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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Dahlia Guerra of The University of Texas Rio |
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Grande Valley received the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Consulate |
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in McAllen in recognition of her contributions to Mexican American |
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culture; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, as a lecturer in music at UTRGV, Dr. Guerra |
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founded the university's mariachi program; she began raising money |
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herself for the elaborate traditional suits, until the university |
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president arranged funding; while also working on her doctoral |
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degree at the University of Oklahoma, she helped sew and embellish |
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the trajes and develop Mariachi Aztlán; the group began with five |
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members and grew into an acclaimed ensemble that has traveled |
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throughout Mexico, the United States, and Canada; in 2010, it |
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performed at the White House for the signing of an executive order |
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supporting Hispanic initiatives, and it has appeared at such venues |
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as the Hollywood Bowl, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing |
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Arts, and the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival; and |
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WHEREAS, The mariachi program has continued to expand, and |
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today, it also includes the Mariachi Aztlán Juvenil and Mariachi |
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Azalea ensembles; UTRGV offers a unique bachelor of music education |
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degree with a mariachi concentration, which was recently accredited |
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by the National Association of Schools of Music; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2006, Dr. Guerra established the FESTIBA program |
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to promote early childhood literacy while celebrating the cultural |
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arts; each year, 500 to 600 students from across the region have the |
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opportunity to learn from guest artists, authors, and scholars, as |
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well as to enjoy the music of mariachi masters and take part in |
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mariachi workshops; many high schools now have their own mariachi |
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ensembles, and since 2016, UIL has included the genre; and |
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WHEREAS, An Edinburg native, Dr. Guerra currently serves as |
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special assistant to the dean of the UTRGV College of Fine Arts; she |
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previously served as dean, as well as assistant vice president for |
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public arts and special projects; as chair of the music department, |
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she established its master of music program; she holds a bachelor's |
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degree in music from UTRGV, a master of music degree from Southern |
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Methodist University, and a doctor of musical arts degree from the |
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University of Oklahoma; as a pianist, she has performed in numerous |
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solo, chamber, and symphony settings; and |
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WHEREAS, Dahlia Guerra has played a significant role in the |
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advancement of mariachi music in the United States, fostering |
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greater appreciation for this magnificent art form and increasing |
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involvement in its performance, and she is richly deserving of this |
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prestigious accolade; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Dahlia Guerra on receiving the |
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Ohtli Award from the Mexican Consulate in McAllen 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 Dr. Guerra as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Guerra |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1454 was adopted by the House on May |
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19, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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