TITLE: Paying tribute to the life of Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia, a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County.

SUMMARY: Paying tribute to the life of Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia, a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia was posthumously recognized by the Austin History Center in conjunction with its exhibit Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County;and WHEREAS, Honoring the important contributions made by Mexican Americans to Central Texas, the Austin History Center and its association joined with the Austin Public Library to organize the show, which ran from August 21, 2010, through January 16, 2011; Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County celebrated the pioneering achievements of 32 remarkable men and women and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more about their lives; and WHEREAS, One such individual, Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia, was honored for his achievements in public health; a graduate of the American Medical Missionary College in Battle Creek, Michigan, he earned a second medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and went on to become the first Mexican American physician to establish a practice in Austin; and WHEREAS, Dr. Garcia joined the staff of Brackenridge Hospital, and he worked to ensure that Mexican Americans received medical services; active in a number of community organizations, he helped to establish a workers' group, Obreros Mexicanos, and the local chapter of the Comision Honorifica Mexicana, which represented Mexican nationals in the United States; he encouraged others to acquire citizenship and exercise the right to vote, and along with his wife, he published the town's first Spanish-language newspaper, La Vanguardia;and WHEREAS, Before his passing in 1962, Dr. Garcia also benefited his fellow residents by supporting the Austin Public Library and advocating for better educational opportunities for Mexican Americans; and WHEREAS, Through his outstanding accomplishments, Dr. Alberto Garcia made a positive difference in his community, and his legacy is a source of pride and inspiration to many people; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia, a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County. Rodriguez Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 705 was adopted by the House on March 17, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House