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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E949-E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE MEMORY OF MANUEL ``MEMO'' CAVADA
______
HON. JUAN VARGAS
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, October 9, 2020
Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Manuel ``Memo''
Cavada, community leader, artist, and Purple Heart recipient, who
passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at the age of 76.
Memo was born in National City, CA in 1944. He attended and graduated
from Kimball Elementary School, National City Junior High, and
Sweetwater High School. He later graduated from Sacramento City College
and the Glen Fishback School of Photography.
Memo served honorably in the United States Air Force for four years
as a Crew Chief for 552nd Air Force Squadron in Sacramento, CA. He was
a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal, and numerous other medals, for
being wounded in action during the Vietnam War.
Among his many accomplishments, Memo was the lead photographer of
``100 Portraits, Pioneers, Visionaries & Role Models,'' a 1994
collaborative, travelling photographic exhibit and book (published in
2001) that highlighted the contributions of San Diego's Mexican-
American community. He recruited nine other Latino photographers to
work on this project.
During a ten-year period, Memo travelled with a backpack and his
camera gear and visited numerous villages in Mexico to capture the
Mexican culture and its people. The beautiful exhibit was also
displayed at the State Capitol for a month.
As a community leader, Memo owned and operated Creative Images
Photography Studio in National City, CA for over 45 years, and he
taught photography at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.
One of Memo's most honorable accomplishments was that he developed
one of the first programs for the prevention of alcohol abuse among the
youth in the community. The program used puppetry, as a revolutionary
form of entertainment, to convey the message of health issues to the
children of the National School District in National City, CA.
Additionally, Memo served Sweetwater High School for 25 years as a
resident photographer. Along with working on the school yearbook, he
devoted his time to career counseling high school seniors. At the
average of 600 seniors per year for 25 years, Memo served 15,000
Sweetwater High School students.
In 2012, the National City Chamber of Commerce honored Memo as the
volunteer of the year, and he was recognized not only for his service
to the organization, but also for his contributions to helping others
succeed in business and community affairs.
In 2015, Memo was honored as a ``Latino Champion'' by the San Diego
Union Tribune. He shared the stage with two other honorees, Roberto
Pozos and Daniel Hernandez, two of his dear friends and community
activists.
[[Page E950]]
Memo will be remembered for his long history of selfless commitment
and service to the community. He is survived by his three children,
Stephanie, Jennifer, and Martin.
For his contributions to the community and for his countless
achievements, I would like to honor Manuel ``Memo'' Cavada and his
family.