profiles written by: Yol-Itzma Aguirre
REPRESENTATIVE MARY GONZÁLEZ CHANGED HISTORY BACK IN 2012, BECOMING THE FIRST OPENLY PANSEXUAL ELECTED OFFICIAL AND ALSO THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN THE SEAT FOR HER DISTRICT. SINCE THEN, GONZÁLEZ HAS HAD A PROVEN RECORD OF FIGHTING TIRELESSLY FOR EDUCATION AND WOMEN’S HEALTH, AMONG MANY OTHER PROGRESSIVE ITEMS. MOST RECENTLY SHE – ALONG WITH 4 FELLOW LGBTQ REPS – INCLUDING LATINAS, CELIA ISRAEL AND JESSICA GONZÁLEZ, HAVE WRITTEN ANOTHER PAGE IN TEXAS HISTORY, FOUNDING THE FIRST LGBTQ CAUCUS,
REPRESENTATIVE NEAVE FILED ONE OF THE MOST GROUNDBREAKING BILLS FOR WOMEN. HOUSE BILL 8, THE “LAVINIA MASTERS ACT,” WOULD FINALLY BRING AN END TO THE BACKLOG OF THOUSANDS OF RAPE KITS THAT ARE LEFT UNPROCESSED. THE BILL IS NAMED IN HONOR OF A 13-YEAR OLD RAPE SURVIVOR, WHOSE RAPE KIT SAT FOR OVER 20 YEARS UNPROCESSED.
CONGRATULATIONS REPRESENTATIVE GONZÁLEZ! THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TX LEGE LATINX CREW. JESSICA GONZÁLEZ IS PART OF THE PROGRESSIVE WAVE. ALONG WITH REP. MARY GONZÁLEZ AND REP. CELIA ISRAEL, JESSICA BECAME PART OF THE HISTORIC FIRST LGBTQ CAUCUS. WE ARE EXCITED TO FOLLOW HER NEW JOURNEY.
IRMA RANGEL – FIRST LATINA OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
BEFORE SHE ENTERED THE WORLD OF POLITICS SHE WAS ALREADY A TRAILBLAZER. IRMA HAD BECOME A LAWYER IN A TIME WHERE LATINAS WERE RARELY EVEN ALLOWED TO ENTER INTO HIGHER EDUCATION. SHE FOUGHT TO HER EQUAL PAY AS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN CORPUS CHRISTI, EVENTUALLY SHE WOULD OPEN UP HER OWN LAW PRACTICE.
ENTREPRENEUR, LAWYER, AUTHOR, PRINCIPAL, TEACHER, FARMER WORKER ACTIVIST…THEN STATE REPRESENTATIVE. A CAMPAIGN FUNDED BY THE WOMEN’S POLITICAL CAUCUS AND THE FEMALE FARM WORKERS, RANGEL WON AND MADE HERSTORY. REPRESENTATIVE IRMA RANGEL SERVED TEXAS UNTIL HER LAST DAYS.
HER LEGISLATION INCLUDED CHANGE FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES: LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND THE ELDERLY, PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO MOTHERS ON WELFARE, AND CREATED THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY KINGSVILLE. ALTHOUGH A CATHOLIC, SHE SUPPORTED WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. WE HONOR HER SERVICE AND LEGACY THAT OPENED THE DOORS FOR US TODAY.
NOBLEZA MAGAZINE 