[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING VALERIA CANTOR MENDEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2023

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Valeria Cantor Mendez, whom I have named the 2023 Climate Crisis 
Champion for Yolo County because of the important work she has done to 
address the threat and impacts of climate change on California's 4th 
Congressional District.
  Ms. Mendez was born in Caracas, Venezuela and attended her first two 
years of high school at Mount View School in San Jose, Costa Rica. 
Before her senior year, she moved to Rocklin, California where she 
completed her final year of high school.
  Ms. Mendez has prioritized environmental justice and Indigenous 
sovereignty throughout her academic career. She studies at the 
University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and is working towards a 
bachelor's degree with a major in Community and Regional Development 
and a minor in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning. Ms. Mendez 
utilizes her personal experiences as a student along with her strong 
interest in environmental justice to raise awareness and generate 
support for climate action in the UC Davis community.
  As the campaign vice-chair for Students Enacting Environmental 
Defense, Ms. Mendez advocates for environmental justice as an integral 
value of the University of California system. Ms. Mendez's dedication 
to climate response inspires others in the UC Davis community as she 
invites greater engagement on climate action for everyone from the 
students to the chancellor. Ms. Mendez explores the connections between 
environmental justice and Indigenous sovereignty by building strong 
working relationships between faculty and climate-allied student 
organizations. She also served as a student research assistant with the 
UC Davis Center for Regional Change, a project that builds community 
resiliency through environmental sustainability.
  Ms. Mendez has a strong interest in combatting the effects of the 
climate crisis and educating future generations on issues of 
environmentalism. In addition to her work at the UC Davis. Ms. Mendez 
educates high school students through the Youth, Plan, Learn, Act Now 
program about the historical context of environmental justice 
emphasizing the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and other 
communities of color. Ms. Mendez is also the hub co-coordinator for 
Sunrise Movement Davis, a youth empowerment movement with the goal of 
stopping climate change.
  Mr. Speaker, Valeria Cantor Mendez is a dedicated leader in energy 
and environmental advocacy. Therefore, it is fitting that we honor her 
here today as Yolo County's 2023 Climate Crisis Champion.

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