Tomorrow, Congressman Reyes (D-TX) will join Representative Eddie Holguin for a park dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting at 2:00 p.m. at 520 South Side Rd in honor of Army Specialist Adrian Garcia.

“This park represents the unwavering support from the El Paso community for Adrian and his family,” said Congressman Reyes. “We cannot thank Adrian enough for the service and sacrifices he has made protecting and serving our country.”

During his first deployment, Spc. Garcia lost his legs during a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack in Ramadi, Iraq in March 2007. Spc. Garcia is now medically retired from the Army.

Last month, Congressman Reyes took part in the Home for Our Troops project for Spc. Garcia that provided him with a specially-adapted barrier free home for his commitment and sacrifices to the nation.

Spc. Garcia grew up in El Paso's lower valley directly across the street from the new park and after his return from Iraq before the completion of the home built by the Home for Our Troops project.

The event was held June 29 in Washington, D.C.

Gutierrez, 33, is a graduate of Princeton University and has a master's degree in public and international affairs. He shared some post-White House meeting impressions with the El Paso Times.

Q What expectations did you have after accepting the invitation from the White House?

A This invitation was an opportunity to expand on the stories of our communities, from the great work El Paso is undergoing to revitalize Downtown to the importance of fair and inclusive treatment of all communities, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

This awe-inspiring invitation was in many ways an extension of what I do everyday, working to share the stories of real people, to amplify their voices in what we see and hear on television, newspapers and magazines, radio, and now online. What you read or hear about in the news conversations in the office, in restaurants and living rooms. This conversation was no different.

I hoped to join with our nation's top leaders to have a frank discussion about what the administration plans in terms of promoting LGBT equality. I wanted to be reinspired and assured that our president remains committed to full equality for all Americans, including LGBT families and their children.

Q What was the meeting like?

A It was surreal. It likely will be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. From the surprisingly modest decor of the White House to the smells of historical furniture, books and portraits, you could feel its history and the legacies or our nation's greatest presidents and their first families.

There is nothing that can prepare you for the firm, quite welcoming handshake of the president. Just having eye contact for a few seconds felt as if time stood still, and for the moment I had the attention of the most important leader in the free world.

I am more committed to spend my days with hard-working people and their families to give voice to their message and create opportunities for media to cover their life-changing stories.

From community leaders to students helping to combat anti-gay bullying in schools, the room was energized with a firm commitment from President Obama that his work is not done, and that his commitment to the LGBT community is stronger than ever.

Q What were you led to believe was the purpose of the gathering?

A In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, the administration had invited a snapshot of the members of the LGBT community from across the country to discuss the future of LGBT equality in the U.S. In many ways, it served as a venue for the president to share this blueprint to move forward on LGBT civil rights. This was an opportunity to exchange ideas, and share the lives of our communities with one clear message, one story at a time. It was a forum in many ways to convey the message that our community deserves the same things all Americans do -- that is, to have good jobs, take care of our families, and in the spirit of this country, to find ways to help and serve others.

Q What specific things are you hoping that the federal government will do for the LGBT community?

A I wanted to hear what steps are being taken to stop enforcing discriminatory policies, such as the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy. With the recent decision in New York regarding marriage equality, I would one day like to be afforded the same protections and responsibilities of marriage. It is a civil rights issue, and two, loving, committed people should be able to take care of one another and safeguard their families and children. As millions of Americans see and hear stories about LGBT people, change will happen. It may not be overnight, yet as with all things in history, change requires patience, perseverance and a little faith.

There is still much work to be done. Many people can still get fired from their jobs in many states because of whom they love. Children are being bullied and harassed on our playgrounds, and hate-related crimes still occur, even in the safest city in the U.S. In this state, adopting children is almost impossible. When one's partner is in the hospital, if and when they will respect the president's federal mandate to allow one's spouse and partner to be by their side, is still a question.

Q Do you think there was a representative cross-section of the LGBT community present?

A The administration certainly made every effort to invite a snapshot of deeply caring individuals in our communities. I was perhaps among a handful of Latinos that attended the event out of about 150 people, so it was important to make this experience much more than myself. These are real people, in your neighborhoods and in our communities, making a difference. From what I gathered, there remains great trust and commitment that this administration will stand on the right side of equality.

The people that attended the White House gathering came from all walks of life. I am forever humbled that I was able to highlight El Paso as a great city now, and an even better city for all residents in the future.

Q What do you think the meeting accomplished?

A This was one of many conversations President Obama and the administration will continue to have with the LGBT community. It was a reaffirmation that the president has not given up on reaching full equality for the LGBT community, and in many ways the president is not asking for a leap of faith, but a firm commitment to stand by him as his re-election nears and help him continue to fulfill the promises he has made to the American public and create sustainable, fundamental change for all hard-working Americans.

If this was my 15 minutes in the spotlight, then I took every opportunity to talk about our great city, the progress we are making, and the potential that El Paso and our surrounding communities have in terms of improving the overall quality of life in this region.

Q Did President Obama make any commitments related to the LGBT community's concerns?

A The president certainly had some memorable and interesting comments to share with the group.

Here are some memorable quotes from the president:

"I would like to be judged not by the promises I made, but the promises I kept.

"The idea that everyone ought to be treated equally all across the country calls for standing up against discrimination ... (against) parents, children, partners and spouses.

"I delivered on my promise. That doesn't mean our work is done. There will be times you are still frustrated with me. I know there will be times you will be frustrated in the face of change. I understand that. I know I can count on you to let me know.

"The bottom line is I am hopeful. I am hopeful because of the changes we have achieved just in these past two years. Think about it. It's astonishing. Progress in just a few years people would have thought impossible."

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.

Read more on El Paso Times: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_18452163

The first day of the policy conference, held at the White House, will consist of plenary sessions and dynamic breakout sessions designed to provide participants with an opportunity to interact with every participating Administration official. The second day of the policy conference, held primarily at the Department of Health & Human Services, will include an innovative open space dialogue, in which individual participants will have the opportunity to define the agenda and shape the format themselves.

LIVE webcast will be available on www.whitehouse.gov/live.

Today, Congressman Reyes met with Secretary G. Wayne Clough of the Smithsonian museums. They discussed exciting new projects including a new National Museum of the American Latino and exploring a creating a partnership with El Paso.

Congressman Silvestre Reyes released the following statement today in response to Republicans' continued distortions of border violence:

"Speaker Boehner should focus on controlling the level of violence in his own state before tarnishing the image of border communities that remain among the safest places to live in America.  As his office asserts that Congress cannot consider reforming our broken immigration system until border violence is under control, the fact remains that the six largest cities in Ohio all have higher rates of violence and crime than every major city along the U.S.-Mexico border.  In fact, the Speaker's own district in Dayton, Ohio saw more homicides in 2009 and 2010 than Texas' four largest border cities combined, despite the fact that Dayton's population of 141,500 is only about one-tenth of the size by comparison. According to the most recent City Crime Rankings Survey by CQ Press, Ohio's cities have higher rates of violence and crime in every category, including murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft than border communities.

"Tomorrow, President Obama will visit the border region when he speaks in El Paso, the largest border city in Texas and the safest large city in America.  As Republicans continue to distort the facts and use border violence as an excuse to delay immigration reform and disparage the outstanding work of our local, state, and federal law enforcement professionals, I hope the President's visit will help expose Republicans' distorted rhetoric on border violence, and renew the push for much-needed reforms to our immigration system that are long overdue."    

Homicides in Dayton, Ohio and Texas Border Cities

Source: Local Police Departments' Crime Statistics

                          2010 - 2011 City Crime Rankings
                                     CQ Press

Murder Rate (National Rate = 5.0 Murders per 100,000 Population)

Rape Rate (National Rate = 28.7 Rapes per 100,000 Population)

Robbery Rate (National Rate = 133.0 Robberies per 100,000 Population)

Aggravated Assault (National Rate = 262.8 Aggravated Assaults per 100,000 Population)

Burglary (National Rate = 716.3 Burglaries per 100,000 Population)

Motor Vehicle Theft (National Rate = 258.8 Motor Vehicle Thefts per 100,000 Population)

Cities Ranked by Highest Rates of Crime (400 total)