84R21424 JGH-D
By: Anchia H.R. No. 1895
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira of Dallas is being
honored with a 2015 Maura Women Helping Women Award at the Dallas
Women's Foundation Leadership Forum and Awards Dinner on April 30,
2015; and
WHEREAS, The Maura Women Helping Women Award has been
presented for the past 36 years to those individuals who are working
to improve the lives of women and girls in North Texas; and
WHEREAS, Liz Cedillo-Pereira is the managing attorney of
Cedillo-Pereira and Associates, an immigration and nationality law
firm, and she teaches immigration law for The University of Texas
School of Law Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law and for
a course on the subject presented by the State Bar of Texas; in
2007, she cofounded the Dallas "Know Your Rights" project for the
American Immigration Lawyers Association, and she works with the
AILA's DREAM Defenders and Military Assistance programs; she has
also served on the American Bar Association National Commission on
Immigration; and
WHEREAS, A native of Dallas, Ms. Cedillo-Pereira attended
the University of Pennsylvania and earned her law degree at the
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law; she has served
as a member of the City of Dallas Charter Review Commission and the
boards of the Dallas Foundation and the Dallas Hispanic Bar
Foundation, and as a trustee with the Callejo-Botello Foundation;
moreover, she has been the community philanthropy chair of the
Hispanic 100 organization, an advisor to the SMU Latino Leadership
Initiative, and a member of the advisory committees for the Irma
Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School and University
Crossroads; in 2014, she helped lead the Texas DACA Day Initiative
on behalf of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation; and
WHEREAS, This dynamic individual's many honors include the
Ohtli Award from the Republic of Mexico, the Groundbreaker Award
from the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Young
Entrepreneur Award from the Consulate General of Mexico, the Emerge
Leadership Award from PODER Hispanic Magazine, and the 2010
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Service Award; in
addition, she has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America for
three years in a row and has twice been named a Best Lawyer in Dallas
by D Magazine; and
WHEREAS, Liz Cedillo-Pereira's vision and ability have
enabled her to excel in her work as an attorney, an immigration
advocate, and a civic leader, and she may indeed take great pride in
her efforts to assist those who wish to take part in the American
dream; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Mary Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira of
Dallas for receiving a 2015 Maura Women Helping Women Award and
extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Cedillo-Pereira as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.