[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 55 (Monday, March 27, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING GWEN DOWDY-RODGERS, VANESSA PEREZ, AND PAULA GRANADO FLORES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Aguilar) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize three 
phenomenal women in my district for Women's History Month. These women 
were nominated by their peers and local elected officials for their 
incredible dedication to supporting the Inland Empire.
  The first woman I recognize is Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers. Dr. Dowdy-
Rodgers is the first Black woman to serve on the San Bernardino County 
Board of Education. She was born and raised in San Bernardino, and 
first became involved in the school system as a parent advocate.
  She is a fierce advocate for mental health in schools, especially 
after the COVID-19 pandemic. She believes that mental health issues 
need to be a priority in schools so students can stay happy and healthy 
in their learning environment.
  Besides serving with distinction on the Board of Education, she 
serves as the president of the Arrowhead United Way board of directors, 
co-chair of the San Bernardino County Gangs and Drugs Task Force, and a 
member of the San Bernardino City Police Department African American 
Advisory Committee.
  My community is lucky to have Dr. Dowdy-Rodgers, a committed public 
servant dedicated to helping our students and hearing the concerns of 
parents.
  The second woman I recognize is Ms. Vanessa Perez. Vanessa is 
executive director of the Time for Change Foundation. She is an active 
volunteer in our community through her work and her involvement in her 
church, The Way World Outreach.
  Through her work at Time for Change, Vanessa is living out a passion 
of empowering women to use their voice to create change. In 2014, she 
completed the Women's Foundation of California's Solis Policy 
Institute, which provided her with the skills necessary to navigate the 
California legislative process and influence decisionmakers to create 
policies that improved the quality of life of San Bernardino residents 
and all Californians.
  Madam Speaker, the third woman I recognize is Ms. Paula Granado 
Flores. She is a long-term volunteer and co-chair of ACS Colton Relay 
for Life and a frequent volunteer in several local churches, Seeds For 
Hope, and the American Legion. Ms. Flores has dedicated her free time 
for decades to help the residents of San Bernardino County.
  These women are changing my community for the better every day, and I 
am proud to be their Representative here in Congress. They have made a 
lasting impact in our region and deserve to be recognized for the 
extraordinary work that they have done to further our community.
  As we round out Women's History Month, I thank them for their service 
to our region, to the Inland Empire, and to the State of California.

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