[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 181 (Thursday, December 19, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING MARTHA LOPEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 19, 2013

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Martha Lopez arrived here from Mexico City 
when she was 15, attended and graduated from Mamaroneck High School. 
She went on to get her B.A. in Sociology from Lehman College and a 
Master's degree in Social Work from Columbia University.
  She worked for the Washingtonville Housing Alliance for more than 17 
years as the assistant director. While there she involved herself in a 
variety of community activities including as a Founding Member of the 
Board of Directors of KEEPS, an after-school program for children in 
Mamaroneck, and as a Founding Member and Chair of Voz y Vida at St. 
Vito's Church which helps Hispanic families adjust to the United States 
and easing the problems of day laborers in Mamaroneck. Voz y Vida 
received the Martin Luther King Award from the Mamaroneck Tri-
Commission Human Rights Committee in 1993.
  She is also a member of the Westchester Hispanic Advisory Board, 
Secretary to the Board of Directors, Emelin Theater, and Co-founding 
the Hispanic Resource Center of Larchmont/Mamaroneck and served for two 
years its president.
  She received the Dr. Martin Luther King Human Rights Award, for her 
efforts on behalf of immigrants
  In 2001 Martha was named Director for Hispanic Affairs for 
Westchester County, serving as a bridge between government programs and 
services and the Westchester Hispanic community.
  In 2010 Martha oversaw the village-wide educational campaign that 
complied with the Federal Voting Rights Case settlement of Port 
Chester.
  She is presently Bilingual Election Inspector Coordinator with 
Westchester County Board of Elections where she manages a county-wide 
training program for more than 200 bilingual (English-Spanish) election 
inspectors.
  She and her husband Dennis Hanratty, Executive Director of Mount 
Vernon United Tenants, have two children. Louis and Jason.
  Martha Lopez has compiled an extraordinary record of accomplishments 
for the Hispanic community and for Westchester County and I am proud to 
join with the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester in honoring her.

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