[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2908]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARTHA FLORES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2009

  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
acknowledge the work and accomplishments of a distinguished radio 
journalist and community activist, Martha Flores. Mrs. Flores fled Cuba 
50 years ago, on January 17, 1959, and immediately started advocating 
for her country's freedom as a member of the first anti-Castro 
organization in exile ``La Rosa Blanca''. She has since lived and 
worked in Miami, Florida and is also celebrating her 50th anniversary 
in journalism.
  Mrs. Flores began her radio career as the host of a program on WMIE, 
the only station at the time that broadcast some programs in Spanish. 
Throughout the years, she has hosted radio shows on La Fabulosa, Ocean 
Radio, and WRHC Cadena Azul and for the past 18 years, has produced and 
hosted a nightly Spanish radio program, ``La Noche y Usted'' on WAQI 
Radio Mambi.
  Mrs. Flores embodies the American dream and is testament of what can 
be accomplished through hard work and dedication. She worked several 
jobs at once and broke through language and culture barriers to become 
one of the most listened to radio personalities in Miami. She continues 
to be an advocate for the cause of a free Cuba. She is also dedicated 
to working on behalf of the community's children and elderly and is 
active in animal rights issues. Mrs. Flores has done all of this and 
much more while also being a loving mother to her son Jose Acosta and 
wife to her husband Rosendo Soriano.
  I recognize my friend Martha Flores for her legacy of hard work, 
professionalism and service to our community and ask that you join me 
in expressing our sincere congratulations as she celebrates these 
important 50 years.

                          ____________________