Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of an inspiring leader, a great visionary, and my friend, Dr. Tom Rivera. Dr. Tom was born on September 22, 1939, in Colton, California. After graduating from Colton High School, he attended San Bernardino Valley College; California State University, Los Angeles; the University of California, Riverside; and eventually UCLA, where he earned his doctorate in education. It was at Cal State LA that he met the love of his life, Dr. Lily Rivera, who shared his passion for service. Together, they served in the Peace Corps in Colombia, South America, before marrying in 1965. In all that he did, Dr. Tom strived to inspire his students to achieve their dreams. As associate dean for undergraduate studies at CSU San Bernardino, he was a pillar of the community. He devoted himself to the empowerment of local youth and maintained leadership roles in organizations including the Kiwanis Club of Greater San Bernardino, LULAC, the Pure Land Foundation, and more. Dr. Tom was relentless in his advocacy. Even in the face of his own health challenges, he continued his pursuit of a better future where Hispanic youth could achieve their dreams. In 1984, just 3 years after contracting a virus that left him paralyzed, he helped found the Inland Empire Future Leaders Program, joining forces with fellow educators, Susan Castro, Frank Acosta, Henry Vasquez, and Bill Allison. Dr.…”