The 87th Annual Texas NAACP Conference & Hero Award Recognition: A Personal Update by Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.

87th Annual NAACP
Conference
Magazine

Write-up in the NAACP
Conference Magazine

Friends,

I have a lot going on at the home front at this moment. The short of it is that I have a rare form of face cancer and am focused on my health but also happy to report some good news.

Note: Feel free to visit me on my Instagram page @vlnzl for specifics.

This past weekend, I had the great privilege of attending and presenting at the 87th annual NAACP Conference in Corpus Christi, where I was honored with the organization's highest accolade, the Hero Award. I shared this distinction with the esteemed Robert Notzon, Distinguished Attorney and Chair of the Texas NAACP Legal Redress Committee.

This is in recognition of my co-founding, along with NAACP President Gary Bledsoe of Black Brown Dialogues on Policy together with my years of dedication and mentoring of students to be agents of change in the Texas State Legislature and the Texas State Board of Education. I am so deeply humbled and honored to receive this recognition.

With keynote addresses from Congressional Gold Medalists' Nathanial (Nate) Briggs—whose family's case, Briggs vs. Elliott of Brown v. Board of Education fame—and Dr. Terrence Roberts, a member of the Little Rock Nine, it was so powerful and humbling to learn about how vulnerable communities sacrificed so much for a more equitable education. Both of their presentations inspire the thought that what may often seem like "little" acts by isolated communities can escalate into course-changing directions for our country in ways that are beneficial to all. 

A special thanks to NAACP President Gary Bledsoe and Alberta Bledsoe for their outstanding leadership. Alberta chaired this year's conference. The team consisted of Sherley Spears (vice-chair), Members Linda Lewis, Carol Moore, Jeremy Coleman, Shevann Steuben, Skylahr Mimms (youth chair), and advisory members Hopeton Hay, Clyde Lemon and Casey Thomas. Congratulations to all for an outstanding conference.

Here are a few conference photos. My heart is full. 💗

UT-Austin students, Dr. Zamora & me

 
Alberta Bledsoe, 

Emilio & Me

I am soon exiting what the doctors call the “honeymoon phase” of my treatment. This period varies for each individual but typically lasts until the third or fourth week, after which there's often a noticeable shift into a more challenging stage. I'm already experiencing moderate side effects. 

Thankfully, my cancer was detected early, and the doctors are using the word "cure," for which I am incredibly grateful. I so look forward to being well.

Next weekend, I will be receiving another major honor—a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE). I'm disappointed that I won't be able to attend this year's conference due to my health concerns as I enter the fourth week of treatment. I submitted a recorded acceptance message that I hope to share on Friday when I was supposed to have received it.

My receiving the Hero Award
yesterday PM

I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my husband, Emilio Zamora, the love of my life, who has stood by me throughout this journey. His calm strength and resilience mean the world to me.

I am also super grateful to the support of my chair, Dr. Pedro Reyes, and the staff, students, and faculty in my home department of Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP), as well as to College of Education Dean Charles Martinez, for his support in my hour of need.

I returned home from Corpus Christi this evening to these beautiful flowers from my department. Check out the cool t-shirt I'm wearing that I picked up at the NAACP Conference.

I miss everybody, too, and am so appreciative of their love and care. I will most definitely need your good thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks as I've shared. As you can perhaps sense from the photos, they're already working! 

Life is good. 😊🙏😊

-Angela Valenzuela