[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 87 (Friday, June 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO DIONISIA AMAYA-BONILLA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2003

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Dionisia Amaya-Bonilla in 
recognition of her service to her local community and her native home 
of Honduras. Dionisia is proud of her heritage as a member of the 
Garinagu community, people who are descendants of West African slaves 
and Arawak Indians from St. Vincent who were deported to Honduras by 
the British in 1797.
  Dionisia was born in La Ceiba, Honduras Central America on February 
8, 1933. She came to the U.S. in May 1964, and became an American 
citizen in 1977. In 1979, Dionisia decided to go to college, earning a 
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with high honors from Medgar Evers 
College. Later, she earned a Masters/Advanced Certificate in Guidance 
and Counseling from Brooklyn College.
  Dionisia's first connection with her community was through her 
church, St. Mathews Catholic Church where she has served for more than 
22 years. When Hurricane Fifi struck Honduras in September 1974, many 
Garinagu, like Dionisia, got together to help their people back in 
Honduras. In 1990, after another tragedy occurred in the Garifuna 
community, Dionisia was there to help in anyway possible. This time it 
was the Happy Land Fire. Her organization, Mugama, which was started a 
year earlier, named a scholarship fund in honor of a promising young 
Garifuna who died in the fire.
  Dionisia worked for the Board of Education for 16 years. She began as 
a paraprofessional, and would later go on to teach following the 
completion of her education. Ultimately, she became a school guidance 
counselor, a position she continued until her retirement in 1996.
  Dionisia's biggest role in the community is being the coordinator of 
Mugama's education program. Her importance to the community is 
reflected by how the residents refer to her, with comments like: Mamma, 
Madre, and Abuelita. Recently, people have taken to call her the 
``glue'' of the community.
  Dionisia has received many honors in her life as a student, woman and 
community activist. During her college years, she was consistently on 
the Dean's List, and as a result, she was listed in the national Book 
of Excellent students. One of her greatest honors was meeting Isabel 
Arriola. Ms. Arriola is a Garifuna who survived Hurricane Mitch.
  The ultimate honor for her is being able to serve her community by 
working with Mugama. She says that the Mugama Advocacy Center is a 
dream come true. Being there daily and helping to empower people 
provides Dionisia with all of the satisfaction she needs. Dionisia has 
been married to her husband Alejandro Bonilla for 14 years.
  Mr. Speaker, Dionisia Amaya-Bonilla is committed to improving the 
lives of her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving 
our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring 
this truly remarkable woman.

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