[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 198 (Friday, November 20, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1061]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          HONORING VANESSA MARCANO-KELLY AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 20, 2020

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Vanessa Marcano-Kelly, owner 
of Caracas Language Solutions and passionate community activist, as our 
Iowan of the Week for the week of October 9, 2020.
  Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationwide from 
September 15th to October 15th. It is an opportunity to celebrate and 
highlight the culture, traditions, and contributions of both Hispanic 
and Latinx Americans and shine a light on how these contributions have 
and continue to build our country and society for the better. Today 
there are nearly 195,000 Hispanic and Latinx Americans residing in 
Iowa--more than six percent of the state's population--and their 
families have enriched Iowa's culture and communities for generations. 
I have no doubt Vanessa's good work will leave its mark for generations 
to come.
  A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Vanessa is a certified court 
interpreter in the state of Iowa, owner and lead linguist at Caracas 
Language Solutions since 2015 and respected by many for her drive to 
improve the lives of others by breaking down the language barrier. She 
specializes in community, conference, and legal interpretation, as well 
as translation and subtitling. She began regularly interpreting and 
translating during her work as a community organizer for Iowa Citizens 
for Community Improvement in 2012, and a year after realizing her 
passion for this profession, she obtained the Iowa Spanish Court 
Interpreter Certification, which she has held since 2015.
  In 2014 Vanessa was the recipient of the LULAC Iowa Latino Leadership 
award. She also graduated from the Latina Leadership Initiative in 2014 
and earned a place on the New Leaders Council in Des Moines. She serves 
on the board of directors of the Des Moines Film Society and the 
inaugural board of the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.
  Vanessa believes strongly in the importance of civic engagement and 
has utilized her skills and determination to make an impact. The 
pursuit of making her community a better place through positive action 
has led her to creating the first Spanish speaking caucus site in Iowa 
and becoming involved with organizations like the Latino Political 
Network and the Department of Latino Affairs. She's worked with Grand 
View University on a multi-day program to ensure the parents of 
prospective first-year college students not only had support but felt 
included and welcomed as they learned about their young adults' 
educational opportunities. Vanessa also spearheaded the effort to 
expand access to COVID-19 information through a live audio 
interpretation of the briefings in Spanish.
  I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the culture and 
contributions of our Hispanic and Latinx neighbors not only during 
Hispanic Heritage Month but also year-round. I am honored to be their 
voice in Congress, and I will never stop fighting for legislation that 
makes Iowa a better place for their families.
  Providing better access to opportunities and success for all Iowans 
is one of my primary goals while serving in Congress, and I have 
tremendous respect for how Vanessa approaches the same goal. Her work 
is opening doors, creating connections, and fostering a stronger sense 
of community in our state. The Hispanic and Latinx population is the 
fastest growing group of individuals in Iowa, and advocates like 
Vanessa have been working every day to make sure they have the 
representation they deserve. I want to thank Vanessa for her amazing 
efforts in Iowa's Third Congressional District, and it is my pleasure 
to recognize her as Iowan of the Week.

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