[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 193 (Thursday, November 12, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1014-E1015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ANTHONY ``TONY'' VILLEGAS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 12, 2020

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with an aching but 
appreciative heart, on behalf of the Kansas City community and 
Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, to honor the memory of Anthony 
``Tony'' Villegas. Kansas City has lost a kindred spirit and happy 
warrior, who dedicated his life to serving his community.
  Scripture tells us, in 1 Peter 4:10, to use whatever gifts we have 
received from God to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace 
in its various forms. As a member of the Parish Council for the St. 
John Evangelist Church in Kansas City, Tony understood this call to 
service better than most. Tony was blessed with the gift of a loving 
family, a beautiful marriage that would last sixty-one years, and an 
unrelentingly optimistic demeanor, and he turned those gifts into a 
lifetime of public service. He served on several boards and commissions 
working to strengthen our community throughout his life, including a 
quarter-century stint on the Board of Public Utilities. Believing that 
our city was at its best when everyone was given a fair shot, he worked 
tirelessly to promote inclusivity and unity. During his eight years on 
the Kansas Human Rights Commission, he worked to eliminate 
discrimination, segregation, and animus against people of color trying 
to access public accommodations and affordable housing. And during his 
tenure as the Commissioner of the Kansas City, Kansas Housing 
Authority, he held fast to his belief that access to safe and 
affordable housing was a fundamental human right, and he rejoiced every 
time he helped a family secure a place to call home. Today, families 
across Kansas City are safe and warm with roofs above their heads 
because of Tony's unwavering support and enthusiastic advocacy.
  Tony's work did not stop at promoting equal treatment under the law 
and investing in families' success through affordable housing; he also 
worked tirelessly to promote equal access to education. As a Board 
Member and Vice-President of El Centro for eight years, he worked to 
provide young Latino children with high-quality education. This 
education has provided the foundation for thousands of students to lead 
healthier lives, bolster their economic mobility, and advocate for the 
Latino community through elections and policy initiatives. Through the 
Academy for Children and various after-school enrichment programs, El

[[Page E1015]]

Centro has created a nurturing environment for young Latino students to 
appreciate their culture and history while also preparing them to 
participate fully in Kindergarten and elementary school. Tony also 
served as a board member of the Hispanic Media Association Scholarship 
Fund and the University of Central Missouri's Cesar E. Chavez 
Scholarship Committee. As a result of Tony's impassioned fundraising, 
these scholarships have been able to award thousands of dollars to 
deserving Latino students pursuing higher education and working towards 
a brighter future for themselves and their families.
  Tony undoubtedly accomplished extraordinary progress for his 
community during his life, and we in Kansas City celebrate him as a 
local hero. But when you talked with him, his work would never come up. 
When Tony would greet people with his infectious smile and attentive 
ears, he wanted to hear about their lives, their families, and their 
struggles. If you needed to laugh, he was quick to deliver a joke. If 
you needed to cry, he would wrap his arm around you and make you 
remember that you were not going through dark times alone. Whether he 
was celebrating new life, working through life's problems, or mourning 
the end of a life, Tony served as a bright light and beacon of hope 
wherever he was. As friends and family gather to remember how Tony 
helped them through their lives, that beacon of hope will continue to 
shine brightly in their memories.
  Today, Kansas City's thoughts are with Tony's wife, Mary, his two 
sons, Anthony Jr. and Aquilino, his daughter, Mary Kay Villegas-Alitz, 
and his many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, 
as they celebrate Tony's life and remember the moments of compassion 
and care he gave the world. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring 
Tony's legacy and offering our deepest condolences to his family. As we 
celebrate the accomplishments of a life well-lived, let us remember how 
Tony used his God-given gifts to serve others. We may never truly know 
the full impact he had on our community, but make no mistake: Tony's 
legacy will live on through every young leader he inspired to continue 
that everlasting endeavor to promote equality, inclusivity, and 
opportunity. Put simply, Kansas City is better off today, tomorrow, and 
for generations to come, because of the time Tony gave us.

                          ____________________