The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF MS. RAFAELA ``LALI'' GARCIA
______
HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to commemorate the life of Ms. Rafaela Garcia and to pay tribute to her monumental legacy in Kansas City, Missouri. Ms. Garcia, known as ``Lali'' to her family, friends, and neighbors, lived a life of service, selflessness, and passionate advocacy. She was ambitious and tenacious, with the goal of improving life for the Latino community guiding her work every step of the way. As I stand here today, I can confidently say that we all owe Lali an enormous debt of gratitude for the progress she fostered towards racial equality, advancing the cause of a historically marginalized population by championing equal opportunity and political representation. Lali's dedication to serving the Latino community as an activist, community member, and office holder defined her 93 years spent on this earth and improved the lives of thousands. Lali uplifted the voices of those in need and left a profound impact on every person who crossed her path.
Born in 1927, Lali observed and experienced discrimination against the Latino community along with the severe lack of political representation for non-white citizens. During her youth, Lali used the discrimination she faced in everyday life as a source of motivation to fight for change. Years later, Lali shared stories from this time in her life to remind us of our history and the progress we have made. Lali remembered movie theaters with segregated seating, jails without due process for people of color, restaurants that barred admission for Latinos, and inferior educational opportunities for Latino students. Lali's passion for social advocacy started young, at the age of 13, when she first visited the Guadalupe Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Center, at that time, was dedicated to administering a school and clinic for underprivileged immigrants who settled in the midwestern city. Even at this young age, Lali saw the potential for the Center to become a vibrant community gathering place, a structure to fight against the social inequities she witnessed, and a pillar of the Latino community. As Lali served for forty-six years on the Center's Board of Directors, this vision came to fruition, with three terms as the Board President. She oversaw a massive expansion of the services provided by the Center, advancing opportunities, services, and protection for the Latino community. Today, largely in part to Lali's commitment, the Center has grown to provide healthcare, education, financial assistance, childcare, workforce development, and more. We are forever indebted to Lali's work to transform this organization as it continues to provide opportunities, support, and stability for newly arrived immigrants and Kansas City natives alike. Her legacy challenges each of us to continue making Kansas City a welcoming place for immigrants to find a home, celebrate their culture, and become part of the community. As we follow in her footsteps, we must strive to ensure that all those who make the journey to the United States feel valued, cherished, and loved--the same way Lali made all of us feel.
Beyond her immeasurable work at the Center, Lali was a fierce advocate for political equality and representation for the Latino community. Lali understood the importance of responsive leaders who use their positions in the halls of government to protect and uplift all members of the community, regardless of race or ethnicity. She also recognized the need for leaders who would advocate for the fair and equal treatment of the Latino community. In 1989, Lali founded La Raza Political Club. Under her leadership, La Raza elected many of the first Latinos to public office in Kansas City, finally creating a seat at the table for her community. During her time with La Raza, Lali registered new voters, fought back against discrimination at the polls, and proved the importance of perceptive leadership. By registering hundreds of Latino voters, Lali amplified their voices and worked to create a more just, equitable, and accepting nation. We are called to pick up this duty where Lali left off and to emphasize the importance of political engagement in all communities.
A short recognition cannot adequately describe the breadth of Lali's tireless work building community resources, political representation, and cultural acceptance. At the end of her life, amidst a global pandemic, her work never ceased. Lali served as a member of the Guadalupe Centers Board of Directors; the Jackson County Ethics, Human Relations, & Citizen Complaints Commission; and the Civil Rights Consortium. She was also a member of the Union Cultural Mexicana Ladies Auxiliary and a full-time volunteer at the Casa Felix Senior Center. Lali was also appointed to the Guadalajara Sister City Commission and the Port Authority Board of Commissioners and has served on the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast Committee since 1987. Intentional acts of humble service filled each minute of her life. Lali's commitment to those around her teaches us what it means to be an outspoken and selfless advocate and to meaningfully participate in the community.
Lali's life reminds us that a single individual relentlessly fighting for what is right can, in fact, change the world around us. Change requires a person with the courage to acknowledge the unjust, the persistence to carry on through hardship, the will to protest loudly, and the spirit to fight until all are seen as equal. For Lali, this all came naturally, and her leadership has left a legacy that will continue to change lives for generations to come. Madam Speaker, let us rise each day and ask ourselves, as Lali Garcia did, how we can positively impact our community. Today, and every day, let us be fervent in service, gentle in heart, and motivated by love--just like Lali before us.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 105
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