[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2553]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING GEORGE ZANDER'S LEGACY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ruiz) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the life of 
a magnificent human being, remarkable leader, and close personal 
friend, Mr. George Zander of Palm Springs, California.
  Many in our community knew George as a strident advocate for 
equality. George was a gentle man with a burning passion to make our 
Nation a more perfect Union, particularly for our LGBT brothers and 
sisters.
  In my years working in the Coachella Valley, I, like so many others 
in our community, knew George as a colleague, adviser, and, above all, 
a dear friend.
  George left this world on December 10, 2015. Nonetheless, his vision, 
passion, and vigorous strength to fight for a more just Coachella 
Valley, a more just Nation, and, ultimately, a more just world, are 
what remain.
  George's legacy is one of social justice. For over three decades, he 
was actively engaged in the communities that make up the desert of the 
Coachella Valley. He was a leader among us and steadfastly guided our 
community toward a more inclusive and welcoming place.
  So today I would like to take a moment to memorialize the life of 
George Zander, whose legacy will live on for future generations, not 
just in the Coachella Valley, but in the history of our Nation.
  As a young man, George heeded President Kennedy's call to service and 
joined the Peace Corps, where it became clear that he was a natural 
leader.
  His leadership and advocacy for the LGBT community spanned decades 
and began in a time where it was far less politically or socially 
acceptable to do so, but that didn't stop him.
  In Seattle, Washington, George was a member of the first openly gay 
and lesbian association, called the Dorian Group. This vanguard 
organization advocated for the advancement of the rights of LGBT 
individuals at a difficult time in our Nation's history.
  It took great courage, but George was never one to shy away from 
taking a stand. George had a passion for public service and a sincere 
faith that our representative government plays a role in improving 
lives.
  He worked alongside his good friend, Seattle's mayor Ed Murray, was 
chair of the King County Democratic Party, and worked for the 1996 
Clinton-Gore campaign. Later, moving to San Francisco, he worked side 
by side with Cleve Jones, another prominent LGBT rights activist.
  From Washington to San Francisco, to our beautiful desert in the 
Coachella Valley, George made an enormous impact. After moving to the 
Valley, he worked in the office of the great Senator Boxer.
  He was a member of the Palm Springs Police Advisory Board, the Palm 
Springs Police Department LGBT Outreach Committee, and vice chair of 
the Warm Sands Neighborhood Organization.
  George was a contributor for the LGBT publication, The Bottom Line, 
cofounded the Desert-Stonewall Democrats, and later became the Palm 
Springs field officer manager for Equality California.
  George played a key role in advocating for laws that protect the LGBT 
community locally and statewide, working tirelessly to defeat 
proposition 8. He also collaborated with other local LGBT groups, such 
as the Palm Springs Human Rights Campaign, the LGBT Center, Desert AIDS 
Project, and Trans Palm Springs.
  Mr. Speaker, George was a true leader who was the victim of a hate 
crime weeks before his death. I condemn these acts. There should be no 
space for these types of actions toward any human being, regardless of 
race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
  For more than three decades, George spearheaded efforts advocating 
for human rights and equality for all in my district and across the 
Nation.
  George was not only an extraordinary leader, activist, friend, and 
husband, but, overall, a gentle, loving, and caring human being.
  In honor of George Zander, let us pay our respects and never forget 
his legacy. Let us continue fighting for a more just and tolerant 
world.

                          ____________________