[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E654-E655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF MS. RAFAELA ``LALI'' GARCIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2021

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to 
commemorate the

[[Page E655]]

life of Ms. Rafaela Garcia and to pay tribute to her monumental legacy 
in Kansas City, Missouri. Ms. Garcia, known as ``Lali'' to her family, 
friends, and neighbors, lived a life of service, selflessness, and 
passionate advocacy. She was ambitious and tenacious, with the goal of 
improving life for the Latino community guiding her work every step of 
the way. As I stand here today, I can confidently say that we all owe 
Lali an enormous debt of gratitude for the progress she fostered 
towards racial equality, advancing the cause of a historically 
marginalized population by championing equal opportunity and political 
representation. Lali's dedication to serving the Latino community as an 
activist, community member, and office holder defined her 93 years 
spent on this earth and improved the lives of thousands. Lali uplifted 
the voices of those in need and left a profound impact on every person 
who crossed her path.
  Born in 1927, Lali observed and experienced discrimination against 
the Latino community along with the severe lack of political 
representation for non-white citizens. During her youth, Lali used the 
discrimination she faced in everyday life as a source of motivation to 
fight for change. Years later, Lali shared stories from this time in 
her life to remind us of our history and the progress we have made. 
Lali remembered movie theaters with segregated seating, jails without 
due process for people of color, restaurants that barred admission for 
Latinos, and inferior educational opportunities for Latino students. 
Lali's passion for social advocacy started young, at the age of 13, 
when she first visited the Guadalupe Center in Kansas City, Missouri. 
The Center, at that time, was dedicated to administering a school and 
clinic for underprivileged immigrants who settled in the midwestern 
city. Even at this young age, Lali saw the potential for the Center to 
become a vibrant community gathering place, a structure to fight 
against the social inequities she witnessed, and a pillar of the Latino 
community. As Lali served for forty-six years on the Center's Board of 
Directors, this vision came to fruition, with three terms as the Board 
President. She oversaw a massive expansion of the services provided by 
the Center, advancing opportunities, services, and protection for the 
Latino community. Today, largely in part to Lali's commitment, the 
Center has grown to provide healthcare, education, financial 
assistance, childcare, workforce development, and more. We are forever 
indebted to Lali's work to transform this organization as it continues 
to provide opportunities, support, and stability for newly arrived 
immigrants and Kansas City natives alike. Her legacy challenges each of 
us to continue making Kansas City a welcoming place for immigrants to 
find a home, celebrate their culture, and become part of the community. 
As we follow in her footsteps, we must strive to ensure that all those 
who make the journey to the United States feel valued, cherished, and 
loved--the same way Lali made all of us feel.
  Beyond her immeasurable work at the Center, Lali was a fierce 
advocate for political equality and representation for the Latino 
community. Lali understood the importance of responsive leaders who use 
their positions in the halls of government to protect and uplift all 
members of the community, regardless of race or ethnicity. She also 
recognized the need for leaders who would advocate for the fair and 
equal treatment of the Latino community. In 1989, Lali founded La Raza 
Political Club. Under her leadership, La Raza elected many of the first 
Latinos to public office in Kansas City, finally creating a seat at the 
table for her community. During her time with La Raza, Lali registered 
new voters, fought back against discrimination at the polls, and proved 
the importance of perceptive leadership. By registering hundreds of 
Latino voters, Lali amplified their voices and worked to create a more 
just, equitable, and accepting nation. We are called to pick up this 
duty where Lali left off and to emphasize the importance of political 
engagement in all communities.
  A short recognition cannot adequately describe the breadth of Lali's 
tireless work building community resources, political representation, 
and cultural acceptance. At the end of her life, amidst a global 
pandemic, her work never ceased. Lali served as a member of the 
Guadalupe Centers Board of Directors; the Jackson County Ethics, Human 
Relations, & Citizen Complaints Commission; and the Civil Rights 
Consortium. She was also a member of the Union Cultural Mexicana Ladies 
Auxiliary and a full-time volunteer at the Casa Felix Senior Center. 
Lali was also appointed to the Guadalajara Sister City Commission and 
the Port Authority Board of Commissioners and has served on the Mayor's 
Prayer Breakfast Committee since 1987. Intentional acts of humble 
service filled each minute of her life. Lali's commitment to those 
around her teaches us what it means to be an outspoken and selfless 
advocate and to meaningfully participate in the community.
  Lali's life reminds us that a single individual relentlessly fighting 
for what is right can, in fact, change the world around us. Change 
requires a person with the courage to acknowledge the unjust, the 
persistence to carry on through hardship, the will to protest loudly, 
and the spirit to fight until all are seen as equal. For Lali, this all 
came naturally, and her leadership has left a legacy that will continue 
to change lives for generations to come. Madam Speaker, let us rise 
each day and ask ourselves, as Lali Garcia did, how we can positively 
impact our community. Today, and every day, let us be fervent in 
service, gentle in heart, and motivated by love--just like Lali before 
us.

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