LatinXcellence: Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, Fighting for Justice and Equal Opportunity

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Here at People CHICA we celebrate our Latinidad 365 days a year, but during Hispanic Heritage Month, we go extra hard. Established in 1988, Hispanic Heritage Month (also known as Latino Heritage Month or Latinx Heritage Month) recognizes the generations of Latinos who have positively influenced and enhanced our society. All month long, we'll be celebrating with a series called #LatinXcellence, highlighting people who have made a difference in Latino culture through their art, work, and activism.

Sylvia Garcia had to face great obstacles in her life before finding her mission to serve others. "I am one of 10 children who grew up in Palito Blanco, Texas. My dad only had a third-grade education level and my mom had a fifth-grade education level. They always spoke to us in Spanish and would always tell us, 'Trabaja duro, edúcate y cree en Dios," she tells People CHICA. "They taught us the value of hard work. We would help them pick cotton in the fields of Palito Blanco under the hot Texas sun. I know what it's like to get my healthcare from a curandera and what it's like to stand in line for hours at a welfare community clinic when we got too sick because we didn't have health insurance. My story and our struggles are what have inspired me to fight for working people and poor people."

The Mexican American Congresswoman, 70, is pushing the #IAmVanessaGuillen bill to ensure that young Mexican American soldier Vanessa Guillen — who was murdered in April by another soldier at the Fort Hood military base in Texas after being sexually harassed — did not die in vain. The bill would make sexual harassment a crime within the Uniform Code of Military Justice and make it possible for members of the armed forces to report sexual harassment and assault to a third party without fear of retaliation.

(OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

Protecting the most vulnerable is Garcia's higher purpose. She is a fierce defender of women, children, and underserved communities. She has fought for the reunification of immigrant families, and in 2020, she introduced the Elder Abuse Protection Act to protect seniors against abuse, neglect, and financial fraud.

She was the first woman and Hispanic to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Houston Municipal Courts. Garcia also made history as the first Latina to become an impeachment manager in a trial against a president. "It's been an honor and a privilege but also a huge responsibility in protecting the Constitution and protecting our democracy," she says of her role in Trump's impeachment trial. "It's not just about us today — it's about the gift that we give to future generations." Increasing Latino representation in government and motivating her community to vote in the upcoming presidential elections also drives her: "Our vote is our power and it is how we will guarantee justice for our community.