[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 178 (Friday, October 8, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1079-E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND HONORING JOHANNA LOPEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. STEPHANIE N. MURPHY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2021

  Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Madam Speaker, as part of our national 
celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I am paying tribute to 
Floridians who have made outstanding contributions to our community and 
our country.
  Today I rise to honor Johanna Lopez.
  Johanna was born in Puerto Rico. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in 
Hispanic Studies from the University of Puerto Rico and holds a Master 
of Arts in Higher Education from the Universidad Interamericana de 
Puerto Rico.
  Later, Johanna moved to Central Florida where she taught Advanced 
Placement Spanish at Colonial High School for 19 years. While teaching, 
Johanna earned the distinction of being named the 2017 OCPS Teacher of 
the Year. Johanna has also received the Governor's Shine Award for 
Inspirational Teachers, the Queen Smith Award for Commitment to Urban 
Public Education, Macy's Magic of Leadership Award, the Wings of 
Inspiration Award, Coca-Cola's Educator of Distinction Award, and the 
Life Changer of the Year Award.
  Johanna founded the Families Presentes Movement, a non-profit that 
educates and empowers Latino families and educators across Central 
Florida. Their online forum, Familias Presentes: Estudiantes 
Excelentes, informs and engages parents on a wide range of education-
related issues and opportunities. She also founded Maestros 
Puertorriquenos en Accion, or Puerto Rican Teachers in Action, which is 
dedicated to providing aid and assistance to educators displaced from 
Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. Johanna was also 
involved with many other organizations including the Bill & Melinda 
Gates Foundation Teacher Advisory Council, the OCPS Foundation Board 
and Mi Familia Vota's Education Committee.

[[Page E1080]]

  When Johanna was elected to the Orange County School Board in 2018, 
she became the first Puerto-Rican born Board Member in the school 
district's history. Her campaign was fully organized and run by current 
and former Orange County Public School students. Not long after, 
Johanna was honored to be named the Executive Director for Voces Unidas 
por la Educacion Publica, a Latinx coalition that mobilizes, engages 
and educates Hispanic communities on legislative issues and topics in 
their native language.
  Today, she is the Executive Director of the Alianza Center, a non-
profit that serves the Puerto Rican and broader Hispanic communities of 
Florida by developing and promoting leadership, the environment, 
healthy living, and civic engagement.
  Throughout her time as an educator, a school board member, and a 
community leader, Johanna has touched countless lives and made a 
positive impact on our Central Florida community.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Johanna 
Lopez.

                          ____________________