[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO LUTHER C. WALLACE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2005

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Luther C. Wallace of 
Marin County, California, a community leader who passed away from a 
brain tumor on November 10, 2005. Luther was a visionary whose approach 
to inclusivity and human rights taught us all a lesson.
  Born in Bakersfield in 1941, Luther grew up in Oxnard where, at a 
young age, he learned the importance of empowerment from his family. As 
a preteen, he stuffed envelopes for the NAACP, church functions, and 
local politicians. In 1968, after serving in Viet Nam, he worked as a 
community organizer with the Ventura County Community Action Agency 
while using his GI bill allotment to complete a degree in Psychology 
from California State University, Northridge. He later earned a Masters 
in Public Administration just prior to his first brain surgery.
  Luther went on to manage an energy conservation program for the State 
of California and service agencies in Ventura, Santa Cruz, Marin, and 
Santa Clara counties. Under his leadership, the Human Rights Resource 
Center, Inc. in San Rafael provided services--including training 
manuals, Cultural Awareness Training, and public policy 
recommendations--to every State as well as to 9 foreign countries.
  Luther's influence, often centered in the African American community, 
was also widespread through his commitment and involvement in the 
California Rainbow Coalition (co-founder), The California Democratic 
Party Executive Board, the Marin Black/Jewish Dialogue (co-founder), 
the Marin City Project, the Marin Council of Agencies, the Marin County 
Adult Criminal Justice Commission, the Center for Southeast Asian 
Refugee Resettlement, the African American Coalition of Marin, and many 
other groups.
  His special interests were people, music, reading, learning new 
things, all sports, and working with his family in his herb and 
vegetable garden. With a voice as smooth as silk, his love of music 
(his ``unforgiving mistress'') called to him no matter where he was. On 
international junkets with the UN and the Jewish Community Federation, 
the band somehow knew to invite him on stage to sing. Shortly before 
his death, Luther achieved his greatest dream with the publication of 
his book of short stories titled, ``Our Color Our Kind: A Male Bedside 
Reader.'' At the time of his death, he was at work on an original 
screenplay and new short stories.
  He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Mary Christine [Tina] 
(Mattice) Wallace; son James Matthew Wallace, Santa Cruz, CA; daughter 
Cassandra Jane Wallace-James, Thousand Oaks, CA; grandchildren Tanesha 
Cherie, Tony LaBarron, Jr., and Luther Demetrius, IV Wallace-James; his 
special ``sister'' Donella Dennis, Los Angeles, CA; and a host of 
cousins, nieces and nephews.
  Mr. Speaker, Luther Wallace inspired so many with his passion for 
human rights and justice. His dedication and leadership enriched and 
informed the African American community and all of us in Marin County 
who will benefit from his legacy.

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