[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8297-H8299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: VALLEY LUCHADORES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2021, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardenas) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Evelyn Cortez-Diaz
as a Valley Luchadora, Valley Fighter.
Evelyn is a civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience in
the water industry, water conservation, water quality, pipeline design
and construction, environmental compliance, recycled water, water
rights, groundwater remediation and groundwater planning.
She is the highest-ranking Latina at the Los Angeles Department of
Water and Power, which is the largest municipal water and power utility
in the United States.
She is also the first Latina and second woman to be appointed
Director of Water Engineering and Technical Services.
In her role, Evelyn leads a team of over 400 engineers and technical
professionals to safely retreat, store, and transport water for the 4
million people of the City of Los Angeles and the thousands of
businesses that they serve.
{time} 1745
At LADWP, Evelyn helped launch the Society of Women Engineers and the
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers chapter to support its
employees and inspire the next generation of engineers and STEM
professionals.
She immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador when she was 12 years old
and was placed in remedial English classes to become fluent in English.
At a young age, she knew she wanted to help make the world a better
place. She aspired to protect the environment and decided to focus her
studies on water resources and environmental engineering.
After she graduated high school as 10th in her class with a 4.3 GPA,
she earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering at the
University of California, Los Angeles.
In 2015, she published her book, which chronicles her family's
immigration story and journey to U.S. citizenship.
Evelyn Cortez-Davis, thank you for sharing your story and for your
commitment to conservation and our environment and to all the people of
Los Angeles. It is my honor to recognize you as a distinguished
community leader and luchadora this Hispanic Heritage Month.
Honoring Margaret ``Mar'' Diego
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Margaret ``Mar''
Diego as a Valley Luchadora.
Mar is the co-owner and operator of Dough Girl, a small business
pizzeria located in Sylmar. She grew up in San Fernando Gardens, a low-
income housing project in my district.
Her business, Dough Girl, is much more than a local valley pizzeria.
Mar is a proud employer of formerly homeless and incarcerated
individuals, two demographics of people who traditionally struggle to
find stable employment and who are often ignored and tossed aside.
A formerly incarcerated person herself, Mar understands the obstacles
people face as they work to rebuild their lives after serving their
time in the system. Through her restaurant, she continues to pay it
forward and makes a positive impact in her community.
Mar can often be found on the street, finding and hiring employees on
the spot. She gives people a second chance and a job, training to help
them succeed and be productive members of the community.
Most importantly, she gives them the opportunity to rebuild their
lives. She has made her restaurant a positive rehabilitation-oriented
space.
Upon her own release from prison, Mar attended the prestigious Cordon
Bleu culinary arts school and continued to blossom from there. She has
a one-of-a-kind inspirational story and has traveled the world,
visiting 16 countries on her culinary journey.
She received notable praise and appeared on television with well-
known celebrity chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Roy Choi.
Her restaurant, Dough Girl, has given her the chance to elevate and
formally showcase her culinary skills and positively benefit her
community.
Mar is an inspirational chef and philanthropist who envisions her
restaurant as a home for amazing food and a place where people develop
vital life skills. She continues her work and is developing a
curriculum centered around the teaching of essential life, culinary,
and entrepreneurial skills.
Thank you, Mar, for your commitment to paving the way forward, making
a positive impact in our community, and uplifting others to give them a
second chance.
Thank you for being a caring and loving person. It is my honor to
recognize you as a distinguished community leader and luchadora during
this Hispanic Heritage Month.
Honoring Veronica Padilla-Campos
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veronica Padilla-
Campos as a Valley Luchadora.
Veronica continues to serve the community she grew up in and has been
fighting for environmental justice in the San Fernando Valley for the
past 25 years.
She grew up in Sun Valley and is a daughter of hardworking parents.
Her dad was a gardener, and her mom worked at a local factory.
A graduate of UCLA, she has experience in the private, public, and
not-for-profit sectors, including environmental consulting, GIS
mapping, and work for the Los Angeles Housing Department.
Throughout the last decade, Veronica has played a crucial role at
Pacoima Beautiful, a grassroots environmental justice organization in
my district that provides education, impacts local policy, and supports
local arts and culture to promote a healthy and sustainable San
Fernando Valley.
She joined Pacoima Beautiful as deputy director in 2010 and has
served as executive director since 2013. During her leadership, she has
spearheaded environmental cleanup and safety campaigns in some of the
poorest and hardest-impacted areas of Los Angeles County.
Previously, she helped lead ICON CDC, a community-based, not-for-
profit organization that serves small business owners and
entrepreneurs, and serves on the North Valley Area Planning Commission
for the city of Los Angeles.
In 2020, Veronica joined the South Coast Air Quality Management
District as a board member, after being appointed by the speaker of the
California State Assembly.
In her role as board member, she continues her commitment to building
people power and improving the lives and voices of her community. She
creates equitable, healthy, and safe neighborhoods every single day by
her commitment to the community and the wonderful work that she does.
Thank you, Veronica, for your countless years of public service. It
is my honor to recognize you as a distinguished community leader and
luchadora during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Honoring Corinne Sanchez
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Valley Luchadora
Corinne Sanchez for her decades of service in our community.
Corinne is the daughter of a World War II veteran of the Pacific
front in Burma and a mother who worked at the Santa Fe Railroad.
Corinne attended Long Beach State University, where she became a
student leader and was involved in the creation of the Chicano/Chicana
studies program and social justice organizations. There were only three
Chicanas that started the United Mexican American Students, UMAS, in
1967 at Long Beach State University, and Corinne was one of them.
Corinne is a lifelong trailblazer. Upon her graduation, she worked
for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and then went on to travel
throughout the Midwestern and Southwestern U.S. to promote the creation
of Chicano studies departments in universities and colleges.
She then began her work for El Proyecto del Barrio, a not-for-profit,
community-based organization that provides health and human services to
communities with underserved populations. As president and CEO, Corinne
oversees expanded services in comprehensive primary healthcare,
employment, childcare, and perinatal social services.
After realizing her dream of becoming an attorney, she, alongside
eight
[[Page H8298]]
other women, founded and served as president of the Latina Lawyers Bar
Association to help advocate and educate for the advancement of Latinas
in law.
Corinne has always been a strong leader in the community. She has
held numerous roles in various commissions and associations for many
years.
In more than three decades of service, Corinne has never forgotten
her roots. She has worked to make the community a better place for
thousands of underserved families and individuals.
Her advancements are a testament to how hard work, inspiration, and
perseverance can make a difference in helping people realize the power
of their dreams.
Thank you, Corinne. It is my honor to recognize you as a
distinguished leader and luchadora this Hispanic Heritage Month.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 29, 2022, from page H8297, in the third column, to
page H8298, in the first column, the following appeared: HONORING
CORRINE SANCHEZ Corrine attended Long Beach State . . . Beach
State University, and Corrine was one of them. She then began her
work for El Proyecto del Barrio, a not-for-profit, community-based
organization that provides health and human services to
communities with underserved populations. As president and CEO,
Corrine . . . Corrine has always been a strong . . . In more than
three decades of service, Corrine has never forgotten her . . .
Thank you, Corrine.
The online version has been corrected to read: HONORING CORINNE
SANCHEZ Corinne attended Long Beach State . . . Beach State
University, and Corinne was one of them. She then began her work
for El Proyecto del Barrio, a not-for-profit, community-based
organization that provides health and human services to
communities with underserved populations. As president and CEO,
Corinne . . . Corinne has always been a strong . . . In more than
three decades of service, Corinne has never forgotten her . . .
Thank you, Corinne.
========================= END NOTE =========================
Honoring Kristy Sandoval
Mr. CRDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kristy Sandoval as a
Valley Luchadora.
Kristy is a Los Angeles-based, self-taught artist from Pacoima whose
murals have put the city of L.A.'s art on the map.
She grew up in Pacoima and studied at the Academy of Art University
in San Francisco, where her community and personal experiences
influenced her work.
In the last 15 years, she has painted more than 50 murals. Her art,
including pieces titled ``Decolonized'' and ``A Womyn's Place is in the
Struggle,'' brings awareness to social justice issues and focuses on
female empowerment.
Kristy, along with other artists, helped kick-start the
transformation of a corridor in the Northeast San Fernando Valley known
as the Mural Mile, a 3-mile stretch of Van Nuys Boulevard that has
nearly three dozen murals.
These murals brought Kristy international recognition, and she was
the first female participant at the Mural Istanbul Festival in 2015.
She received the Phenomenal Woman Award in 2016 from the Department
of Gender and Women's Studies at California State University,
Northridge, and has presented her work and spoken at various
universities, museums, organizations, and events and in the media.
In 2017, she worked with Amnesty International through their Art for
Amnesty campaign, creating art pieces representing individual political
prisoner cases from around the world.
Kristy believes in the healing power of art and continues to paint
murals, direct and develop arts programming, and much more.
Her contribution to the Mural Mile has changed the face and
reputation of Pacoima from a place that people would avoid visiting to
a neighborhood where sold-out mural tours stroll down the streets. Her
art shows our neighborhood as the beautiful, unique place that it
always has been and truly is.
Thank you, Kristy, for your transformative artwork. It is my honor to
recognize you as a distinguished community leader and luchadora during
this Hispanic Heritage Month.
Honoring Danny Trejo
Mr. CRDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Danny Trejo as a
Valley Luchador.
Danny is one of the best-known actors in film, a community leader, a
champion of the arts, and a dear friend of mine.
His prolific career in the entertainment industry came from hard work
and an atypical road to success. Danny's path has led him on an
incredible journey, rising from serving time in prison to a Hollywood
star and to a real-life hero when he rescued a baby who was trapped in
the child seat of an SUV that collided with another vehicle in Sylmar
just a few years ago.
Danny grew up in an environment where crime and drugs were common. He
ended up involved in drug dealing and robbery. It is well known that
Danny was sent to prison for these crimes. He survived prison riots,
solitary confinement, and a terrifying brush with death row.
Throughout the 1960s, Danny was a regular in the California prison
system until he was released on parole in 1969. It was then that he
decided to change his life for the better.
After coming out of incarceration, he worked odd jobs in
construction, gardening, sales, and labor while spending his evenings
in recovery meetings and mentoring kids to keep them from making the
same mistakes he did.
Danny was introduced to the acting world as an extra but was
exclusively cast as an imposing gang member for years before he grew
into the leading actor we all know and love today.
His very real background story has made him one of Hollywood's most
recognizable character actors. He has grown into a professional actor
working alongside and with the likes of Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage, and
the filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, all while inspiring young people with
his story.
Danny Trejo's transformation from juvenile delinquent to Hollywood
star is an impressive example of personal growth and improvement that
gives hope and inspiration to everyone.
Danny's extraordinary success continues in his businesses. He founded
a restaurant chain in honor of his mother and created his own brand.
Danny has never forgotten who he is and the impact he makes in our
neighborhood. He continues to be accessible in the community and
frequently volunteers his time, and he is a regular at the annual
Pacoima Christmas Parade.
Thank you, Danny, for your contributions to the arts and continued
commitment to community service. It is my honor to recognize you as a
distinguished leader and luchador during this Hispanic Heritage Month.
{time} 1800
People Over Politics
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I am so proud of what
Democrats have accomplished and delivered for working families across
our great country.
Since the beginning of the 117th Congress, since January of last
year, Democrats have taken action on legislation that puts people over
politics. We are lowering costs, creating better-paying jobs, and
making a real positive difference in the lives of every hardworking
American.
In the northeast San Fernando Valley alone, we have created 30,000
new good-paying jobs and countless workforce training opportunities for
our community.
We know that additional jobs will come to our neighborhoods with the
recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science
Act.
Soon, we will begin to see more of our family, friends, and neighbors
become plumbers, pipefitters, electrical workers, steelworkers,
laborers, electricians, and engineers, and so much more.
These investments will help us fight the climate crisis, rebuild our
roads and sidewalks and grow our clean energy economy.
But that is not all. In just one year, we have helped 13,000
entrepreneurs, many of them women and people of color, in the northeast
San Fernando Valley build their small businesses from the ground up.
That means 13,000 new, local mom-and-pop shops serving our community,
employing our neighbors, and helping grow our economy.
This is all thanks to our partnership with President Biden. Since he
took office, we have created 10 million jobs across the country,
dropping the unemployment rate to 3.7 percent, the lowest rate in 50
years. We are seeing the best economy for American workers in decades,
with people getting higher wages, better benefits, and better jobs
across the country.
While we are seeing progress in the fight against inflation, we know
that there is much more work to do. The good news is we are finally
starting to see gas prices drop after Putin's price hike.
Families across the country will soon start to get some additional
relief with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowers
the cost of prescription drugs, makes health insurance more affordable,
provides credits for electric vehicles, and more.
From day one of the 117th Congress, we have successfully worked day
in and day out to fulfill our promise to the American people. I am so
proud of our work, and I look forward to continuing to help families in
the northeast San Fernando Valley prosper now and into the future.
Inflation Reduction Act Climate Wins
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the profound,
positive impact that the Inflation Reduction Act will have on all
communities
[[Page H8299]]
across the Nation, including my district, the northeast San Fernando
Valley.
Anyone can see that the climate crisis has already taken a huge toll
on communities like mine. From poor air quality, droughts, and extreme
heat to the constant threat of wildfires, my district has known the
realities of climate change all too well and for far too long.
But our experiences are not isolated. Over the past 5 years alone,
the United States has experienced over 90 climate disasters. As we
witness the destruction caused by Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian, it
is clear now more than ever that aggressive action to fight climate
change is necessary.
Last month, we delivered the single biggest climate investment in
U.S. history by passing the Inflation Reduction Act. That is a big
deal, especially for communities like mine.
Growing up, I remember not being able to play outside because the air
quality was so, so bad back then. For many of us, it was normal to have
someone in our family or a friend have serious respiratory problems
like asthma. The fact is that our children deserve to live in a
community that is safe and free of toxic pollutants.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we are going to be on track to
reduce emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, a necessary step to
clean our air and prevent the worst effects of climate change.
One of the ways we are going to be able to do this is by electrifying
our heavy-duty vehicles and school buses, an investment that I am so
proud to have led with our United States Senator from California, Alex
Padilla.
We are also lowering costs for hardworking American families by
making rebates and tax credits available to electrify home appliances,
install rooftop solar, electrify air-conditioning and heaters, and make
electric vehicles more affordable.
We are putting environmental justice communities first and investing
$60 billion to reduce pollution to make clean energy more accessible
and to provide a better quality of life in lower income neighborhoods
across the United States of America.
The best part is we are making polluters pay so that communities like
ours don't have to continue to bear the brunt of climate change.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a transformative law and will do so
much good for families in the San Fernando Valley. It ensures that all
people, regardless of ZIP Code, can access cost-saving solutions that
will help us fight the climate crisis together. It means that our
friends, family, and neighbors will be able to breathe clean air and
drink clean water.
This is just the beginning of the work that we are going to continue
to do. We will continue to fight to make sure we keep climate action
front and center in the job that we do for all the people of this great
country.
My Life Has Been Blessed
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment of personal
privilege to say thank you to the community that I was born and raised
in and for which I have the honor to be a United States Congressman.
I would like to also recognize that I am so, so blessed to have been
raised by my two parents, Andres and Maria Cardenas, who came here as
immigrants from Mexico. They never dreamed that any one of their 11
children could have such an honor.
They taught me and my brothers and sisters simple values that have
served all of us well and that serve me well to have the honor of being
a United States Congressman and serve the northeast San Fernando
Valley.
I also want to thank my constituents for having the confidence in me
to represent them here in Washington, and I pray every day that I do
the job that they have sent me to do, to make their lives better and to
help them live a good and clean life.
I also want to take a moment of personal privilege to say how blessed
I feel to have such a beautiful, amazing family. My wife Norma, who has
been so supportive; our four children, Vanessa, Cristian, Andres, and
Alina; my son-in-law, Brian; and our amazing, beautiful grandchildren,
Joaquin and Jimena. These are blessings that I have been so, so honored
to have in my life.
I am so, so fortunate and blessed. To be able to speak on this floor,
to be a Member of Congress is so humbling. I thank you, Mr. Speaker,
for giving me the opportunity to express how much I care about the
leaders of my community and how grateful we are for them and for the
honor to be a Member of this prestigious and amazing body, the House of
Representatives of the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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