[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 21, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2033-H2034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE

  (Mr. PANETTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National 
Day of Silence this Friday, April 23.
  It is a day when people around the country and in my community on the 
central coast of California take a vow of silence to raise awareness 
surrounding the many hurdles that LGBTQ youth face.
  One of those students will be Lucia Umeki-Martinez. Lucia is a gay 
woman of color and a student leader at Watsonville High School. As co-
class president and member of the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club, 
Lucia works to build bridges between her classmates and community.
  She told me that taking the vow of silence for 1 day was her way of 
paying tribute to those who have been silenced by homophobia and 
hatred. It also is a way to show solidarity to those, like Lucia, who 
have ever felt unwelcome or

[[Page H2034]]

unsafe in an environment where they are supposed to thrive.
  Countless students across this country will take the vow of silence 
on Friday for the same reasons as Lucia. That is why we as leaders must 
continue to step up every day to ensure that all Americans, whoever 
they are, are accepted and respected.

                          ____________________