On behalf of my family and staff, I wish you the happiest of holidays! 
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On behalf of my family and staff,
I wish you the happiest of holidays! 

MALC Elects Leadership for the 85th Session

On December 15th the bi-partisan Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) of the Texas House of Representatives held its officer elections. I was honored to be elected Chairman and look forward to serving this valuable organization. 

The results of the elections are as follows:
Rep. Rafael Anchía (Dallas) – Chair
Rep. Mary Gonzalez (Clint) – Vice Chair
Rep. Justin Rodriguez (San Antonio) – Treasurer
Rep. Mando Martinez (Weslaco) – Secretary
Rep. Ana Hernandez (Houston) – Legal Counsel
 
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (Austin) was appointed to the newly-created position of Policy Chair and will work with the elected officers to fulfill the mission of the organization.   
 
MALC is the oldest and largest Latino legislative caucus in the United States. Currently, MALC is comprised of 42 House members representing more than 7.5 million Texans, and is the second-largest caucus in the Legislature. Members are on all but 3 House Committees.
 
The Latino population in Texas is the second largest in the nation. About 10.4 million Latinos reside in Texas, 18.8% of all Latinos in the United States. Texas’ population is 39% Latino, the third largest Latino statewide population share nationally. There are 4.8 million Latino eligible voters in Texas—the second largest Latino statewide eligible voter population nationally.

I look forward to working alongside the MALC leadership and membership in what will be a pivotal session for Latinos in Texas.

District 103
Business Spotlight:

Hattie's


Hattie's is a cornerstone of the vibrant Bishop Arts District in North Oak Cliff. Now in its 14th year, Hattie's is one of the premier brunch, lunch, and dinner options in Dallas. 

Owner Tony Alvarez explained the secret to Hattie's success. 

"We grew up in small Southern communities of the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia. Locals call these coastal regions of the South the low country - where there's access to the freshest variety of seafood and the perfect growing conditions for grain," said Tony Alvarez. "So when we opened Hattie's in November of 2002, we wanted to stick to our roots of food, comfort and hospitality. And grits. We took the traditional recipes we were raised on and gave them a fresh, modern twist for a surprising new flavor with a hint of home."

Hattie's is located at 418 N Bishop Avenue in Dallas. 
The Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Texas African American History Memorial Foundation hosted the historic unveiling of the Texas African American History Memorial. The memorial will be the last monument erected on the South Capitol grounds under law.
My mother and I were honored to join President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at their White House Holiday Reception. It has been a true joy to witness the graceful manner in which the First Family has occupied the White House. I know I speak for many when I say thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Obama, for your exemplary leadership throughout the past eight years.
In early December, I attended an event honoring Representative-Elect Victoria Neave. The event was hosted by former State Representative Harryette Ehrhardt.

District 103
Resident Spotlight:

Debbie Solis


Debbie Solis is the Family & Community Services Manager at Voice of Hope Ministries, located in West Dallas. A 3rd generation West Dallas resident and community advocate, she leads weekly bilingual Bible study, manages a Food Pantry, conducts the Ledbetter Garden monthly crime watch meeting, and is a ministry board member of Serve West Dallas. Ms. Solis is an active member at Bill Harrod Baptist Church in West Dallas and has been married for 35 years with 2 children.

What makes you passionate about your community?
My father instilled my passion for community service by always being a great example when it came to civic duty. My father taught me not to take for granted my right to vote because when he first started voting he had to pay a poll tax. He knew this restricted our community of their voting right so he organized a group to raise money to help more people to vote. He taught me that voting and helping your neighbor is was what makes a good community!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in District 103? 
Find out who your local, state and federal representatives are and attend community meetings. Get to know your neighbors so you can take them with you to events that will affect the community. Teach them that ultimately the people we put into office work for us.  Organize friends and neighbors to understand that they have a voice and by working together, that voice gets heard.

What positive changes have you seen in District 103 in the past five years? 
I lead the Ledbetter Garden monthly crime watch meeting so from my perspective we have better police patrolling in West Dallas. Our policemen attend community carnivals, Vacation Bible School and interact with the community. Trust plays a part in the change because our community gets to see our policemen not only when something goes wrong but in their everyday lives. I am pleased to have more police officers taking care of my community since growing up I did not see them.

What issues would you like to see addressed in the next legislative session?
The issue I am very concerned about is public education. I see our schools struggling to keep pace with essential resources needed to succeed academically. My daughter graduated from a public high school while my son graduated from a private school, St Mark’s School of Texas, so as a parent I saw the vast difference in the caliber of public vs private schools. We need new school buildings for our children to attend that will make them proud and excited to learn. The children in my community deserve not just an adequate education but the best education.

What’s your favorite destination in District 103?
My favorite destination for the last 17 years has been Voice of Hope Ministries. At Voice of Hope I have encountered hundreds of neighbors that have come in need of our after-school program, Summer program and Food Pantry.  By building relationships I have invited many to attend our Fall Festival, Thanksgiving Celebration, Bible Studies and our monthly Crime Watch meeting.  It is the avenue the Lord has provided for me to serve my community in so many ways.    

Earlier this year, I was appointed to serve as the Vice-Chair of the National Conference of the State Legislatures' Labor and Economic Development Committee. I attended the organization's Capitol Forum in Washington D.C. to discuss upcoming legislation and labor policy on December 8th. 

How much do you know about Texas history, politics, and District 103?

 


The first person to send in all correct answers to info@rafaelanchia.com 
will win a $25 gift card!


Put Your Thinking Caps On!
  1. Name the six flags that have flown over Texas.
  2. Name the Mexican states that border Texas. 
  3. (T or F) The Texas Railroad Commission regulates both transit and cargo lines. 
  4. Who was quarterback the last time the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl? 
  5. Who was Representative Anchia's predecessor as state representative for District 103? 
Send us your answers, and we'll announce
the winner on Twitter and Facebook!

Dallas Association of Young Lawyers

Legislative Preview


My colleague Rep. Jason Villalba and I provided the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers with a legislative preview of the 85th legislative session in early December. 

Office Move


We have moved into a new office at the State Capitol in Austin. The new office is 1N.9, which is located on the first floor near the north entrance of the Capitol.

If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to my staff! Our District Office phone number is (214) 943-6081, and our phone number at the Capitol is (512) 463-0746. 
  • Liz Zornes - Chief of Staff
  • Abel Mulugheta - General Counsel and Legislative Director
  • Ana Reyes - District Director
  • Jeff Madden - International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Director
 

Helpful Links To State Government Offices

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Website
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We will profile one constituent and one District 103 business in each newsletter. If you have someone you would like to nominate from District 103, please send the name of your nominee with a brief description of that person to Elizabeth.zornes@house.texas.gov.
Paid for by the Rafael Anchia Campaign.

Copyright © 2016 Rafael Anchia Campaign, All rights reserved.



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