A TOUR OF THE NORTHLINE TRANSIT CENTER/HCC STATION The paseo of portraits Roy Benavidez Dr. Hector P. Garcia Alfred J. Hernández “recalls the rich and diverse VIETNAM WAR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT PHYSICIAN AND AMERICAN G.I. FORUM ORGANIZER JUDGE Master Sergeant Raul (Roy) Perez Benavidez Hector Perez Garcia was a Mexican-American Alfred J. Hernández was a lawyer, civil rights history found in this city was a member of the Studies and Observation physician, surgeon, World War II veteran, civil leader and judge. He served as a technical Group of the US Army. In 1981, President rights advocate and founder of the American sergeant in the US Army during World War II. and the many events that Ronald Reagan presented Benavidez with G.I. Forum. Garcia’s tireless work on behalf Hernández was a two-term president of LULAC the military’s highest award, the Medal of of Hispanic Americans gained him national from 1965 to 1967. His work to improve the have taken place that Honor, for his actions in combat in South prominence in the 1960s. President Lyndon social and economic conditions of all American Vietnam on May 2, 1968. During the award Johnson named him alternate ambassador to citizens of Spanish-speaking descent in the US define Houstonians today. presentation, President Reagan reportedly the United Nations in 1967 and appointed him included the Selma (Texas) Minimum Wage turned to the press and said, “If the story of to the US Commission on Civil Rights in 1968. March, a two-month trek ignited by a labor Rolando Briseño ” his heroism were a movie script, you would President Ronald Reagan awarded him the strike of the United Farm Workers Association, not believe it.” Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984. which received national attention in 1966. INSPIRATION FOR THE NORTHLINE TRANSIT Carlos C. Cadena Olga Y. Soliz George I. Sánchez CENTER/HCC STATION JUDGE EDUCATION TRAILBLAZER EDUCATION ACTIVIST Carlos C. Cadena was a Mexican-American Olga Soliz was a volunteer and businesswoman George Isidore Sánchez was an education Artist Rolando Briseño’s station design lawyer, civil rights activist, teacher and who dedicated her life to worthy causes pioneer, a civil rights activist and an author. He honors local Tejano heroes chosen by the judge based in San Antonio. His work in the and effecting positive social change for women held several positions at the University of Texas community for their contribution to the landmark 1954 Hernández v. Texas case helped and minorities. She was active in the American from 1940 until his death. Dr. Sánchez served culture of Houston and Texas. The design end the systematic exclusion of Hispanics Leadership Forum, Hispanic Women in Leadership, as president of LULAC from 1941 to 1942. He incorporates abstracted elements from from jury service in Jackson County. Cadena LULAC Council 643, the Houston Area Women’s championed equal educational opportunities for the Mission Revival architectural style, became the first Mexican-American associate Center and the Houston Hispanic Forum. A Mexican-American students throughout his career. In such as filigree, in celebration of cherished justice for the 4th Court of Appeals in 1965 University of Houston graduate, Soliz was one 1982, the National Education Association sponsored Tejano aesthetics. and became the court’s chief justice in 1977, of the first Hispanic women to start a Northside the George I. Sánchez Memorial Award, which a position he held until his retirement in 1990. business, Olga Soliz & Associates, an accounting recognized him as the “father of the movement and bookkeeping firm on North Main. for quality education for Mexican Americans.” ABOUT THE ARTIST Born and still working in San Antonio, José M. Lopez Lorenzo De Zavala Theodore W. Berenson Rolando Briseño received his MFA at Columbia WORLD WAR II MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS FOUNDER AND DEVELOPER OF NORTHLINE MALL University. His public art projects include José Mendoza Lopez was a boxer who fought Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sáenz Theodore W. Berenson was a pioneering real installations at Houston Intercontinental Airport under the name Kid Mendoza in the 1920s, but was a 19th century Mexican politician and estate developer and advocate for minority and other airports throughout Texas and across was most remembered for being a US Army author. He served as finance minister under contractors. He helped develop Houston’s the country. Briseno’s work is shown in major soldier who served during World War II. In President Vicente Guerrero. A colonizer Gulfgate and Northline malls. In 1963, Northline’s museums and private collections in the US, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented and statesman, Zavala served as Interim 800,000 square feet made it the largest enclosed, him with the Medal of Honor for valor in Vice President of the Republic of Texas air-conditioned mall in the southeast and one of Europe and Latin America. combat for his heroic actions during the under Interim President David G. Burnet. the largest in the country. Berenson also served on Battle of the Bulge. Lopez had almost single- Zavala dedicated his book, Journey to the President’s Commission of Government Contracts handedly turned away a German infantry the United States of North America, to and helped the Eisenhower administration better attack, killing at least 100 enemy troops. “hard-working, active, reflective, circumspect, serve the interests of minority contractors religious” Mexicans. bidding for government contracts. James DeAnda A. John Castillo Gustavo C. Garcia FEDERAL JUDGE CIVIC LEADER CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY James DeAnda was an American attorney A. John Castillo was a railroad car inspector and Gustavo “Gus” C. Garcia was a Mexican-American and US federal judge known for his defense a community leader dedicated to helping elect civil rights attorney. Garcia was best known of Hispanic civil rights. A Marine during pro-Hispanic candidates to Harris County public for being instrumental in the landmark World War II, DeAnda served as a plaintiff’s office. Castillo was a founding member of the Hernández v. Texas case that ended systematic attorney in the landmark Hernández v. Texas Hispanic Caucus, Harris County PASO, serving as exclusion of Hispanics from jury service in case that ended discrimination against Hispanic vice chairman in 1964. He served as director for Jackson County. As a result of the trial, he and COMMUNITY SPIRIT jurors in Jackson County. President Jimmy Carter LULAC Council 60, United Fund, Fiestas Patrias fellow attorneys effectively put an end to the appointed DeAnda to serve as chief judge and Wesley Community House, and was the 25-year-old practice that had kept anyone of COMES TO LIFE on the United States District Court for the Democratic Party precinct judge for precinct Mexican ancestry from serving on juries in Southern District of Texas, a position he held 46, the largest Mexican-American precinct at more than 70 Texas counties. until his retirement in 1992. the time, from 1966 to 1986. THROUGH Raúl C. Martinez John J. Herrera Maria T. Reyna CONSTABLE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADER ATTORNEY AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST ENTREPRENEUR AND CIVIC LEADER Raúl C. Martinez was a civic leader and the John J. Herrera was a leading civil rights Maria T. Reyna was a Mexican-American ARTS IN first uniformed Mexican American in the advocate for Mexican Americans in Texas. He journalist, businesswoman and civic leader. She Houston Police Department. He served in the practiced law for five decades in Houston, organized community celebrations and donated US Army in World War II and entered the police participating in cases that ended separate schools her time and services to an exhaustive list of TRANSIT academy in 1950, eventually rising to the for Mexican-American children and the systematic charities. She opened Reyna’s Florist in 1947, position of Harris County Constable. His family exclusion of Spanish-speaking citizens from juries. realizing a lifelong dream. Her contributions describes him as a Tejano, a Mexican Texan He also protested employment discrimination to the community earned her recognition METRO created Arts in Transit to celebrate the cultural and artistic and a proud American. On service, he once said, for Mexican Americans in Houston shipyards from several Houston mayors and the Houston diversity of the vibrant communities along the new light-rail lines. “Our dues have been higher than most, and we during World War II. Herrera held several posts Mexican American Chamber of Commerce. Her This project enlists the talents of 14 local artists and artist teams, as will continue to pay them and preserve in LULAC, including national president and success in business earned her the nickname well as community residents and art experts who are transforming our colorful heritage.” national legal counsel, beginning in 1933. La Reina de los Flores, or Queen of the Flowers. individual stations into meaningful artistic showcases, proud reflections of the neighborhoods they serve. Susie Sepulveda Lydia Mendoza Felix Tijerina BUSINESS OWNER AND PHILANTHROPIST MUSICAL LEGEND ENTREPRENEUR AND CIVIC LEADER Susie Sepulveda was a successful Lydia Mendoza was a guitarist and singer Felix Tijerina was a highly successful businesswoman known for her kindness and better known as La Alondra de la Frontera, Mexican-American restaurant owner, civic generosity to the underprivileged. She and or Lark of the Border. Her Spanish-language leader and champion of education for her husband opened a grocery store at Hardy songs of lost love, hard work and the joys of underprivileged Mexican-American children. and Providence in 1944, where they offered everyday life gave a voice to working-class In the late 1950s, Tijerina sponsored the groceries and credit to many people in need. people on both sides of the Texas-Mexico “Little School of the 400,” which taught Sepulveda was a member of several Hispanic border.