Hi, my name is Erika! Today, I want to tell you about the journey of amazing woman. Let's start! Oh, I’ll see you at the end of the book.

This story is about an amazing woman named Irma Rangel. She was the first Tejano elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Rangel had an amazing journey. She was a teacher, a lawyer, and made history in Texas politics

My name is Irma Lerma Rangel. I was born on May 15, 1931 in Kingsville, Texas. I am the youngest of three sisters in my family. 

My family works very hard. My father is a farmer and a merchant, and owns a bar and two barbershops. My mother is a dressmaker, and she has her own shop too. Life is very hard, we are Mexican American, and we are treated different because of our skin color. My father always encourages me to work hard for what I want. I am going to work very hard and not let prejudice limit my goals.

I attended the Mexican Ward Elementary school and graduated from an integrated High School. After graduation, I attended the Texas College of Arts and Industries, where I graduated with a Business in Administration degree and a Teaching Certificate. I worked as a teacher; it was an amazing career.

I worked in Texas, California, and outside of the United State. I went to Caracas, Venezuela. It was a great experience.

On my thirty-fifth birthday, I decided to make a big change in my career. I decided to become a lawyer. I enrolled at St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio and graduated in 1969. I became the first Hispanic female to work as an Assistant District Attorney in Texas. I worked in the Corpus Christi office. In 1973, I returned to Kingsville where I became a partner in the law firm Garcia and Rangel. I was the first Hispanic attorney in Kingsville at the time, and I practiced by myself from 1983 to 1993.

I was a teacher and a lawyer, but I wanted to do something more. In 1974, I became the chairperson of the Kleber County Democratic Party. In 1986, I was encouraged by the Texas Women's Political Caucus to run for the Texas Legislature. I won the race and became the first Mexican American woman in the Texas Legislature!

I chose to stay single and focus on my career in law and politics. I represented the forty-ninth Legislative District, representing Kennedy, Kleberg, Willacy, and Hidalgo counties for twenty-six years.

I had the opportunity to make history. I concentrated on helping minorities and people with fewer advantages. In my first legislative session, I sponsored and passed House Bill 1755 that provided education and employment programs for mothers with dependent children.