SOUTHWEST VOTER REGISTATION EDUCATION PROJECT (SVREP) AND WILLIAM C. VELASQUEZ INSTITUTE (WCVI) APPLAUD SENATE FOR HONORING WILLIAM C. VELASQUEZ
San Antonio, Texas. The passage of the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 was a triumph for all Americans. Further, by naming the reauthorization legislation after civil rights heroes Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King, the U.S. Congress showed respect for their contribution. Now, thanks to S.188, William C. Velasquez has now been added to that list of pioneers in recognition of all he did to further Latino political participation.
"The landmark civil rights legislation, formally re-authorizing the Voting Rights Act reauthorization, opens the door for millions of Latinos to fully exercise their right to vote," said Antonio González president of SVREP and the WCVI. "This was Willie's vision and it's fitting that his name is part of
this historic and impactful legislation," added González.
WCVI is especially thankful to Senator Ken Salazar for introducing S.188 and to Senator Leahy who offered an amendment that incorporated WCVI’s founder and former President, the late William C. Velásquez to the title of the Voting Rights Act reauthorization bill.
In 1974, William C. Velásquez founded the Southwest Voter Registration Education
Project (SVREP). Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) is a national
nonprofit nonpartisan organization focused on increasing Latino and other minority political participation.
In 1985, Velasquez founded the Southwest Voter Research Institute as a nonprofit, nonpartisan Latino-oriented research and policy think tank. The Institute was renamed the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI) in 1995 to honor its late founder.
"Willie" died tragically of cancer at the early age of 44 years in 1988. For more information visit www.svrep.org and www.wcvi.org.
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About the William C. Velasquez Institute
Chartered in 1985, The William C. Velásquez Institute (WCVI) is a non-profit, non-partisan Latino-oriented research and policy think tank with ottices in San Antonio , Texas and Los Angeles , California . For more information regarding WCVI, please visit our website at www.wcvi.org
