[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING MARGI STERN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 2026

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Margi 
Stern. I have named Mrs. Stern as the California 4th District's Woman 
of the Year for Solano County. This honor recognizes women who have 
made important contributions to California's 4th Congressional District 
in Arts and Culture, Professional Achievement, Entrepreneurship and 
Innovation, or Community Service.
  Mrs. Stern was born in Brooklyn, New York. She earned a Bachelor of 
Science in speech and language pathology from Whittier College, as well 
as a master's degree in communication disorders from St. Louis 
University. She is the grandniece of Arthur Garfield Hayes, a lawyer, 
civil rights champion, and the co-founder of the ACLU. She is also the 
niece of Robert L. Stern, a well-known authority in California Campaign 
finance, the President of Center for Governmental Studies in Los 
Angeles, and a recipient of the Democracy Hero award by Common Cause.
  Mrs. Stern has devoted her career to the betterment of her community. 
She worked as a Speech Language Pathologist for 37 years, 25 of which 
were in the Early Intervention Program, for the Solano County Office of 
Education. After retirement, she volunteered to lead support groups for 
the parents of children with special needs and worked to teach Parent 
Communication Skills at the Adult School. Throughout her life, Mrs. 
Stern has advocated tirelessly for our special needs community. At 
Vacaville High School, she created the Anya Elizabeth Janoski Special 
Education Scholarship, to provide funds to seniors interested in 
pursuing a career in Special Education. She also participated in the 
creation, fundraising, and promotion of the Play 4 All Park in 
Vacaville, and volunteers for Together Everyone Always Matters (TEAM) 
Vacaville, an organization that provides monthly activities for 
children with special needs.
  In addition to being an incredible advocate for our special needs 
community, Mrs. Stern is also passionate about eradicating injustice 
and promoting political participation. She is honored for her work 
uplifting the women in her community. As a member of the Women's Action 
Network, she promotes women's participation in city council meetings, 
campaigns, and local political events. She also serves on the Committee 
to Establish the Solano Commission for Women and Girls.
  Through her participation in local government, Mrs. Stern established 
the Backyard Hens of Vacaville Group, rewrote the Vacaville city policy 
to allow hens in the city limits, hosted ``meet and greets'' for local 
candidates in Solano County government, and strengthened the Northern 
Solano Democratic Club. Mrs. Stern consistently shows up for her 
neighborhood, serving as the Chair of Neighborhood Watch and organizing 
Neighborhood Night Out among other neighborhood functions. She also 
speaks every year at the Ernest Kimme Charter School Graduation 
Ceremony and participates in their Ernest Kimme Service Day.
  Mrs. Stern was married to her late husband, Ernest Kimme, a teacher, 
city council member, and community philanthropist who passed away in 
2015. Her son, Stefan Janoski, is bronze sculptor, short film director, 
and a world-famous skateboarder with a signature Nike shoe that has 
``Vacaville, California,'' inscribed on the tongue. Her late daughter, 
Anya Janoski, was a powerful mentor who contributed to Mrs. Stern's 
understanding of how to make a difference in the world. Anaya passed in 
2017 at age 32; she was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome which 
affected her physical size and her developmental growth.
  Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Margi Stern's passion, leadership, and 
determination have profoundly impacted our Solano County community. It 
is with great honor and deep appreciation that we recognize her 
invaluable contributions here today.

                          ____________________