[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 176 (Monday, December 7, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




BECAUSE WE ALL NEED MORE HUMAN CONNECTION: HONORING THE WORK OF LILLIAN 
                              ROYBAL ROSE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 7, 2015

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my sister, 
Lillian Roybal Rose, who made a career of leading nationally acclaimed 
cross-cultural leadership awareness seminars and workshops which 
fostered greater understanding between people of diverse backgrounds, 
and helped lay a foundation for a more peaceful multicultural future.
  For over 35 years, Lillian taught her workshops to academic, 
corporate, civic, and community groups. Her ultimate goal was to 
increase participants' self-awareness and help them establish mutual 
understanding and respect for others. She did this by creating a safe 
and supportive environment for participants to learn how internalized 
oppression affects thinking and attitudes, and how the resulting 
patterns of behavior affect communication between individuals, within 
groups, and between groups.
  When Lillian developed this workshop in the late 1970s, it turned the 
then-current diversity training model of ``blame and shame'' on its 
head. Her workshops relied on practical theoretical models based on 
psychology and ethics, and on interactive and experiential activities 
that allowed participants not merely to engage their minds but to open 
their hearts.
  This workshop approach, coupled with Lillian's ability to see and 
bring out the best in people, helped participants build powerful 
frameworks for effective long-term cooperation and communication, and 
enabled them to reclaim pride in their roots through the exploration of 
shared experiences.
  Lillian understood that the key to appreciating others is developing 
a better understanding of ourselves. When we can define and recognize 
forms of oppression that affect all of us, we can begin to relate to 
each other as individuals and build alliances.
  Over and over again, I have met individuals from across the country 
who have expressed their gratitude for my sister's work. Those who have 
participated in her workshops have told me countless times, ``She has 
changed my life and made me a better person.''
  While my sister is retired and no longer presents her workshops, she 
has been convinced by many of those same participants to give a 
farewell presentation. On December 12th and December 13th on the campus 
of the University of California at Santa Barbara, Lillian will present 
an encore workshop. People from different parts of the country will 
again be there to experience Lillian's brilliance, compassion, 
authenticity, and humility as she takes this final opportunity to share 
her life's work.
  Lillian has said of the people who participated in her workshops, 
``We gave, and continue to give each other support and hope that we can 
reach a fair and just society, where all can be treated with dignity 
and respect, have equal opportunity, and where we can love and 
celebrate our differences. My love and thank you to all.''
  Mr. Speaker, I have been blessed to have Lillian as my sister, and I 
am proud to join Lillian's colleagues and friends for her encore 
workshop and in honoring her life's work.

                          ____________________