RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS TO THE LANDMARK CASE MENDEZ V. WESTMINSTER

On 2025-03-11, Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS TO THE LANDMARK CASE MENDEZ V. WESTMINSTER" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered education, civil rights.

RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS TO THE LANDMARK CASE MENDEZ V. WESTMINSTER

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E201] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS TO THE LANDMARK CASE MENDEZ V. WESTMINSTER ______ HON. JIMMY GOMEZ of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens--the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, which for nearly one hundred years has advanced the civil, economic, and educational interests of Hispanic communities. LULAC has been at the forefront of some of the most consequential battles for inclusion and recognition in our Nation's history, including the landmark case of Mendez v. Westminster. When Sylvia Mendez was rejected from attending school because of her Mexican heritage, her parents, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez, joined together with the Estrada, Guzman, Palomino, and Ramirez families to challenge the status quo. As the families sought to take action against segregation in their school system, LULAC helped bring their fight to court. Its steadfast commitment and financial support helped to elevate the case from a local lawsuit to front and center in the national conversation on civil rights. Together, these families led the struggle against segregation in California's public schools which culminated in a historic win, and which paved the way for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision just seven years later. I am deeply honored to accept an award from LULAC in recognition of the efforts I led to rename the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse after Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez--the first Federal Courthouse to be named after a Latina. Usually, federal courthouses are named after judges, but history and the law are not just shaped by the judges that make the decisions. They are molded by the people who have the courage to challenge unjust laws. This recognition is a testament to the advocacy of all the parents, children, and advocates who challenged unjust laws and won. I congratulate LULAC on its continued action and advocacy which stands as an enduring commitment to championing civil rights and serving Hispanic communities across the country. ____________________