[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 287 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  2d Session

                            H. CON. RES. 287

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

     Recognizing and honoring the life of the late Raul Julia, his 
 dedication to ending world hunger, and his great contributions to the 
               Latino community and the performing arts.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 287

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas Raul Julia made his Broadway debut just a few weeks after arriving in 
        New York City in 1964 in Calderon's ``Life is a Dream'';
Whereas Raul Julia, after only 3 years of living in New York City, was 
        instrumental opening doors for nontraditional parts for Hispanic actors 
        by taking the role of Demetrius in Shakespeare's ``Titus Andronicus'' at 
        the New York Shakespeare Festival and Cradeau in Sartre's ``No Exit'';
Whereas Raul Julia was the busiest Hispanic Shakespearean actor in New York and 
        the first to establish a decades-long association with Joseph Papp and 
        the New York Shakespeare Festival;
Whereas Raul Julia began an impressive and productive 28-year association with 
        Joseph Papp and the New York Shakespeare Festival as Macduff in the 
        Festival's Mobile Unit, Spanish language production of MacBeth;
Whereas Raul Julia became the first Puerto Rican actor to conquer Broadway 
        stages by having his work be nominated for 4 different Tony Awards in 10 
        years: ``Two Gentlemen of Verona'', ``Where's Charley?'', ``Threepenny 
        Opera'', and ``Nine'';
Whereas Raul Julia provided a role model for millions of children in his role as 
        ``Rafael, the Fix-It Man'' in Sesame Street;
Whereas Raul Julia was a dedicated leader in the fight against the rising rates 
        of teen violence and cosponsored scriptwriting competitions for high 
        school students as a way to encourage teenagers to express their 
        emotions through art rather than through violence;
Whereas Raul Julia's dedication to help Hispanic-American film and television 
        writers develop their work led him to co-found the Latino Playwrights 
        Reading Workshops;
Whereas Raul Julia was instrumental in the formation of the now legendary Puerto 
        Rico Traveling Theater, an off-Broadway nonprofit Puerto Rican theater 
        that to this day continues to promote and showcase bilingual plays, new 
        Hispanic playwrights and Spanish-speaking actors while bringing theater 
        to those who cannot ordinarily afford it;
Whereas Raul Julia was a leader in the entertainment industry, particularly as a 
        tireless mentor and role model to emerging Latino actors;
Whereas Raul Julia was a dedicated activist and humanitarian who in his lifetime 
        became a major supporter and spokesperson for the Hunger Project, a 
        nonprofit organization committed to the eradication of world hunger;
Whereas Raul Julia was tireless in his commitment to the Puerto Rican film 
        industry and to the making of Spanish language films and continued to 
        participate in small, independent, Spanish-language films even after 
        having become a Hollywood star;
Whereas Raul Julia was an extremely successful stage, film and television actor 
        who never abandoned his Puerto Rican heritage, never changed his name 
        and never gave up his accent, thereby becoming an enduring role model 
        for hundreds of Latino actors;
Whereas Raul Julia received the Hispanic Heritage Award recognizing his many 
        career achievements for the Latino community, including his involvement 
        in ``La Familia'', a New York City outreach program for Latino families 
        in need, the Puerto Rican traveling theater, the Museo del Barrio, and 
        the New York Shakespeare Festival;
Whereas Raul Julia received the National Board of Review Best Actor prize for 
        his interpretation of the political prisoner Valentin in the award-
        winning landmark film ``The Kiss of the Spider Woman'', an award he 
        shared with his co-star William Hurt;
Whereas Raul Julia posthumously received the prestigious Emmy Award, Cable Ace 
        Award, Golden Globe Award, and the SAG Award, given by his fellow actors 
        for his most famous roles including Chico Mendes in ``The Burning 
        Season'';
Whereas Raul Julia was proud of his Puerto Rican heritage and his life and work 
        reflected his strong commitment to his culture and the people of Puerto 
        Rico;
Whereas Raul Julia was given a state funeral in Puerto Rico and since that time 
        there have been many awards and honors created in his name: a 
        scholarship at Julliard, a scholarship given to a promising young actor 
        for the purpose of studying and performing Shakespeare at the Joseph 
        Papp Public Theater, the Raul Julia Award for Excellence given annually 
        by the National Endowment for the Hispanic Arts in Washington, DC, El 
        Teatro Raul Julia in San Juan Puerto Rico, and the Raul Julia Global 
        Citizen Award, an annual award being given this year for the first time 
        by the Puerto Rican Family Institute based in New York City;
Whereas Raul Julia was recognized by the Mayor of the City of New York with the 
        creation of Raul Julia Day which was celebrated and commemorated in 
        conjunction with Puerto Rican Heritage and Culture Month on November 21, 
        1994: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress recognizes and honors the life of the late Raul 
Julia, his dedication to ending world hunger, and his great 
contributions to the Latino community and the performing arts.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 25, 2004.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.