No sooner does one holiday season end, in fact, then he starts planning his next Christmas party/toy drive down on San Antonio’s South Side. The event, the senator’s annual gift to the community, has been brightening yuletide for some 13 years now. A big, fun-loving crowd always shows up at VFW Post 9186—most recently more than 1,200 attended, the largest number ever.
But the party isn’t just for fun. Each attendee has to bring a gift—the price of admission—to be delivered to agencies serving needy District 19 children. And Senator Santa proudly reports that in excess of 1,000 toys went into the bag for 2009 and over the years, more than 10,000 toys have been collected.
It’s a very good cause and a very welcome gesture. District 19 is the second poorest state senate district in Texas, according to Uresti, and in these tough times even a toy or two can make things brighter and encourage hard- pressed parents trying to provide for their kids. Of course, delivering the gifts takes time and is a lot of work. But for the senator, traveling to places like Eagle Pass and Del Rio and seeing little kids’ eyes light up is one of the best parts of his job as a public servant.
The road to becoming a public servant opened up in 1997 with a special election to the Texas House of Representatives. Uresti served in the House for nine years and was chairman of the Committee on Human Services during the 78th Legislature and the Committee on Government Reform in the 79th Legislature. Riding on his reputation as an outspoken advocate for children, seniors and veterans, he was elected to the Texas Senate in 2006. Ever since, his reputation as a fighter against injustice has grown. And he takes pride in being a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.
His voice resounded in San Antonio when the tragedy of little Jovonie Ochoa, starved and neglected by his family, shook the community to the core. “It was our wakeup call,” Uresti declares. “It warned us that if action wasn’t taken, innocent children would continue to be abused and die.”
He crusaded to bring civic leaders and agencies together with a commitment to never let such a tragedy happen again. The resulting Bexar County Blue Ribbon Task Force, a coalition of organizations and volunteers to advocate for children, is generally considered a landmark achievement and it provided impetus for an even more far-reaching initiative: a statewide Blue Ribbon Task Force.
This state initiative came to fruition during the 81st Texas Legislature when Senate Bill 2080, passed by Senator Uresti, created a nine-member body to develop a strategic plan to combat child abuse and improve the child welfare system. It ensures that the organizations throughout Texas responsible for children will get a top-to-bottom review of policies, procedures and resources.
“The new task force will open a whole new front in the war against child abuse and neglect,” Uresti declared at the time. “It provides a fantastic opportunity to take a step back and look critically at how the state is addressing this problem. We need to know what we’re doing right, but even more importantly, we must know what isn’t working and fix it.”
Uresti added that all connected with the Bexar County Task Force should be proud of laying the groundwork for the state initiative. Furthermore, he noted, if all goes as planned, Texas could well lead the way to a safer, better era for at-risk youngsters across the country with a blueprint against abuse that could be followed nationwide.
And that, of course, brings up the big question: Is the senator contemplating running for national office?
“If the opportunity arises at some point, well, I might welcome the chance,” he muses. “Yes, you can safely say it’s something I’m thinking seriously about.”
Certainly, if Uresti does decide to make the move, his ability to reach across political lines will be in his favor. State legislative colleagues praise his abilities to affect compromise.
Senator Jeff Wentworth, a Republican representing Texas District 25, admires the way Uresti works in a bipartisan way in the interest and for the benefit of his constituents. Senator Eliot Shapleigh, a Democrat from District 29, praises Uresti’s common touch.
“Carlos has a big heart to go with a big district,”
Shapleigh says. “Over the years I have watched his work up close. From foster kids to CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program); from school kids to kids in the juvenile justice system, he works every day to make lives better.”
Local attorney Bobby Maldonado, a longtime associate, emphasizes that concern for the people isn’t just a political ploy. “Carlos is a sincerely generous, loyal and compassionate individual and the best friend anyone could have,” Maldonado declares. “Whenever he sees injustices, he wants to set things right.”
Uresti believes it was always at the back of his mind to get into politics and work to right the wrongs in society. Even back in high school days he was telling classmates that someday he’d be a senator. The eagerness to serve probably can be traced to the influence of his home neighborhood on San Antonio’s South Side where he saw plenty of people struggling against poverty. And it can be traced to his parents, Alberto and Rachel Uresti, who told him to never forget where he came from. The senator says those words guide him every day.
“Senator Uresti remembers his roots and understands the problems,” points out Cam Messina, executive director of Voices for Children and a board member of the Bexar County Blue Ribbon Task Force. “The senator realizes that we must get to fragile families before bad things happen. Prevention is the only way to really conquer abuse—and it’s going to take more funding for Child Protective Services in order to do the job. It’s got to be a legislative priority.”
The next legislative session in the Texas state Capitol is in 2011. Between now and then, Senator Uresti faces a primary (in March) and then a general election. It could be grueling. Fortunately, he likes the process. Yet, much as he enjoys campaigning, there are drawbacks to life in the public eye. Problems that should be private become public fodder, rumors get going and your family lives under a microscope.
“I guess it goes with the territory,” he reflects philosophically. “But I’ve had my share of run-ins with this and it can be rough at times.”
Most of the time, though, he sees politics as exciting and energizing. And his list of accomplishments is enviable, including the authoring, co-authoring and sponsorship of numerous bills in both the Texas House and Senate. A few career highlights:
--He helped to successfully ensure the privacy of veterans’ service records following discharge from the military
--He was instrumental in establishing the Silver Alert system to track missing seniors.
--He was responsible for economic incentives to attract industrial and manufacturing growth to San Antonio, including Toyota and Boeing.
--He led the drive to get authorization and funding for the Texas A&M University campus in San Antonio.
Down at VFW Post 9186, where he’s a lifetime member, folks do a lot of bragging about the senator’s impressive record. After all, he’s one of their own, a man who firmly believes in the Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fidelis,” which means always faithful to God, country, the Corps and family.
He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps at age 18, not long after graduating from McCollum High School, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and a teaching certificate from St. Mary’s University. Commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant, he rose to the rank of captain, and then graduated from St. Mary’s School of Law in 1992.
A busy attorney, the senator is on the go almost constantly, striving to keep up with his demanding law career and carry a heavy political load as well. To relax he enjoys sports and going to Spurs games. Whenever possible, he also tries to spend quality time with his sons, Michael, 26, and Carlos Jr., 23, noting that of all the rewards that have come his way, the greatest has been raising these two fine sons to adulthood.
Now, there’s Baby Benjamin. Uresti is a young granddad at age 46. The senator says his fondest wish is to see the new addition to the Uresti clan grow up in an atmosphere of love and kindness and have the chance to make the world a better place. Indeed, this is his wish for all children.
Little Jovonie Ochoa, who died at 4 years old on a Christmas Day never had the chance to achieve his potential, Uresti reflects with a catch in his voice.
“We must honor Jovonie’s memory, not just with a bill and good intentions but with action,” he says. “I’m committed to carrying on the crusade.”
