at George Washington University; |
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after helping to found the National Hispanic Housing Coalition, he |
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served as its assistant director; he also gave generously of his |
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time, talents, and resources to Democratic candidates for office at |
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all levels; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked in nonprofit development for |
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Solar America, an alternative energy company, before transitioning |
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to the private sector; as a founder of the Avante Corporation, he |
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engaged in commercial real estate development in San Antonio and |
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Austin; he went on to establish several companies, including Rz and |
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Associates and Rz Communications, and he was active in the U.S. |
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Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin and the Greater Austin |
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; in 1995, he received the Lifetime |
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Achievement Award from the chamber, and five years later, he was |
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named a special advisor to the governor of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Committed to expanding opportunity in Austin, he |
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mentored dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs, and he counseled young |
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Latinos seeking to start nonprofit organizations; in 2010, he |
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founded the Bellas Artes Alliance to promote Latino arts and |
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culture; with his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez, he sponsored the |
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popular annual Pan Americana Festival, which the alliance produced |
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in cooperation with the city and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican |
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American Cultural Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Andrew Ramirez devoted himself wholeheartedly to |
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making Austin a more equitable and inclusive place, and his life |
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stands as an inspiring example of positive civic engagement; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Andrew Reyes |
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Ramirez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to |
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his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez; to his children, Dorothy Lopez, |
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Andrew Ramirez Jr. and his wife, Sara, Annette Kjar and her husband, |
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Michael, and Alexandro Rudolpho Ramirez; to his stepdaughter, |
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Avelon Pang; to his brothers, David Ramirez and Robert Loera; to his |
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sisters, Yolanda Blanco and Mary Jane Haros; to his grandchildren |
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and great-grandchildren; and to his many other relatives and |
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friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Andrew |
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Ramirez. |
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Huberty |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2566 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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