[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A TRIBUTE TO ROBERTA H. MARTINEZ, 29TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF 
                             THE YEAR--2003

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2003

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. 
Each year, we pay special tribute to the accomplishments made by our 
Nation's most distinguished women during the month of March. It is my 
great honor to recognize extraordinary women who are making a 
difference in my district.
  I stand today, to recognize an outstanding woman of California's 29th 
Congressional District, Ms. Roberta H. Martinez. Ms. Martinez's passion 
for community volunteerism, especially on behalf of Latino-American 
history and culture, has made the City of Pasadena a better place to 
live.
  Ms. Martinez earned her BA in music, her MA in music history and is a 
practicing musician. Currently she is narrator and vocalist for the 
Aztec Stories Project, scheduled to play at the Ford Theater in Los 
Angeles in the fall of this year. Besides owning her own production 
company, she is a guest lecturer, historian, and an elementary and 
middle school substitute teacher. She and her husband, James Grimes, 
reside in Pasadena, and have two children, Kate and Matthew.
  Roberta is host/producer of an award-winning cable access television 
show--Casa Martinez--musica y mas in Pasadena. As a producer, she has 
worked on many annual projects including the Adelante Mujer Latina 
conference, Latino Fest, and the Cinco de Mayo celebration. In 
addition, she is the founder and current Chair of the Latino History 
Parade and Jamaica. One of the projects Roberta is most proud of is the 
history project ``The Past Lives Vividly in the Present: a history of 
the Latino Community in Pasadena'' that she researched and produced.
  Roberta serves on numerous boards and committees, including the 
Pasadena Historical Museum, the San Gabriel Valley Hispanic Chamber of 
Commerce, Pasadena Latino Forum, Latino Heritage Association, 
Leadership Pasadena and the Zonta Club. In addition, she assists the 
City of Pasadena by participating on the Arts Commission, the Pasadena 
Community Access Corporation, and the Northwest School Site Steering 
Committee. In 2002, Roberta received the Pasadena YWCA's Woman of 
Excellence in the Arts Award.
  The time and energy she gives to our community is truly remarkable, 
and the City of Pasadena has benefited greatly from her dedicated 
service.
  I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a 
remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Roberta 
H. Martinez. The entire community joins me in thanking Roberta Martinez 
for her continued efforts to making the 29th Congressional District a 
better place in which to live.

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