【時報訊】密蘇里州社會福利協會聖路易分會，於五月二十八日年會中，頒發立法服務獎予大學城華埠州議員Maria Chappelle-Nadal，表彰她在密州州議會為社會福利立法所做的奉獻與努力，該協會表示，Maria州議員持續不懈的在州議會為社會福利及司法正義發聲，是一位主持社會公義的英雄。
六月三日上午10時15分，身為民主黨超級黨代表的州議員Maria在大學城高中舉辦記者招待會，宣佈支持奧巴馬(Barack Obama)競選總統，她的這項宣佈使得奧巴馬獲得足夠的黨代表支持，篤定贏得民主黨提名，競選2008年美國總統。
Maria州議員表示，上周末她收到超過500封以上來自選民的電子郵件及電話，支持奧巴馬或希拉蕊。有人要她支持女性希拉蕊，有人叫她支持黑人奧巴馬，祖籍為波多黎各的Maria說「性別、族裔都不能影響我的決定」，最後讓她作出支持奧巴馬決定的原因是「奧巴馬的熱情和意志力，激勵出年青人追求改變的力量」。
今年33歲的Maria州議員是密蘇里州最年輕的民主黨超級黨代表(Superdelegate).
MASW Recognized Heroes for Social JusticeLegislative Service Award: Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal
The St. Louis Chapter of Missouri Association for Social Welfare (MASW) recognized several heroes in the struggle for social justice at its very successful Annual Dinner this week (May 28) at the Favazza's on the Hill. Second-term State Representative Maria Chappelle-Nadal was honored with the chapter's Legislative Service Award.
Rep. Chappelle-Nadal is one of the most consistent and insistent voices for social justice in the Missouri General Assembly. In her remarks she said she was humbled and genuinely honored, and would prominently display her plaque in her Capitol office.
In other business, new members were elected to the Chapter Board. Among them is a former legislator who was a long-time leader for social justice in the Capitol, former State Senator Pat Dougherty. First elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1978, Dougherty served there until 2001, when he went to the State Senate; term limits forced him from the legislature at the end of 2004. He continues his work on behalf of the common good as Senior Director of Advocacy for Catholic Charities of St. Louis. |
