[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1206-S1207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING IRMA CANTU ACOSTA

 Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the life 
of Irma Cantu Acosta, a titan in Southern Californian real estate and a 
beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.
  Irma grew up in Los Angeles after her parents, Tomasita Saenz Cantu 
and

[[Page S1207]]

Benjamin Cantu, moved their family from Texas to California in 1950. 
She graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and attended Stockton 
Bible College in Stockton, CA. But after only one semester, as her son 
Gary says, Irma and her high school sweetheart Ernie ``missed each 
other too much,'' and they chose to get married in 1962. Together, they 
had three children--Gary, Yvette and Daliah Lynn--before Irma started 
what would become a highly accomplished career in real estate.
  Because of her intelligence and uncompromising drive, she quickly 
became an association executive for the Montebello Board of Realtors, 
where she would serve for 43 years. While there, she received numerous 
awards for both her personal and professional achievements, including 
Woman of the Year for her record in association management.
  As a founding board member of the National Association of Hispanic 
Real Estate Professionals, she helped make the dream of homeownership 
possible for more Latinos. She served as a mentor to countless real 
estate professionals and business owners, providing guidance and care 
to the next generation of business leaders in Montebello.
  Throughout our Nation's long and storied history, there have been 
leaders, allies, and advocates who have chosen not just to work hard 
and succeed in their chosen fields, but to turn around and help others 
achieve the American dream. Irma was one of those leaders. In the 
families she helped, the mentees she guided, and in her three strong, 
compassionate children, Irma kept that dream alive. What better gift to 
leave behind than hope for the next generation.
  California's thoughts are with Irma's husband Ernie; her children 
Gary, Yvette, and Daliah Lynn; and all those who knew and loved 
her.

                          ____________________