[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 175 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E949-E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE MEMORY OF MANUEL ``MEMO'' CAVADA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JUAN VARGAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 9, 2020

  Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Manuel ``Memo'' 
Cavada, community leader, artist, and Purple Heart recipient, who 
passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at the age of 76.
  Memo was born in National City, CA in 1944. He attended and graduated 
from Kimball Elementary School, National City Junior High, and 
Sweetwater High School. He later graduated from Sacramento City College 
and the Glen Fishback School of Photography.
  Memo served honorably in the United States Air Force for four years 
as a Crew Chief for 552nd Air Force Squadron in Sacramento, CA. He was 
a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal, and numerous other medals, for 
being wounded in action during the Vietnam War.
  Among his many accomplishments, Memo was the lead photographer of 
``100 Portraits, Pioneers, Visionaries & Role Models,'' a 1994 
collaborative, travelling photographic exhibit and book (published in 
2001) that highlighted the contributions of San Diego's Mexican-
American community. He recruited nine other Latino photographers to 
work on this project.
  During a ten-year period, Memo travelled with a backpack and his 
camera gear and visited numerous villages in Mexico to capture the 
Mexican culture and its people. The beautiful exhibit was also 
displayed at the State Capitol for a month.
  As a community leader, Memo owned and operated Creative Images 
Photography Studio in National City, CA for over 45 years, and he 
taught photography at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.
  One of Memo's most honorable accomplishments was that he developed 
one of the first programs for the prevention of alcohol abuse among the 
youth in the community. The program used puppetry, as a revolutionary 
form of entertainment, to convey the message of health issues to the 
children of the National School District in National City, CA.
  Additionally, Memo served Sweetwater High School for 25 years as a 
resident photographer. Along with working on the school yearbook, he 
devoted his time to career counseling high school seniors. At the 
average of 600 seniors per year for 25 years, Memo served 15,000 
Sweetwater High School students.
  In 2012, the National City Chamber of Commerce honored Memo as the 
volunteer of the year, and he was recognized not only for his service 
to the organization, but also for his contributions to helping others 
succeed in business and community affairs.
  In 2015, Memo was honored as a ``Latino Champion'' by the San Diego 
Union Tribune. He shared the stage with two other honorees, Roberto 
Pozos and Daniel Hernandez, two of his dear friends and community 
activists.

[[Page E950]]

  Memo will be remembered for his long history of selfless commitment 
and service to the community. He is survived by his three children, 
Stephanie, Jennifer, and Martin.
  For his contributions to the community and for his countless 
achievements, I would like to honor Manuel ``Memo'' Cavada and his 
family.