Garcia elected president, Arrieta elected vice president of Council 4871
The new officers of LULAC Council 4871 are, left to right, Stan Bossler, Zhyla Alvarado, Pepe Johnson, Jesse Garcia and Felix Arrieta.
LULAC Council 4871 passed a resolution at its meeting on Monday, March 25 calling on Congress to pass the Military Readiness Enhancement Act and repeal the "Don’t ask, don’t tell" that prohibits gay and lesbian servicemembers from being open about their orientation.
Council 4871 is the local LGBT council of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and council members Pepe N. Johnson and Felix E. Arrieta, both gay military veterans, said the see the resolution as part of the council’s mission to create dialog between the gay and Hispanic communities. Arrieta served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard, retiring in 2004. Johnson served in the U.S. Army from 2000 until 2003, when he was discharged under "Don’t ask, don’t tell."
From the local council, the resolution will be submitted to the LULAC North Texas District Convention, and later to the Texas State Convention and the National Convention. District Director Coty Rodriguez-Anderson, who was present at the meeting, encouraged the members to present the resolution through all levels of the organization.
Arrieta was elected vice president of the council at this week’s meeting, and Johnson was elected secretary. Other officers elected at the meeting were Jesse Garcia as president, Zhyla Alvarado as treasurer and Stan Bossler as parliamentarian.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition April 4, 2008.