Hi there! My name is Irma Lerma Rangel and I want to tell you about my life.

Hi there!

My name is Irma Lerma Rangel and

I'd like to tell you about my life.

Come along with me!

I was born in Kingsville, Texas in 1931, during the Great Depression. Do you know what the Great Depression was?

Kingsville is named for King Ranch, which is the largest in the whole state- and even the whole country!

Here is a picture of our downtown.

My parents, who were Mexican-Americans, were migrant workers. Do you know what a migrant does?

My parents eventually opened appliance and clothing stores. They were the first to build a house in an all Anglo-American neighborhood.

"They worked hard and said that if we worked hard, we could accomplish anything," Irma once said during an interview.

In 1952, I graduated from Texas A&M and I taught for 14 years in oil camps in Venezuela. Do you know where Venezuela is?

An oil camp is where the family of oil workers live.

In 1966, I decided I wanted to go to law school, so I moved to San Antonio!

I graduated in 1969 and I opened a law office in Kingsville in 1973. I was the first Mexican-American woman to do that!

In 1974, I decided to run for office and I was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1976. I was a representative for 26 years! Here's a picture of me in 1977 when I was in the heading to work in the Legislature.

Do you know what the Legislature is?

I was known in the Legislature for having really fun, colorful outfits.

I used to tease the other fussy Legislators and say things like:

"I have this sweet wonderful bill that you all are going to love so much, So let's just pass it out without talking about it.''

Do you like my hat?