[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING CHARLIE ARA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, this afternoon I 
rise to recognize Mr. Charlie Ara, the recipient of the First Annual 
Cesar Chavez Humanitarian Award for the 56th Assembly District of 
California, for over 50 years of community service and activism in the 
field of human and civil rights.
  Mr. Ara was ordained a Roman Catholic priest by Cardinal James 
Francis McIntyre on April 25, 1956, at St. Vibiana's Cathedral in Los 
Angeles, California.
  From 1956 to 1970, he served as associate pastor in five large 
parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles: St. Lawrence Martyr in the 
South Bay area; St. Finbar's in the Burbank-Glendale area; Visitation 
in West Los Angeles; All Saints in El Sereno; and St. Cecilia's in the 
Tustin-Santa Ana area of Orange County.
  On August 28, 1963, Mr. Ara participated in the March on Washington, 
along with over 250,000 people, and experienced Martin Luther King 
Jr.'s ``I Have a Dream'' speech. Mr. Ara has carried Mr. King's message 
of equality throughout his career.
  Mr. Ara became a strong advocate for social justice, including 
support for farm workers, anti-Vietnam War activists, and fair housing 
legislation for Mexican-American families living in public housing 
projects in East Los Angeles.
  In 1970, Mr. Ara married. He and his wife, Shirley, were blessed with 
five wonderful children: Martin John, Jose Anthony, Rana Annette, Dawna 
Gibrana, and Matthew Charles.
  Mr. Ara became the chief executive and administrator of anti-poverty 
programs funded by the California Community Services Administration, 
the U.S. Department of Labor, and the City of Long Beach Department of 
Rehabilitation.
  Through these programs, Mr. Ara assisted Latinos and other ethnic 
minorities by directing men and women to job training programs. Mr. Ara 
also established English classes for the Spanish-speaking community, 
served as a liaison with the welfare department, and sought assistance 
for the elderly.
  Mr. Ara also wrote and obtained the first mental health government 
grant for the Asian American community in Long Beach serving widows of 
fallen military servicemembers.
  In addition to his advocacy work, Mr. Ara holds a doctoral degree in 
psychology and has been a marriage and family counselor for 36 years. 
He has written a best-selling marital success guide titled, ``The Grass 
is Greener Where It is Watered.''
  Mr. Ara has prepared many thousands of couples for marriage, and has 
made numerous appearances on national television and radio programs to 
discuss his work.
  Most recently, Mr. Ara led an effort with the Hubert Humphrey 
Democratic Club of Cerritos and the African-American community to 
observe the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday in the city of Cerritos.
  Madam Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in 
recognizing Charlie Ara for his many years of service to the community, 
and for his many years of social justice advocacy. He is a great man 
who does great work in our community. We respect him tremendously, and 
he deserves this honor.

                          ____________________