[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 139 (Tuesday, August 27, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING VIOLET BARTON

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 27, 2019

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Violet Barton, a 
doctoral candidate at UC Merced who has been awarded the Fulbright 
Scholarship. While receiving this highly competitive scholarship, 
Violet lived in El Salvador to research the socioeconomic, racial, and 
gender inequality present in the country.
  During her time in El Salvador, Violet connected closely to her 
culture as a Latina woman and worked towards uplifting the community. 
Violet spearheaded the creation of the first ever indigenous Nahuat 
spiritual guide leadership program and coordinated with others to 
identify and train future spiritual leaders. She has also recently 
completed her level four Nahuat language training at the University of 
Central America, furthering her understanding and study of the culture.
  Violet's passion for her research and the communities she serves has 
distinguished her as a true pioneer in her field. During her year 
abroad, Violet was selected to serve as a panelist at the annual Latin 
American Studies Association Conference in Boston, where she presented 
some of her ongoing research findings. In addition to the Fulbright 
Scholarship, Violet received the coveted UC Merced Miguel Velez 
Scholarship alongside a $10,000 fellowship from the UC Office of Multi 
Campus Research Programs.
  While earning these countless honors for her academic excellence, 
Violet has distinguished herself as a student leader who works 
tirelessly to better the lives of her community. Violet received the 
Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2018, the UC Merced Social 
Justice Award in 2017 and 2018, and during that same timeframe, was 
nominated for UC Merced's Outstanding Student Leadership for three 
consecutive years.
  Violet's successes do not stop at her professional and academic 
achievements. Violet and her daughter, Danielle Bermudez, made 
Fulbright history as the first mother and daughter to receive the 
Fulbright Scholarship as graduate students during the program's 72-year 
history. Together, they exemplify the pioneering spirit of UC Merced 
and the diversity that embodies California's San Joaquin Valley.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Violet 
Barton for her outstanding leadership, scholarship, and service to her 
community. I join Violet and her family as they celebrate her 
incredible accomplishments and wish her the best as she completes her 
PhD at UC Merced.

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