[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E468-E469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF ESTHER RENTERIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2007

  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend and 
fellow Californian, Esther Renteria, who passed away January 8, 2007, 
at her Montebello, California home at the age of 67. Esther was a 
skilled journalist who was committed to increasing the presence of 
Latinos in broadcast media.
  For decades, Esther advocated to increase the numbers of Latinos in 
the news and other television programs. She understood the importance 
of Latino children watching people on television who looked like them 
and could relate to them. Esther's endless advocacy and enthusiasm 
helped increase and positively modify the presence of Latinos in the 
media.
  In 1969, Esther was the first Latina to appear in a nightly newscast 
with the premiere of ``Ahora!'' on KCET-TV, and in 1970 she

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worked as an associate producer on ``The Siesta Is Over,'' a series 
based on issues relevant to the daily lives of Latinos in the U.S. In 
1986, she cofounded the National Hispanic Media Coalition, an 
organization that monitors Federal Communications Commission 
regulations on broadcast media. The organization successfully 
petitioned the FCC to revoke broadcast licenses of those television 
stations who neglected to hire a sufficient number of Latinos.
  Esther's work did not end with her behind-the-scenes efforts to make 
Latinos more visible on national TV. She also founded the Hispanic 
Americans for Fairness in Media to award scholarships to young students 
who aspire to future careers in media. Esther's advocacy on behalf of 
the Latino community has been instrumental to the changes that have 
taken effect since. Esther is survived by her husband, Martin Renteria, 
former chief of police for the Montebello Unified District's police 
department, four sons, and a sister.
  I extend my sympathy to Esther's husband, children, and family. She 
will be missed dearly.

                          ____________________