INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY MASS
Events honoring the late civil rights leader Dr. Hector P. Garcia were held across the state of Texas on Wednesday.
Since 2009 the third Wednesday of September has been observed as the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Texas State Recognition Day.
It also falls National Hispanic Heritage Month.
In Corpus Christi, a special mass at Incarnate Word Academy kicked off the day's observances.
Sammie Grunwald, president and CEO of Incarnate Word Academy, says, "One of the things that Dr. Hector P. Garcia said that I always appreciate, he said that education is freedom and freedom is everybody's business so I love that they start their Dr. Hector P. Garcia day at our school and with this beautiful mass."
Dr. Garcia had a special bond with Incarnate Word Academy.
All of his daughters graduated from I.W.A.
The Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation also presented a check for $2,500 to the academy.
The money will be used for tuition to the private school.
AMERICAN G.I. FORUM HONORS DR. GARCIA
The culinary arts building at Del Mar College's Oso Creek campus was filled with the sound of mariachi music in honor of Dr. Garcia.
A G.I. Forum, H.E.B. and Del Mar College hosted a luncheon there to celebrate the official state holiday.
One of the special guests was Cecilia Garcia Akers, one of Dr. Garcia's daughters.
She said, "We are honoring his legacy and memory at Del Mar College. He was instrumental in helping students achieve their educational goals here at a community college in Corpus Christi so it's fitting that we had a nice luncheon here."
The American G.I. Forum was founded by Dr. Hector P. Garcia in 1948.
The organization focuses on veterans issues, education and civil rights.
PRESERVING DR. GARCIA'S LEGACY AT TEXAS A&M CORPUS CHRISTI
The crowning moment of Wednesday's observances was marked by a signing event on the campus of Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Dr. Garcia's daughter, Cecilia Garcia Akers, and TAMUCC president and CEO Kelly Miller, signed a memorandum of understanding that will help preserve Dr. Garcia's legacy on the campus.
The MOU comes with an initial $25,000 donation for the university's new arts and media building.
The donation will help create a permanent display of Dr. Hector P. Garcia's papers.
