2024 Texas Legacy Award
October 29, 2024 | 6 p.m. | Austin Central Library
A night of celebration, cocktails, and community
For 24 years, the Legacy Award has uplifted extraordinary Texans who ensure our state is truly a place for every Texan.
Marisol Resendez
For more than 18 years, Marisol Resendez has been a noteworthy leader in the health care space. As the executive director at El Milagro Clinic, Resendez is a key player in providing the Rio Grande Valley’s uninsured population with access to life-saving, comprehensive health care.
The El Milagro Clinic offers onsite primary health care, mental health counseling, and health education to McAllen’s and the Rio Grande Valley’s most vulnerable populations. In 2021, Marisol was honored by the Rotary Club of Mission with the Outstanding Service Award for her commitment to quality health access for all vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mercedes Bristol
As founder and executive director of Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Mercedes Bristol is a leading advocate for greater kingship resources and communication at the city, state, and federal levels.
Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, Bristol’s grandparenting journey began in 2011 when she adopted five of her grandchildren and quickly realized there was a gap in information and resources for kinship caregivers. For the last 13 years, Mercedes has remained an active organizer and leader in the state, testifying in two legislative bills that passed in favor of Texas kinship caregivers. She’s a proud mother of 2, grandmother of 11, and great-grandmother to 4.
Ruben Garcia
Ruben Garcia is the director of Annunciation House, a nonprofit shelter system, Ruben Garcia has welcomed migrants and refugees arriving in El Paso, Texas with food, shelter, and social assistance for nearly 50 years.
Rooted in Catholic social teaching, the volunteers of Annunciation House live simply and in community, in the same houses as the guests they serve, who are mostly from Mexico and Central America. Ruben is a national leader in advocacy and education for immigration policy and programs, with presidents, mayors, and government agencies seeking his expertise gained through a lifetime of service at Annunciation House, where his team has hosted 500,000 migrants, refugees, and immigrants from over 40 countries.
Honoring Representative Garnet Coleman
Thank you for joining Every Texan in honoring Rep. Garnet Coleman for his strong advocacy, persistent vision, and deep care for everyday Texans.
Every Texan is honored to announce Representative Garnet Coleman as the 2022 Legacy Award recipient. Now more than ever, our state needs champions for policy priorities that keep Texans healthy and safe. Rep. Coleman’s lifetime of service has directly improved the lives and livelihoods of Texans who need it the most. We’re humbled by his wisdom, mentorship, and perseverance to expand equity and opportunity in our state.
Rep. Coleman’s most significant legislative accomplishments include joint-authoring legislation to simplify access to Medicaid for more than 600,000 Texas children who were eligible for the program but were not enrolled because of undue barriers. He also introduced a constitutional amendment in 2016 to end Texas’ ban on gay marriage, allowing LGBTQ+ Texans the freedom to marry or enter into a civil union. In 2020, Rep. Coleman authored the Sandra Bland Act, which includes improvements in mental health care, better data collection, jail diversion, officer de-escalation training, and improvements in the process to make an officer-related complaint.
Every Texan presented Rep. Coleman with the Legacy Award on October 12, 2022 at 5:30pm at the Austin Central Library (701 West Cesar Chavez St, Austin Texas). Stay tuned for a link to view the ceremony in full!
Every Texan’s 2022 Future of Texas Award
Each year, Every Texan honors an extraordinary leader whose work has made a significant and demonstrable impact that improves the lives of Texans of all backgrounds.
The Future of Texas Award includes a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit organization of the honoree’s choosing. Every Texan formally presented the award during an in-person reception on Wednesday, October 12 at the Austin Central Public Library.
What You Missed
In 2023, Every Texan honored three exceptional leaders — a first in the award’s 23-year history — and welcomed them into a distinguished line of Legacy Award recipients.
Support the Occasion
Please consider making a gift to support Every Texan’s critical mission in honor of these trailblazing Texans.
For questions, please contact Every Texan’s Community Philanthropy team at philanthropy@everytexan.org.
Future of Texas Nominations Now Open!
Since 2014, The Future of Texas Award has honored an extraordinary young leader whose work has made a significant and demonstrable impact that improves the lives of Texans. We value leaders working in a variety of settings– from the Capitol, the community, the classroom, and everywhere in between.
Your Support Makes a Difference
For almost 38 years, Every Texan has worked to strengthen public policy and advance equity and opportunity for Texans of all backgrounds. Our people-centered vision to achieve a state where every Texan thrives is only possible through your generous support for our work.