[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14308-14309]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING NATIONAL HISPANA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ON THE CELEBRATION 
                          OF 25TH ANNIVERSARY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage 
Month, I rise to pay tribute to the National Hispana Leadership 
Institute. Later this year, NHLI alumnae will gather in Washington, 
D.C., to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of this 
nationally recognized leadership development institute.
  A national Latina organization based in Washington, D.C., NHLI was 
founded in 1987 in response to the U.S. Department of Labor's Glass 
Ceiling Initiative. This seminal study found that while minorities and 
women were making substantial gains in entering the workforce, they 
were not equally represented at mid and senior level management 
positions in government or corporate sectors. The study also found that 
Latinas were significantly underrepresented on corporate boards and in 
nonprofit and political arenas.
  Over the past 25 years, NHLI has become a vital resource for Latinas 
and a key player in cultivating Latina leaders serving America today. 
In partnership with Harvard University and the Center for Creative 
Leadership, NHLI graduates have become a formidable cadre of well-
educated, highly skilled, and committed Latina leaders. They are a 
veritable ``who's who'' in many communities and disciplines, and the 
impact of their collective leadership is felt throughout the country.
  Through various mentoring initiatives and community service projects, 
NHLI alumnae have directly impacted thousands of Latinas in every State 
and in Puerto Rico. Its network and leadership projects have helped 
create new nonprofit organizations and influenced various others, 
including: The National Latino Children's Institute, Voto Latino, 
Powerful Latinas, Las

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Comadres, Positive Directions, Latina Giving Circle, and Poder PAC, to 
name a few.
  Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the founders of this 
great organization. This prestigious group includes Maria Elena Torano, 
the Honorable Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, the Honorable Ramona 
Martinez, Gloria Rodrigues, the Honorable Raul Yzaguirre, and former 
Governor Bill Richardson. Through their vision and leadership, NHLI's 
programs have become the model for Latina empowerment in this country.
  Again, my sincere congratulations to the National Hispana Leadership 
Institute on the celebration of their 25th anniversary.

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