WHEREAS Las Vegas, NM is a Historically Hispano community that has attained Legendary Hispano Historical Significance and Status whose Legacy and Heritage spans centuries; and

WHEREAS Las Vegas, NM has produced many Hispano leaders in all areas of education, employment, economic development, culture and civil rights including Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, Artisans, Musicians, Authors, Poets, Explorers, Military Leaders, Political Leaders, Business Leaders, Ranchers, Farmers, Civil Rights Leaders; and

WHEREAS New Mexico’s first Hispano Governor Don Ezequiel de Baca was elected Governor of the State of New Mexico in 1916. He was born and raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico and was a champion for Hispanos in education, employment, business and civil rights; and

WHEREAS Governor Octavio Ambrosio Larrazolo is often regarded as “New Mexico’s Greatest Governor” was elected Governor of New Mexico in 1918 and served until 1920. Governor Larrazolo lived in Old Town West Las Vegas while he served as Governor of New Mexico and was publicly known as the “Silver Tongued Orator” because he was so eloquent when he spoke. Among his many great accomplishments, Governor Larrazolo is the man that wrote in the New Mexico Constitution that English and Spanish will be treated and accepted with “Perfect Equality.” New Mexico is distinguished by this fact and is the only State in the country with this particular language written into our State Constitution. Governor Larrazolo was one of the first governors in the country to publicly fight for the Women’s Suffrage Act which passed in 1921 ultimately giving women the right to vote; and

WHEREAS, in 1971 West Las Vegas native Dr. Francisco Angel was named President of New Mexico Highlands University, making him the first Hispano President of a four-year college or university in the United States; and

WHEREAS Dr. Miguel Encinias is the only Hispano pilot in the United States and one of only five pilots in the history of the United States to have flown various flighter jets through three different wars – World War II, the Korean War and the VietNam War; and

WHEREAS the Hispanic Statement of Cooperation (HSOC) is the largest and most comprehensive Partnership Agreement in the history of New Mexico addressing education, employment, economic development, cultural involvement and civil rights as initiated, negotiated, authored and executed by Hispano leader, civil rights advocate and Las Vegas native Mr. Ralph Arellanes; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by New Mexico LULAC that we officially acknowledge at our State LULAC Convention held in Silver City, NM on April 25th- April 2th and at our National LULAC Convention in Washington, DC from July 7th – July 12th that Las Vegas, NM and particularly, West Las Vegas shall be acknowledged as a Historically Hispano community that has attained Legendary Hispano Historical Significance and Status whose Legacy and Heritage spans centuries.

Approved this 11th day of July 2008.
Rosa Rosales
LULAC National President