[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 47 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING BETTY DeFOREST ON HER PASSING

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 17, 2017

  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Hayward 
resident Betty DeForest following the occasion of her passing on March 
10, 2017.
  Betty was a dedicated advocate and servant to the Hayward community, 
where she had lived since 1952. She devoted her life to fighting 
discrimination and seeking justice for persons of color as well as our 
poor, homeless, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities.
  Betty was a member of the Westminster Hills Presbyterian Church and 
was instrumental in the formation of its interfaith assemblage, the 
South Hayward Parish, which provides food for individuals and families 
in need, along with housing and healthcare resources. She quickly 
became an integral component of the group's efforts to advocate for the 
rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, religion, or 
race.
  Betty was deeply committed to our children and their education, 
serving two terms on the Hayward School Board, as well as Executive 
Director of the Eden Youth and Family Center, which provides an 
assortment of services to children and families across Alameda County.
  She also was a champion for the LGBTQ community. As President of her 
local PFLAG chapter and proud mother of a gay son, Betty helped 
establish the annual Hayward Gay Prom in 1995, creating an atmosphere 
for LGBTQ youth to feel safe and protected, without fear of judgement 
or reprisal.
  I had the privilege of working personally with Betty on numerous 
occasions. Betty devoted not only her time, but also precious 
resources, to accommodate interfaith meetings addressing gun violence 
within our community. Most recently, Betty allowed me the honor of 
participating in the South Hayward Parish's Martin Luther King Jr. Day 
March, an annual event highlighting the strides our country has made 
and bringing focus to the work yet ahead.
  Betty's commitment to the Hayward community touched the lives of 
countless individuals and was truly extraordinary. I want to 
acknowledge Betty's remarkable accomplishments and pass along my 
condolences to her family and friends--our community will certainly 
feel her absence.

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