H.R. No. 2566
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Austin residents lost an esteemed community leader
with the passing of Andrew Reyes Ramirez on April 17, 2015, at the
age of 73; and
WHEREAS, The son of David and Oralia Ramirez, Andy Ramirez
was born in Austin on February 13, 1942; he was raised by his mother
in the tight-knit Mexican American community on the city's East
Side while his father served in the military during World War II; as
a boy, he worked long hours shining shoes, but he still succeeded in
making straight A's; in 1961, he married Nellie Ancira, and they
became the parents of twins, Andrew and Annette; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked at the Glastron Boat Factory
before serving his country in the United States Navy; subsequently,
he majored in math at The University of Texas at Austin, where he
became acutely aware of discrimination against Mexican Americans;
in the course of helping his parents run the Chuck Wagon Barbecue,
he met many political leaders, and he developed strong loyalties to
both the Mexican American and African American communities; and
WHEREAS, Determined to advance social justice, Mr. Ramirez
became one of the organizers of the historic Economy Furniture
strike; he then joined the staff of the governor's office to provide
technical assistance and oversight to War on Poverty Community
Action programs in South Texas; later, he was appointed to
supervise the Austin Community Action Agency, and when it was
incorporated into city government, he became Austin's director of
human development programs; he administered antipoverty projects
as well as initiatives in manpower development, economic
development, and juvenile justice, and he secured millions of
dollars in grants to benefit his fellow citizens; moreover, he
increased the employment of minorities and women, and he was
involved in such organizations as the National League of Cities;
and
WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Mr. Ramirez urged his friend,
Buddy Ruiz, to run for the city council, and together, they waged a
spirited campaign that helped energize political activism among
Mexican Americans; Mr. Ramirez married Dr. Blandina Cardenas in
1978, and while she served in the Carter administration, he studied
public administration and policy at George Washington University;
after helping to found the National Hispanic Housing Coalition, he
served as its assistant director; he also gave generously of his
time, talents, and resources to Democratic candidates for office at
all levels; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked in nonprofit development for
Solar America, an alternative energy company, before transitioning
to the private sector; as a founder of the Avante Corporation, he
engaged in commercial real estate development in San Antonio and
Austin; he went on to establish several companies, including Rz and
Associates and Rz Communications, and he was active in the U.S.
Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin and the Greater Austin
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; in 1995, he received the Lifetime
Achievement Award from the chamber, and five years later, he was
named a special advisor to the governor of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Committed to expanding opportunity in Austin, he
mentored dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs, and he counseled young
Latinos seeking to start nonprofit organizations; in 2010, he
founded the Bellas Artes Alliance to promote Latino arts and
culture; with his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez, he sponsored the
popular annual Pan Americana Festival, which the alliance produced
in cooperation with the city and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican
American Cultural Center; and
WHEREAS, Andrew Ramirez devoted himself wholeheartedly to
making Austin a more equitable and inclusive place, and his life
stands as an inspiring example of positive civic engagement; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Andrew Reyes
Ramirez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to
his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez; to his children, Dorothy Lopez,
Andrew Ramirez Jr. and his wife, Sara, Annette Kjar and her husband,
Michael, and Alexandro Rudolpho Ramirez; to his stepdaughter,
Avelon Pang; to his brothers, David Ramirez and Robert Loera; to his
sisters, Yolanda Blanco and Mary Jane Haros; to his grandchildren
and great-grandchildren; and to his many other relatives and
friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Andrew
Ramirez.
Huberty
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2566 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House