[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      REMEMBERING A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, PABLO LOPEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2011

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep 
sympathy to commemorate the life of my friend, Pablo Lopez.
  Pablo was born June 22, 1943, in Bach, Michigan. In 1961 he joined 
the United States Air Force serving active until 1965, and reserves 
until 1967. In 1966 he hired into the Buick factory and he became a 
prominent labor leader at UAW local 599, the same local as my father. 
It was at UAW 599 that I got to know Pablo and I am happy I did
  For years after our first meeting, Pablo would call upon me and my 
staff to help with various issues but he never asked for himself, 
always looking out for someone else. As a proud Veteran he took up the 
fight of trying to memorialize their service by naming roads and post 
offices on their behalf across the 5th district and the state. He was 
successful at it and I can say if it were not for him the post offices 
in both Akron and Goodrich, Michigan, would not bear the name of 
Veteran's Memorial Post Office.
  Pablo was an advocate for social justice not only in Flint, Michigan, 
but across the country. If there was an injustice taking place you 
would most likely find Pablo fighting it. He joined Cesar Chavez at the 
Midwest Hispanic Unity March and Rally on June 15, 1990, in Lansing, 
Michigan, and then traveled to Chicago to join in their march for unity 
on June 19. The last time he rallied with Cesar was in 1993 in 
Washington, D.C., always standing up for what he believed in.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the Lopez 
family and my gratitude for having met Pablo. I am a better person for 
knowing him and our community is better because of his tireless work.

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