Corpus Christi Caller-Times from Corpus Christi, Texas • 12

Al2Sunday January 30 1994 taxi tbrigi Ca a Range! Rar ft 1--P---1-w 1 FROM PAGE Al What others say Irma Rangel Occupation: Educator attorney state legislator Dorn: May 15 1931 in Kingsville A90: 62 Accomplishments: First Hispanic woman elected to Legislature 1976 chairwoman Mexican-American Legislative Caucus '1993- present passed legislation assisting women migrant workers the elderly abuse victims authored "How to Teach Spanish in the Bementary Grades" Honors: Texas Madcan-American Woman of the Year 1979 Woman's Political Caucus Unsung Heroines Award from the Women's Advocacy Project 1991 Texas Women Hell of Fame 1994 Legislative Committees: Vice dialiwomen Judicial Affairs Committee member of the Judicial Affairs subcommittee on budget and oversight Higher Education Committee Education: Bachelor of Business Administration Texas ABM University-Kingsville 1952 Doctor of Jurisprudence St Mwys Uni versity School of Law San Antonio 1969 Proudest Accomplishment Passage of bill that would educate and train people on welfare for lobs "There's not a more deseving vtornan in Texas l's especially important for those of us in the Hispanic cormunity for her to be inducted into the Texas WOM811111 Hal of Fame- State Rep Hugo Sedan-go D-03tpus Christi "She's been a vary effective legislator for South Texas and she'll have my support as long as she decides to run and they let me vote" Manual Ibanez Texas ngsville president '1 think she's been a good legislator and not just because she is a Hispanic or a woman She has made a place for herself as an individual She involves herself in womens issues Hispanic issues and issues of importance to her district and she has made a big impact on all those fields" Pete Laney speaker of the House "One of irmas strong points is that she Iles a knack for turning away wrath" Ernestine Glossbrenmr Texas Women's Political Caucus "She is somebody who simply is not interested in what her constituents say" Doug Vannoy Kingsville resident nated Rangel for the Hall of Fame honor He was quoting partially from book called "'Women of Texas" which Ms Rangers impact 4 Texas politics has influenced makeup of today's Legislature by setting a precedent when ihelas the states first Hispanic woman elected to the Legislature Rangel is particularly proad 'Apt House Bill 1755 which was (lei' signed to provide employment and education programs for moth ers with dependent children it Rangel also has passed othei nificant legisladon creating fend? violence centers and filed legis14- tion to establish offenses of db4: made violence and azgavited domestic violence for asseulta against a spouse Former Rep Ernestine Lim brenner of Alice says Rangert ib complishments am important aid' that she helped break down bard ers for Hispanics and women "I'm a teacher by trade and1( think it is important for children to see people like they are in pod tions of government such as dlei Legislature" Glossbrenner Uid "So for all the children in South Texas it is important to see knit: and other Mexican-Americans '14: the Legislature Remember the' was elected for the first tinte 141 1976 It was extremely imputed' for children them especially Mod-- can-American girls to see her mkt my 'That's something else I can do if! want to' Rangel says she didn't know BR would be the first Hispanic electut to the Legislature when she ran for office "I just wanted to show peoplethat we're not just in the kitchen cooking or in the bedroom making babies" Rangd said Supporters say there is much: more to Rangel that her resume' "When Irma tells you some thing she follows through on kn: said Ibanez Faith Rangel said is what keit her going even when she faced disrx crimimtion or criticism for whit' she believed as successful as my mother and father" After graduating from Thum University-Kinpville in 1952 Rangel taught school in South Texas Eventually her love of travel took her to Caracas Venezuela stele she taught for seven years At age 35 she entered law school at Si Marys University in San Antonio After graduation Rangel was offered a job as assistant district attorney in Corpus Oristi but she refused the job until they offered a salary equal to that of her male counterparts 0 "Hi baby How you doing sweetheart? The husky brassy sound of one of the Legislature's most unmistakable voices drifts across the House floor It is a voice that has been known to make some lawmakers cringe and others smile as the Kingsville legislator uses her own indomitable style to lobby for what she thinks is best for Texas Irma Rand finds her target a friendly lawmaker and gives him a kiss on the cheek She follows the kiss with a stern lecture on why he should vote for one of her favorite issues the South Texas Border Initiative As vice chairwoman of the House Higher Education Committee on which she has served since 1983 Rangel was a driving force in obtaining more than $345 million for border universities "It is really a delight to watch her pick apart some of the male legislators" said Texas President Manuel Ibanez who has seen firsthand the results of Rangers lobbying efforts for South Texas higher education "At times she comes across as kind of a Carol Channing sound-alike But I think she does that on purpose She gets people off guard Then she sneaks up and really does a job on them" Rangel has often left lawmakers scratching their heads after being "Irma-lined" as one freshman lawmaker put it after beins the brunt of Rangers ire "She's a tenacious legislator" House Speaker Pete Laney said "She doesn't do anything halfway Irma always expresses her viewpoint and there is no question that she will try to persuade you on her issues She's not bashful about that" as um IICBLIMAII 1111 maker put it after being the brunt of Rangers ire "She's a tenacious legislator" House Speaker Pete Laney said "She doesn't do anything halfway Irma always expresses her view- point and there is no question that she will try to persuade you on her issues She's not bashful about that" who she was and where she came from Saturday Irma Range! the first Hispanic woman to serve in the Texas Legislature was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame She vas one of nine women chosen for the honor by Gov Ann Richards for 1994 It was the 10th anniversary for the hall established in 1984 by the Governor's Commission for Women to honor outstanding achievements in the arts civic and volunteer leadership education business and professional leadership health the environment and athletics 0 There was nothing about young Irma that would have led many people to believe the Kingsville girl would find a place in Texas history books She was independent and she was smart" remembers Minnie Rangel Henderson a Kingsville pharmacist and the second of the three Rangel girls "And she thought she was really great when she played the sticks in the kiddie band" Rangers childhood was filled with lessons from her parents that would eventually guide her life and her career "Our father was very instrumental in our lives" Henderson said "He made us be individuals and independent Back then Mexican-American families did not educate their daughters because they married early But my mother and father really believed in education and they always told us: 'Remember who you are and where you came from" Despite a lack of education Presciliano and Herminia Rangel became successful appliance store and dress shop owners Presciliano Range! orphaned at age 5 never attended schooL He did not speak English and spent most of his early years as a migrant worker picking cotton Herminia was orphaned at age 11 "They had the guts to go into business for themselves" Irma Rangel said "They didn't know how to keep books or anything but they knew what they wanted They made a wonderful couple because they both had goals and my father never held my mother back" Rangel likes to brag about her two sisters Olga Range! Lumley and Henderson Lumley was a champion tennis player in high who shi from Saturc Hispani Texas 1 into th! Fame 5 chosen Richard It was the hall Govern Women achieve volume busines ship he athletic! There Irma th people girl wo! history I She was sir Rangel pharma three I thought she Om band" Range with les would and her "Our tal in a "He mi indepen can-Am ucate married father ani 'Remen where Desp Prescili became and dre Presci age 5 I did noi most a grant minia "The) busines Rangel how to but the They sr causctJ father back" Rang two sis and champi 11111510 MAL A My WW1 I UMW how to keep books or anything but they knew what they wanted They made a wonderful couple be- cause they both had goals and my father never held my mother Rangel likes to brag about her two sisters Olga Range! Lumley and Henderson Lumley was a champion tennis player in high Cal lor-Imus tion to her 10th term is not with out her detractors "She is somebody who simply is not interested in what her constit news say" said Doug Vannoy a Kinpville resident who opposed Rangers support of the Texas AM name change "She's been in a cat fight with the county judge over the school finance bill and a local school consolidation And she threatens people with losing funding from the state" Texas Monthly mapzine in 1985 and 1987 referred to her "furniture" a term used for lawmakers considered so ineffective that they can't be distinguished from their desks or chairs And even though she ranks 1 lth out of 150 members in seniority Rangel never has chaired a committee Her independent stands also have cost Rangel some support back home This year for the third time in 17 years in the Legislature she will face a Democratic opponent She defeated the incumbent in her first try for office in 1976 beat a 1988 opponent by only 147 votes then took 76 percent of the vote apinst a 1992 contestant Others say Rangers independence has proved invaluable to those who needed a voice in the legislative process "Over the years Rep Rangel has passed legislation assisting women mignmt worken the elderly and abused victims" wrote Texas Employment Commissioner Eddie Cavazos who nomi umsw Ices" MI wino aan Immo tr process "Over the years Rep Rangel has passed lelliala tion aulatillthe eld women migrant workers erly and Texas Employment Commis- sioner Eddie Cavazos who nonli- As a legislator Rangel has voted for unpopular causes squabbled with county officials over local is sues and refusing to back down from controversial stands In March 1993 she was the subject of anonymous harassing phone calls over the renaming of Texas University to Texas University-Kinpville Instead of backing ol she returned to the Legislature to vote for an anti-stalking bill that could land similar callers in jail and make them pay thousands of dollars in fees Range! a devout Catholic has not backed away from her advocacy of abortion rights In the 72nd Legislature she led 19 of 25 women in the House as they voted together to help defeat a proposal that Rangel said would have crhninalized abortions' More than 20 years ago Rangel had to investigate the grisly death of a Nueces County woman who had given herself an abortion with a coat hanger "I was the only woman prosecutor in Corpus Christi in 1971" Rangel said "And I would get all the incest and all the rape casts I was exposed to all of this and they would come to me because I was the only woman there "The girls who were raped would get pregnant and ay and ask me what they were going to do I couldn't tell them to get an abortion Back then you could get two to 10 years in prison fot getting abortions" Rangel who is seeking re-elec IM gpia VFW 1GAW 1 ayeAa would get Pregnant and cry and ask me what they were going to do I couldn't tell them to get an abortion Back then you could Set two to 10 years in prison fot get- ting abortions" Rangel who is seeking re-elec school and college and eventually earned a master's degree in education Henderson became a pharmacist and school board member in Kingsville When the girls faced discrimination their parents told them to meet it head on without hatred "When we were discriminated aping my mother and father told us to feel sorry for those who didn't know any better" Rangel said "They didn't want us to have any anger or bitterness in us because they felt like it would prevent us from getting ahead" They also taught them the ethics of hard work and of helping others "My father took us out to his ranch and told us to pick cotton for a full week" Rangel said "He wanted us to know what it was like to have to work in the fields He said it woutil teach us to respect and have compassion for those families who had not been A ncy alba was AMU MG WILIAM of hard work and of helping oth- era "My father took us out to his ranch and told us to pick cotton for a full week" Rangel said "He wanted us to know what it was like to have to work in the fields He said it woulil teach us to re- spect and have compusion for those families who had not been Kmart and Sight Save Unbeatable Values! 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