[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING SONIA PARRAS KONRAD AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 30, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Sonia Parras Konrad, an 
attorney, visionary, and co-founder of various non-profits, as Iowan of 
the Week.
  For someone who never intended to become a lawyer and advocate, Sonia 
Parras Konrad exceeded her personal expectations and became an 
influential member of the Latina community in Iowa. While attending 
college in Spain, Sonia had the chance to study at Central College for 
a year in 1993 through 1994. After her first year in Iowa, Sonia firmly 
believed that Iowa chose her and felt as though many factors kept her 
coming back. As soon as she started to work with the Latina community, 
she saw the immense need for advocacy in support of its members. 
Furthermore, she feels honored to be a part of the road to change in 
Iowa and more specifically, her ability to work to change policies that 
affect a vulnerable population. Within Iowa, she found a lot of 
mainstream support and allies, which pushed her to continue her work.
  As Sonia's passion for activism progressed, she went on to become a 
co-founder of multiple non-profits such as Latinas Unidas por un Nuevo 
Amanecer (LUNA), MUNA Legal Clinic, Latina Leadership of Greater Des 
Moines (LLI), and the ALMAS Pro Bono Legal Clinic. In addition to her 
work in the non-profit sector, Sonia is well-versed in international 
consulting throughout Latin America in which she serves as a consultant 
to both the Department of State and the Mexican Government. As a result 
of all of her extraordinary work, Sonia has received many prestigious 
awards and honors from various organizations. In 2021 only, Sonia has 
received both the Pro Bono Award from the Iowa-Nebraska Chapter of 
American Immigration Lawyers and the Businesswoman of the Year 2021 
from the Business Record. In all, Sonia's goals are to always do more, 
continue to grow, and open roads for women and immigrants in Iowa.
  Sonia has dedicated her life to helping the Latina community in Iowa 
through her leadership and legal prowess. Her optimistic and humble 
mindset has propelled her to success and makes her truly worthy of 
being nominated for this award. Sonia serves as an inspiration and role 
model to all, and it is my honor to name her Iowan of the Week.

                          ____________________