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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, May 15, 2025, marks the 94th anniversary of the |
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birth of the late state representative Irma Rangel; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Herminia Lerma and Preciliano |
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Martinez Rangel, Irma Rangel was born and raised in Kingsville; she |
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earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a |
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teaching certificate from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and |
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taught in California and Venezuela as well as Texas; committed to |
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public service, she went on to graduate from St. Mary's University |
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School of Law and worked as an assistant district attorney in Corpus |
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Christi before opening her own law office in her hometown and |
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becoming involved in grassroots politics; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1976, Representative Rangel became the first |
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Mexican American woman elected to the Texas Legislature; she worked |
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tirelessly over more than a quarter century to break down systemic |
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barriers to the advancement of underrepresented communities; among |
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her many achievements, she secured passage of laws to extend |
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absentee voting, establish support centers for survivors of |
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domestic violence, and create employment and education programs for |
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mothers with dependent children; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Rangel was also instrumental in the |
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radical transformation of higher education and the expansion of |
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access for low-income and minority students; as chair of the Higher |
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Education Committee, she was the primary sponsor of the landmark |
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law guaranteeing that students who graduate in the top 10 percent of |
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their high school class receive automatic admission to the state's |
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top public universities; her efforts were crucial in the funding of |
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South Texas' first professional school, now the Irma Lerma Rangel |
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College of Pharmacy at Texas A&M; other institutions named in her |
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honor include the Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School |
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in Dallas and the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute at The |
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University of Texas at Austin; in addition, the Mexican American |
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Legislative Leadership Foundation recognized her legacy in the |
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establishment of the Moreno/Rangel Legislative Leadership |
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Fellowship; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to her fellow Texans, the Honorable |
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Irma Rangel served in the legislature until 2003, when she lost her |
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battle with cancer; her trailblazing accomplishments have |
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continued to resonate powerfully, and she remains a source of |
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inspiration to the countless people who have joined in her quest for |
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meaningful change; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 94th anniversary of the birth of |
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former state representative Irma Rangel and encourage all Texans to |
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learn more about her far-reaching contributions to the Lone Star |
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State. |