Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HR2566 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.R. No. 2566
	1	+	84R26549 WG-D
	2	+	By: Huberty H.R. No. 2566
2	3
3	4
4	5		R E S O L U T I O N
5	6		WHEREAS, Austin residents lost an esteemed community leader
6	7		with the passing of Andrew Reyes Ramirez on April 17, 2015, at the
7	8		age of 73; and
8	9		WHEREAS, The son of David and Oralia Ramirez, Andy Ramirez
9	10		was born in Austin on February 13, 1942; he was raised by his mother
10	11		in the tight-knit Mexican American community on the city's East
11	12		Side while his father served in the military during World War II; as
12	13		a boy, he worked long hours shining shoes, but he still succeeded in
13	14		making straight A's; in 1961, he married Nellie Ancira, and they
14	15		became the parents of twins, Andrew and Annette; and
15	16		WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked at the Glastron Boat Factory
16	17		before serving his country in the United States Navy; subsequently,
17	18		he majored in math at The University of Texas at Austin, where he
18	19		became acutely aware of discrimination against Mexican Americans;
19	20		in the course of helping his parents run the Chuck Wagon Barbecue,
20	21		he met many political leaders, and he developed strong loyalties to
21	22		both the Mexican American and African American communities; and
22	23		WHEREAS, Determined to advance social justice, Mr. Ramirez
23	24		became one of the organizers of the historic Economy Furniture
24	25		strike; he then joined the staff of the governor's office to provide
25	26		technical assistance and oversight to War on Poverty Community
26	27		Action programs in South Texas; later, he was appointed to
27	28		supervise the Austin Community Action Agency, and when it was
28	29		incorporated into city government, he became Austin's director of
29	30		human development programs; he administered antipoverty projects
30	31		as well as initiatives in manpower development, economic
31	32		development, and juvenile justice, and he secured millions of
32	33		dollars in grants to benefit his fellow citizens; moreover, he
33	34		increased the employment of minorities and women, and he was
34	35		involved in such organizations as the National League of Cities;
35	36		and
36	37		WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, Mr. Ramirez urged his friend,
37	38		Buddy Ruiz, to run for the city council, and together, they waged a
38	39		spirited campaign that helped energize political activism among
39	40		Mexican Americans; Mr. Ramirez married Dr. Blandina Cardenas in
40	41		1978, and while she served in the Carter administration, he studied
41	42		public administration and policy at George Washington University;
42	43		after helping to found the National Hispanic Housing Coalition, he
43	44		served as its assistant director; he also gave generously of his
44	45		time, talents, and resources to Democratic candidates for office at
45	46		all levels; and
46	47		WHEREAS, Mr. Ramirez worked in nonprofit development for
47	48		Solar America, an alternative energy company, before transitioning
48	49		to the private sector; as a founder of the Avante Corporation, he
49	50		engaged in commercial real estate development in San Antonio and
50	51		Austin; he went on to establish several companies, including Rz and
51	52		Associates and Rz Communications, and he was active in the U.S.
52	53		Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin and the Greater Austin
53	54		Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; in 1995, he received the Lifetime
54	55		Achievement Award from the chamber, and five years later, he was
55	56		named a special advisor to the governor of Texas; and
56	57		WHEREAS, Committed to expanding opportunity in Austin, he
57	58		mentored dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs, and he counseled young
58	59		Latinos seeking to start nonprofit organizations; in 2010, he
59	60		founded the Bellas Artes Alliance to promote Latino arts and
60	61		culture; with his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez, he sponsored the
61	62		popular annual Pan Americana Festival, which the alliance produced
62	63		in cooperation with the city and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican
63	64		American Cultural Center; and
64	65		WHEREAS, Andrew Ramirez devoted himself wholeheartedly to
65	66		making Austin a more equitable and inclusive place, and his life
66	67		stands as an inspiring example of positive civic engagement; now,
67	68		therefore, be it
68	69		RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
69	70		Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Andrew Reyes
70	71		Ramirez and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to
71	72		his wife, Linda Wolf Ramirez; to his children, Dorothy Lopez,
72	73		Andrew Ramirez Jr. and his wife, Sara, Annette Kjar and her husband,
73	74		Michael, and Alexandro Rudolpho Ramirez; to his stepdaughter,
74	75		Avelon Pang; to his brothers, David Ramirez and Robert Loera; to his
75	76		sisters, Yolanda Blanco and Mary Jane Haros; to his grandchildren
76	77		and great-grandchildren; and to his many other relatives and
77	78		friends; and, be it further
78	79		RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
79	80		prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
80	81		Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Andrew
81	82		Ramirez.
82		-	Huberty
83		-	______________________________
84		-	Speaker of the House
85		-	I certify that H.R. No. 2566 was unanimously adopted by a
86		-	rising vote of the House on May 21, 2015.
87		-	______________________________
88		-	Chief Clerk of the House