H.R. No. 1126
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The year 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the
publication of the novel The House on Mango Street, and this
occasion provides a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to its
author, Sandra Cisneros of San Antonio; and
WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Sandra Cisneros was born in
1954 and was the only daughter in a family of seven children; she
went on to earn a bachelor's degree in English from Loyola
University Chicago in 1976 and a master's degree in creative
writing from the University of Iowa two years later; in addition to
writing, she has worked as a teacher, counselor, college recruiter,
and arts administrator; and
WHEREAS, Developing a distinctive style and exploring issues
of ethnic identification and feminism within the Mexican American
community, Ms. Cisneros has published three books of poetry, a
collection of stories, a children's book, two novels, and Vintage
Cisneros, a compilation of her selected works; her first novel, The
House on Mango Street, was released in 1984, and the following year,
it was honored with an American Book Award from the Before Columbus
Foundation; this vibrant coming-of-age story has been translated
all over the world and has sold more than two million copies; the
novel is read and studied in schools across the country, and in
2009, Ms. Cisneros will be touring the United States to celebrate
its 25th anniversary with her readers; her second novel, Caramelo,
also received critical acclaim and was selected by the New York
Times and other journals and newspapers as a notable book of the
year; and
WHEREAS, This talented author has been recognized with
numerous honors, including the Texas Medal of the Arts and the
prestigious MacArthur Foundation Fellowship; she has been invited
to serve as a visiting writer at such institutions as the University
of California at Berkeley, and she is currently the
writer-in-residence at San Antonio's Our Lady of the Lake
University; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Cisneros draws much inspiration from the Alamo
City, and her collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories
references a creek located east of San Antonio, as well as other
areas such as the King William historic neighborhood, where she
lives; intent on establishing the city as a literary center, she
created the Macondo Foundation, a network of dedicated and
compassionate writers who view their work and talents as part of a
larger task of community-building and nonviolent social change;
named after the sleepy town in the Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel One
Hundred Years of Solitude, Macondo was established in 1995 and
officially incorporated in 2006, and it has grown from 15 to 120
members; participants gather each year at the foundation's home,
Our Lady of the Lake University, for the weeklong Macondo Workshop,
where they share ideas and critique each other's work; these poets,
novelists, journalists, performance artists, and writers of all
genres are united by their mission to advance creativity, foster
generosity, and honor their communities; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the workshop, the Macondo Foundation
sponsors the Casa Azul Residency Program, provides health coverage
to its members, and hosts events at The University of Texas at San
Antonio, Trinity University, the Bexar County Juvenile Detention
Center, and other community institutions; Ms. Cisneros has also
established the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, a
grant-giving organization serving Texas writers; and
WHEREAS, With her authentic voice and her ability to reach a
universal audience, Sandra Cisneros is an inspiration to her
readers and fellow artists, and she has further distinguished
herself by reaching beyond her work as a writer to serve the greater
community and promote social engagement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor Sandra Cisneros on her renowned literary
career, and on her contributions through the Macondo Foundation,
and congratulate her on the 25th anniversary of the publication of
The House on Mango Street; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Cisneros as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Martinez Fischer
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1126 was adopted by the House on April
9, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House