Civil rights leader Sylvia Mendez endorses Lou Correa for Congress

For Immediate Release: October 4, 2016

Contact: Nina Tognazzini, (949) 933-7533, Shallman Communications

PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER STANDS WITH LOU CORREA

Congressional Candidate for CA-46, Lou Correa, Earns the Support of Respected Orange County Civil Rights Pioneer Sylvia Mendez

Santa Ana, CA — Following several critical endorsements from the Communication Workers of America, Laborers Local 652, and the California Democratic Party, today, former State Senator Lou Correa was officially endorsed by Sylvia Mendez, the Civil Rights leader who fought against racial segregation in Orange County schools in the 1940s.

In response to the endorsement, former State Senator Lou Correa released the following statement:

“I am honored to have the support of Santa Ana’s own Civil Rights pioneer, Sylvia Mendez. Without Ms. Mendez, schools in America might look very different today. In 1943, Ms. Mendez was turned away from the all-white school her light skinned cousins attended, and told to attend an all-Mexican school. Her parents, as well as several other families, sued four different Orange County school districts. Their valiant efforts culminated in the landmark court case, Mendez v. Westminster. In 1947, the Ninth Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the segregation of Mexican and Mexican-American students in Orange County schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment and was unconstitutional. This ruling paved the way for Brown v. Board of Education seven years later.

“Ms. Mendez spent her life fighting intolerance and was finally recognized for her efforts in 2010, when she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama.

“I am personally grateful for Ms. Mendez’s strength, courage, and perseverance. Without her, my children and I may not have had access to the same schools and opportunities as other students. I am proud to say that all of my children graduated from Santa Ana schools thanks to Ms. Mendez’s brave actions 73 years ago.”

In addition to today’s endorsement, Lou Correa has gained widespread support from a variety of labor, environmental, public safety, and business organizations, as well as elected officials and community leaders, including:

Organizations:

· California Democratic Party (CDP)
· California Labor Federation
· United Association Local Union 250: Steamfitters & Refrigeration
· California School Employees Association (CSEA)
· California State Association of Letter Carriers (CSALC)
· The California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA)
· United Farm Workers of America (UFW)
· California Police Chiefs’ Association
· Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)
· National Latino Peace Officers Association
· California Small Business Association
· Building Our Leadership Diversity (BOLD) PAC
· International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36
· International Union of Operating Engineers Local 501
· Santa Ana School Police Officers’ Association
· Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association
· Anaheim Police Officer’s Association Political Action Committee
· Orange County Deputy District Attorneys
· Orange County Employees Association (OCEA)
· Garden Grove Firefighters Association
· Garden Grove Police Officers Association
· Californians for Humane Immigrant Rights Leadership Action Fund (CHIRLA Action Fund)
· Orange County Business Council
· Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
· Communication Workers of America
· Laborers Local 652
· Orange County Young Democrats

Elected Leaders:

· House Democratic Leader & Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
· House Democratic Whip & Congressman Steny Hoyer
· House Democratic Caucus Chair & Congressman Xavier Becerra
· Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair and Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva
· Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair and Congresswoman Linda Sánchez
· Former State Assembly Speaker & Congresswoman Karen Bass
· Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez
· Congresswoman Judy Chu
· Congressman Juan Vargas
· Congressman Alan Lowenthal
· Congressman Pete Aguilar
· Congressman Ted Lieu
· Congressman Tony Cardenas
· Congresswoman Norma Torres
· Congressman Raul Ruiz, MD.
· Congressman Ruben Gallego
· Congressman Luis Gutierrez
· Congressman Ruben Hinojosa
· Congressman Filemon Vela
· California’s State Treasurer John Chiang
· California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
· California State Senate President Pro-Tem Kevin de León
· California Board of Equalization Chair Jerome Horton
· California Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante (Ret.)
· California Latino Legislative Caucus Chair and State Assemblyman Luis Alejo
· California Legislative Black Caucus Chair & State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer
· California State Senator and former Air Force General Richard Roth
· California State Senator & LGBT trailblazer Mark Leno
· California State Senator & Labor Committee Chair Tony Mendoza
· California State Assemblywoman & former San Diego Central Labor Council Leader Lorena Gonzalez
· California State Senator Lois Wolk
· California State Senator Jerry Hill
· California State Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes–Eggman
· California State Assemblyman Henry Perea
· California State Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk Silva (Ret.)
· California Supreme Court Justice, Hon., Cruz Reynoso (Ret.)
· California State Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia
· California State Assemblyman Jose Medina
· Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchins
· Santa Ana City Council Member Michele Martinez
· Santa Ana Unified School District Board President John Palacio
· Santa Ana Unified School District Clerk Valerie Amezcua
· Santa Ana Unified School District Board Member José Alfredo Hernández, J.D.
· Santa Ana City Councilwoman Angie Amezcua
· Buena Park City Councilman Art Brown
· Anaheim Union High School District Board President Annemarie Randle-Trejo
· Anaheim Union High School District Board Member Al Jabbar
· Anaheim City School District Board of Education President Bob Gardner
· Anaheim City School District Board of Education Member Ryan Ruelas
· Anaheim Police Chief John Welter (Ret.)*
· City of Garden Grove City Council Member Kris Beard
· Huntington Beach Unified School District Board Member Bonnie Castrey
· Los Angeles City Councilman, past State Senator Gil Cedillo
· Artesia City Council Member Ali Sajjad Taj
· Coast Community College Trustee Jim Moreno
· Former Mayor of Huntington Beach Linda Moulton-Patterson
· Coast Community College Trustee, former Congressman, and former Mayor of Santa Ana Jerry Patterson
· Chairman of the California Democratic Party John Burton
· California Democratic Party Regional Director Florice Orea Hoffman
· California Democratic Party LGBT Caucus Southern California Chair & California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Denise Penn

Community Leaders:

· South County Labor Chair Ray Cordova*
· Orange County-based LGBT activist Gregory Willenborg*
· Pastor of the largest African American church in Orange County, the Rev. Mark E. Whitlock, Jr.*

*Titles for Identification Purposes Only.

For more information, please visit www.LouCorrea.com.