LULAC Members Arrive In Bus Of Hope And Action During President Biden’s Visit To Uvalde, Texas

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today issued the following statement from Uvalde, Texas. Dozens of volunteer members aboard the LULAC Bus of Hope and Action arrived carrying flower bouquets and words of consolation for the survivors and afflicted families from this week’s deadly school massacre. The impromptu trip was organized by LULAC leader Hilda Duarte of Grand Prarie, Texas. She said the images and reports from Uvalde since the attack compelled her to gather members from North and Central Texas who quickly expressed interest in being part of the journey coinciding with the visit by President Biden and first lady, Dr. Jill Biden.

Rudy Rosales Jr. - LULAC Texas State Director
“Our presence here is a statement to Texas, the nation, and the world that LULAC stands with our community that had been hit hard again by gun violence. We are respecting all those afflicted during this time of grieving and sorrow and want them to know that LULAC is with them. Also, we are actively forwarding expressions of support for them in the form of donations from throughout the country and Puerto Rico. At the same time, we are not wasting any time in letting Texas lawmakers and Congress know that we will hold them accountable for long-overdue reforms in laws governing access to firearms.”

Texas has had a string of incidents involving the deadly use of firearms during the past several years.

Ft. Hood - November 5, 2009 - 13 killed
Sutherland Springs - November 5, 2017 - 26 killed
Santa Fe - May 18, 2018 - 10 killed
El Paso - August 3, 2019 - 22 killed
Odessa - August 31, 2019 - 7 killed
Uvalde - May 24, 2022 - 21 killed

Sindy Benavides - LULAC National Chief Executive Officer
“LULAC stands with Uvalde families impacted and community at- large. Our message is clear: PUT OUR CHILDREN FIRST! This is a somber and emotional time because there is also a resolve among all of us that this is the moment to take action. LULAC supports the call by the Department of Justice for a full investigation into how law enforcement responded and what lessons can be learned when dealing with an active shooter situation in a school. Similarly, our elected officials must seize this moment to begin a new dialogue setting partisan politics aside. We can and must come together to define how to balance respect for Constitutional rights while also ensuring greater public safety for all men, women, and children. That is the America we seek.”

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/