Bill Text: IL HR0177 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizes Mireya Vera Mendoza's legacy as a champion for interpretation standards and language access in the State of Illinois. Mourns her passing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-04-18 - Resolution Adopted [HR0177 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HR0177-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, During Women's History Month, the members of the | ||||||
3 | Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Mireya | ||||||
4 | Vera Mendoza for her impact on Latino equity and language | ||||||
5 | access in the State of Illinois; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza was born on July 27, 1956; | ||||||
7 | she graduated from Kelly High School in 1974; she attended the | ||||||
8 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and obtained her | ||||||
9 | bachelor's degree in bilingual education in 1978; she later | ||||||
10 | earned her Master of Health Services Administration (MHA) from | ||||||
11 | National Louis University in 2008; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza worked diligently as a | ||||||
13 | staunch advocate for language access and equity for limited | ||||||
14 | English speakers across the State and for creating standards | ||||||
15 | for interpretation and translation, making a significant | ||||||
16 | impact through her work in the community, in the schools, and | ||||||
17 | in the hospitals she served; and
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18 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza left an indelible mark on | ||||||
19 | language rights for our State, including being a contributing | ||||||
20 | author on the standards of interpretation in educational and | ||||||
21 | health settings, creating the Language Access Resource Center | ||||||
22 | in DuPage, facilitating the City Colleges of Chicago Medical |
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1 | Interpreter Training Program, developing the medical | ||||||
2 | interpretation curriculum for Illinois, and directing medical | ||||||
3 | interpretation and translation programs at Mt. Sinai Hospital, | ||||||
4 | West Lake Hospital, Presence Health, and Holy Cross Hospital; | ||||||
5 | and
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6 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza and her colleague, Linda | ||||||
7 | Coronado, were pioneers in creating high standards for | ||||||
8 | interpretation and translation and championing language rights | ||||||
9 | to remove barriers in access to health, education, and social | ||||||
10 | services, and they authored the first language access statute | ||||||
11 | in the State of Illinois, which has served as a model across | ||||||
12 | the nation; and
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13 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza was active on several boards | ||||||
14 | throughout her career, including Mujeres Latinas en Acción, | ||||||
15 | the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education, the DuPage | ||||||
16 | Federation for Human Services Reform, The Little Village | ||||||
17 | chapter of the American Cancer Society, the Benito Juarez High | ||||||
18 | School Vocational Advisory Board, and the Healthcare Task | ||||||
19 | Force under Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya of the 7th | ||||||
20 | District, and, most recently, she was elected to serve on the | ||||||
21 | Glenbard Township High School District 87 School Board; | ||||||
22 | further, she served as co-chair of the Melrose Park Illinois | ||||||
23 | Welcoming Center and was founder of its Parent University; and
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1 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza brightened every room with | ||||||
2 | her love for her community and passion for language access and | ||||||
3 | stayed connected to her roots throughout her life; she became | ||||||
4 | an excellent cook of traditional Mexican cuisine and was | ||||||
5 | passionate about Latin music, which she expressed through | ||||||
6 | dancing; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza passed away on December 14, | ||||||
8 | 2022; she was the wife of Raymond Mendoza Jr. for 38 years; the | ||||||
9 | mother of Joaquin (Carina) Vera, Hector Mendoza, and Esteban | ||||||
10 | (fiancée, Alexandra) Mendoza; the grandmother of Arianna; the | ||||||
11 | daughter of Argelia and the late Anthony Vera; the sister of | ||||||
12 | Darlene (Jose) Mendez, Carmen (David Ruiz) Vera, and Paul | ||||||
13 | (Alexandra) Vera; the aunt of many nieces and nephews; and the | ||||||
14 | daughter-in-law of Catalina Mendoza; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Mireya Vera Mendoza's legacy continues today | ||||||
16 | during the 103rd General Assembly as we enact legislation that | ||||||
17 | incorporates standards for medically qualified interpretation | ||||||
18 | and that establishes a statewide language equity and access | ||||||
19 | policy; therefore, be it
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20 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
21 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
22 | we recognize Mireya Vera Mendoza's legacy as a champion for | ||||||
23 | interpretation standards and language access in our State, and |
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1 | we mourn her passing and extend our sincere condolences to her | ||||||
2 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
3 | further
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4 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
5 | presented to the family of Mireya Vera Mendoza as an | ||||||
6 | expression of our gratitude for her contributions to language | ||||||
7 | rights in the State of Illinois and our deepest sympathy.
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