Cynthia Valadez-Mata Jr. cvaladezmata@aol.

com I humbly ask for your support for Texas LULAC Deputy State Director for Women...
To My LULAC Sisters and Brothers, First of all, I want to thank you all for what you do for our community. Today, I hope that you had the chance to reflect on those who have given their lives in support of our great country. My grandfather fought in the Korean War and I have many family members that have served, and are still serving, in the military. We pray for them and honor their commitment as they have fought, and continue to fight, to keep us free. As we go into this LULAC State Convention, I was asked to consider running for Deputy State Director for Women. I have considered this request very seriously and have decided to run. It is my hope that you will support me. Each and every one of you are important to the organization and as advocates for our community. I humbly ask that you be there THIS weekend and I respectfully ask for you to help me win this position. This will be a difficult election considering what our State LULAC has had to endure over the past 2 years. I ask that each of your council delegates be there for the election on Sunday, but more importantly, to participate in the great workshops that will be held. Aside from the LULAC politics, there are always great workshops and events at each convention. In addition, it is always great to see old LULAC friends from other parts of the State and also to build new friendships with NEW LULACers. Even though this is my first statewide LULAC campaign, I do believe that I have much to offer. I was fortunate to be born into a family with a generational history of public service, advocacy, and for educational/political/legal/social/economic equity for our Latino/a population. Born in McAllen, Texas (Hidalgo County), my family moved to Austin when Mark White was elected Governor of Texas. Both of my parents (Orlando S. Mata and Cynthia Valadez) have served as District VII Directors and have stood strong in support of the principles espoused in our LULAC Constitution. My late aunt, Audelia Mata, served as legislative assistant to State Representative Lauro Cruz, sponsor of the Bilingual Law in the Texas House when Senator Carlos Truan was the sponsor in the Texas Senate. My grandfather, Oscar Ruben Valadez, was the first Latino to serve as a high school principal in Dallas Independent School District at North Dallas High School, the first Mejicano to serve as the Vice-President of the Dallas Community College District, and an early founder of TACHE (Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education). My grandmother, Gloria Reyna (Cavazos) Valadez, was the first Bilingual Curriculum writer in Dallas ISD. My greatgrandfather, Jose Narciso Cavazos, was the founder and first School Board President of the La Joya Independent School District. Both of my parents supported past LULAC National President Ruben Bonilla in this capacity and as Chair of the Texas Mexican American Democrats (MAD). My Godmother, Marie Castillo Velasquez (Mrs. Roy Velasquez Jr.), was a longtime member of Ladies LULAC Council # 202 in Austin, Texas. For those of you that have served with me on the LULAC State Executive Board, I hope that my participation and my advocacy will be what you remember about me and my service to LULAC. As the current District VII Director, I worked very hard for the recent historical passage of Single Member Districts in Austin, Texas; have advocated for our PUBLIC education system, staff, and students in AISD and for our English Language Learners (ELLs); have served as an advocate for families who have children with disabilities, especially as they struggle to navigate the ARD

process in the public school system; worked to support the change in how our Travis County system handles juveniles locally in the juvenile justice system by creating a new restorative justice court that will serve as a pilot program within the next few months; participated in several voter registration efforts to register and get out the vote campaigns; volunteered with the "Con Mi Madre" program (a Latina mother/daughter leadership and empowerment program) in Travis County; served on the Texas State MADRES (Mothers Against Discrimination and Racism in Education and Society) Board; worked in the Texas Senate and continue to advocate for our Latino/a community at the Capital; served as an office/CAC member/leadership team of AISD PTA's; advocated for and work with families that have been victims of violent crimes in Texas; volunteered with the "Mobile Loaves and Fishes" program to help the homeless; volunteered with the "FIT" (food-in-tummies) program to fight hunger felt by our students/children in poverty communities; graduated from the Leadership Austin Program; graduated with a BS in Criminal Justice from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University); serve as President of our Holly Neighborhood Coalition (East Austin barrio); have served on various boards and committees. Please know that I am committed to establishing an active network of Texas LULAC women by working with our local Deputy District Directors of Women to organize a coordinated strategic plan of action during this year culminating in an annual summit that will bring together our youth and adult membership. In addition, we must develop and improve upon our relationships with other organizations. Only by working together can we be successful as we educate our communities about health, education, leadership, economics, and political involvement. Linda Chavez (Austin) will again run for the position of LULAC State Director; Beatrice Martinez (Dallas) will again run for the position of Deputy State Director; Mary Ramos (Houston) will again run for re-election as State Treasurer; Lourdes Galvan will again run for the position of Deputy State Director for the Elderly; Pete Anzaldua (San Marcos) will again run for the position of Deputy State Director of Youth; Christina Garcia (Denton) will again run for re-election as Deputy State Director of Young Adults; and I am proud to say that Mary Lou Canales (Victoria), current Texas Deputy State Director of Women has endorsed me for her position as she will not run again. Please let me know what you think as soon as possible. I really do want your advice and NEED your support in this race. I also ask that you consider being my ambassadors to the other LULAC members from around the state. I respectfully ask that your delegations consider my candidacy and support me for this position. If you can be there early, please let me know so that we can plan a strategy for putting out the word about me. Again, I humbly ask for your support and your vote. I hope to hear from you soon. I thank you in advance. Respectfully, Cynthia Valadez-Mata Jr. LULAC District VII Director 512.762.3959