[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 16, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 A TRIBUTE TO SHIREEN CHANG, 29TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF THE 
                               YEAR--2004

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 2004

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. 
During the month of March, we pay special tribute to the 
accomplishments of our Nation's most distinguished women. It is my 
great privilege to recognize outstanding women who are making a 
difference in my district.
  I stand today to recognize an extraordinary woman of California's 
29th Congressional District, Mrs. Shireen Chang of South Pasadena. Mrs. 
Chang has been pivotal in the social and cultural vitality of our 
community, and I wish to salute her efforts today.
  Born and raised in Malaysia, Shireen came to the United States in 
1978 as a court reporting student. When she achieved her American 
citizenship shortly after, it was, in her words, one of the proudest 
moments of her life. Shireen married her husband, John Chang, in 1983; 
and they moved to South Pasadena in 1984. They have three children: 
Leonard, Samantha, and Arthur.
  As a young mother, Mrs. Chang began volunteering at her son's school, 
Monterey Hills Elementary School. She assisted with sports activities, 
art classes, dance classes, classroom projects, and field trips. She 
was the den leader for her son's Boy Scout troop for 4 years and was 
very active in the local PTA, serving as president, vice president, and 
as chair of various committees. She was awarded an Honorary Service 
Award from both the Monterey Hills School PTA and the South Pasadena 
Council PTA. In addition, as a member of the South Pasadena Educational 
Foundation, Mrs. Chang raised thousands of dollars for the fine arts 
and language programs for South Pasadena schools.
  Shireen is currently a member and past president of the South 
Pasadena Public Library Board of Trustees, where she has been 
instrumental in fund-raising to benefit the restoration of South 
Pasadena's library. She is also extremely active in the South Pasadena 
Chinese-American Club, having served as vice president, secretary, 
chair of various fund-raising events, and chair of the education 
committee, providing translations, grants and scholarships to South 
Pasadena Unified School District schools. Mrs. Chang is also active in 
her church, Chinatown Church of Christ, where she organizes retreats 
and teaches Bible study.
  In addition to her service to the community, Shireen works for her 
husband's law firm in San Marino. Some of her future plans include 
forming a Neighborhood Watch, organizing workshops to educate new 
immigrants about services available to them and the importance of 
voting, and continuing to advocate for South Pasadena's schools and 
library.
  I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in honoring a 
remarkable woman of California's 29th Congressional District, Shireen 
Chang. The entire community joins me in thanking Shireen Chang for her 
continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional District a better 
place in which to live.

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