[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E227-E228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING LOIS RICHARD

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2018

  Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lois 
Catherine Banks Richard, who passed away after a life of devotion to 
her family and service to her community.
  Born in Pasadena, California in 1931, Lois was instilled with the 
spirit of activism from a young age by her parents. She graduated from 
Pasadena High School at the age of 16 and went on to become the only 
African American student on the English Council, Red Cross Council and 
elected to the Pasadena City College Associated Student Body Cabinet. 
She transferred to UCLA, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in 
Education. After graduating in 1952, Lois married her husband, Rodney 
Richard, Jr., at All Saints Church in Pasadena. She and Rod soon 
returned to Pasadena, where Lois pursued teaching and dedicated her 
career to the students and families of her hometown.
   Lois taught elementary school in the Pasadena Unified School 
District, where she was known for her positive and encouraging teaching 
style. In 1966, she spearheaded the development of the Pasadena Head 
Start Program, working to expand early education to underprivileged 
children and families in the community. Under her guidance, Pasadena 
saw the development of three new care centers, the Home Start Program, 
and the Head Start Enrichment Program--services that supported

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education, child care, and housing for those in need.
   Always looking for ways to further her own education, Lois earned a 
Master's Degree from Azusa Pacific University by taking night classes 
while working full-time and caring for her family. After completing 
graduate school, she went on to be elected as State President of the 
Association of Head Start Administrators and was appointed to the 
National Executive Board, where she served before retiring from Head 
Start after 13 years of service.
   Lois was a leader in her community and an activist for social 
progress throughout her life. In 1979, she ran for Pasadena's City 
Council, but despite winning a majority of her district's votes, she 
lost the ensuing citywide runoff election. Seeing how this system 
prevented fair representation for her community, Lois sought to make a 
difference. She was joined by organizations like the ACLU and the NAACP 
in a lawsuit that changed Pasadena's civic voting rules to allow 
district representation, a cause that sparked similar movements across 
the country.
  Lois made an impact in the lives of countless students, families, 
coworkers, and friends, and was recognized for her long career of 
service by the National Head Start Association and by the California 
State Assembly, which honored her as their 1988 Woman of the Year. On 
behalf of our community, it is my distinct honor to commemorate the 
life of Lois Catherine Banks Richard.

                          ____________________