[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 59 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E576-E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF WIGGSY SIVERTSEN

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2014

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to express our deepest 
gratitude and heartfelt congratulations to Wiggsy Sivertsen on the 
occasion of her retirement from San Jose State University where she has 
been a Personal Counselor and Licensed Clinical Social Worker for forty 
five years.
  Wiggsy Sivertsen has given generously of her time and considerable 
talent to the students at San Jose State, supporting them in their 
personal struggles and helping them achieve their professional goals. 
The student evaluations on an online site speak volumes about this 
extraordinary woman. ``Awesome teacher and subject! Best class I have 
ever taken in college.'' ``Concerned/outgoing/extremely funny/
sensitive. Busy woman that will make time for you.'' These are only two 
of many, many outstanding evaluations.
  Wiggsy Sivertsen earned a Bachelor's degree from San Jose State 
University and a Master's degree in Social Work from Tulane University. 
In the early 1980's, Wiggsy, fearless and ahead of her time, cofounded 
Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee (BAYMEC) to advocate for members 
of the LGBT community to address burgeoning discrimination against the 
LGBT community. She envisioned and designed BAYMEC to educate our 
communities and advocate for the rights of all.
  Wiggsy has spent thousands of hours lobbying elected officials for 
hate-crime legislation, marriage equality, and other LGBT rights. In 
addition to BAYMEC, she founded two other LGBT advocacy groups: 
Advocates for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Youth, a legal organization; and 
Open Mind Network, Inc, an organization which is an educational 
platform to inform organized groups of the legitimate rights of LGBT 
communities. She has also worked side-by-side with several community 
organizations and law enforcement to achieve these goals.
  Wiggsy's contributions to our country have been recognized by the 
Civil Liberties Union ``Don Edwards Defender of Constitutional 
Liberty'' Award, and the California State Special Recognition Award for 
Service to the Lesbian and Gay Community. She was also recognized by 
the San Jose Mercury News as one of ``The Millennium 100, Pillars of 
Their Communities''.
  Mr. Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join us in thanking Wiggsy 
Sivertsen for her extraordinary career as an educator at San Jose State 
University, and for her unswerving commitment to social justice for 
all, particularly the civil rights of the LGBT community. Her 
contributions will live on as her lasting legacy, and we honor her for 
strengthening our community immeasurably and making our country a more 
just and equitable one.

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