H.R. No. 2096
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dedicated community organizers Nathan Selzer and
Hortencia Armendariz of McAllen have greatly benefited the people
of South Texas; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Selzer began his career in 1994 as assistant
director for La Posada Providencia in San Benito, a shelter for
refugees and asylum seekers; he went on to serve as a paralegal for
the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project and to work
for the Rio Grande Border Witness Program, for which he conducted
social justice learning tours to raise awareness of poverty,
immigration, and the impact of free trade along the Texas-Mexico
border; after serving five years as a partner representative for
the Rio Grande Valley Immigration Law Enforcement Monitoring
Project, he worked as director of the Valley Movement for Human
Rights and as coordinator of Casa de Proyecto Libertad before
joining the Service Employees International Union, Local 5, in
2006; and
WHEREAS, The following year, Mr. Selzer was named SEIU
political director of the Rio Grande Valley and has since claimed
numerous successes for members, including a family sick leave
policy, a 35 percent decrease in the cost of dependent health
insurance, and two raises; moreover, he successfully represented
members in civil service proceedings, initiated and directed the
2008 Mi Familia Vota Campaign, and developed a variety of
partnership projects with Hidalgo County departments; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Armendariz began her work in the Rio Grande
Valley in 2001 as assistant director of the child nutrition program
at Centro 16 de Septiembre and subsequently served as coordinator
of Proyecto Adelante for the United Farm Workers; building on her
experience, she became the lead community organizer for La Union
del Pueblo Entero, for which she coordinated a range of local and
state actions, and in 2005, she was hired as the lead organizer for
SEIU, Local 5; she has continued to contribute to the union as the
organizing director, in which role she has been instrumental in
winning improvements in pay, benefits, and working conditions for
civil employees in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties; and
WHEREAS, In addition to sharing a passion for human rights
work, Mr. Selzer and Ms. Armendariz have enjoyed more than four
years of marriage and are the proud parents of a daughter, Sofia
Cielo; the family is moving to California, where both Mr. Selzer and
Ms. Armendariz have accepted positions with SEIU-United Health Care
Workers; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Selzer and Hortencia Armendariz have made a
lasting and positive difference in the lives of countless Valley
residents, and they may reflect with pride on their many
accomplishments as they embark on the next exciting chapter of
their lives; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor Nathan Selzer and Hortencia Armendariz for
their steadfast efforts in behalf of immigrants, workers, women,
and children and extend to them sincere best wishes for success in
their new posts; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Selzer and Ms. Armendariz as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Gonzales
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2096 was adopted by the House on May
19, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House