Darren Soto

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Guenet Gittens-Roberts is CEO of GGR Marketing & Public Relations, a company which currently markets and/or produces some of the largest Caribbean Festivals in Orlando including the Caribbean Fusion Festival in Kissimmee, the Orlando Carnival Downtown, and the Caribbean American Heritage Month Festival. She is responsible for developing and directing their communication strategy while also managing the agency's outreach to the advertising, charitable, and business communities. GGR Marketing & Public Relations was formed to develop and execute programs aimed at reaching multicultural communities and niche markets utilizing an effective mixture of relationship marketing, event marketing, and branding through social media and traditional media sources. They offer a broad range of services that include marketing, public relations, branding, special event planning and management, sponsorship and fundraising, business development, and media relations. Gittens-Roberts is also the publisher of Caribbean American Passport News Magazine, the largest and only Caribbean owned Statewide Newspaper in Florida. Caribbean American Passport is heading into its 10th year in September and covers the people of the English, French and Spanish communities in Florida. Through their publishing arm, they were responsible for the publication of Mision Boricua, a Spanish publication designed to raise awareness for the Puerto Rican community to vote in the 2016 election. As an active member of the community, Gittens-Roberts serves as President of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce. She also served as the vice president of the Central Florida Association of Black Journalists and vice president of the Guyanese American Cultural Association of Central Florida in addition to being actively involved in Greater Orlando Cares and United Foundation of Central Florida, two organizations focused on youth mentoring programs.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Juan has invested 19 years working in the HIV arena. In 2001, he promised his partner, who was dying from AIDS, that he would devote his life to helping individuals infected with HIV and to eradicating the disease. In 2016, under the guidance and direction of Dr. Roberto Ortiz, Juan started Bliss CARES, a nonprofit organization in Orlando. The mission of Bliss CARES is to save lives by treating and preventing the spread of HIV, Hepatitis and STD's. They strive to serve every person who walks through their doors, regardless of ability to pay. Bliss CARES has provided FREE HIV, STD and Hepatitis testing and services to more than 1987 clients and has spent over $1.8 million on their much-needed medical care. While leading a caring, and results driven team, Juan has created 5 lifesaving programs for Central Florida. These include: TRANSformation, a 7-part conversational educational program to assist the Transgender community and sponsors name changes for transgender persons interested in the process; Sweet Dreams Emergency Housing, an innovative program created to help Transgender individuals have a safe place to sleep that includes services for mental health counseling and substance abuse; the Bliss Health Insurance Subsidy Program, which grants lifesaving medical care to STD positive individuals without insurance and the Bridge Program, which provides access to medical care, treatment, mental health, laboratory tests, vaccines, transportation, and grants copay assistance for medications and doctor's visits. The program was designed to provide comprehensive medical care to the uninsured and underinsured populations who have a STD or need preventive care. Last, but not least, Juan's nonprofit grants free access to the PrEP and PEP-Program, one designed to provide immediate care for all individuals who believe they may have been exposed to the HIV virus. This program prevents HIV from entering the blood stream, thus reducing HIV cases in Central Florida.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Romiald Oscar is the founder of Sunshine Services Group, a financial and consulting firm serving Polk County since 2011. Romiald is an accountant and consultant at the firm, where he works directly with individuals to examine the accuracy of financial statements and review financial records for tax filing; he also documents business financial transactions and compiles the necessary information to prepare entries for the company accounts. Romiald provides short term emergency loans to the people in his community such as cash advance and payday loans. He also assists them with immigration services and processing since Polk County has a large immigrant community that includes Haitians, St. Lucians, Jamaicans, Mexicans and others. Romiald successfully sustains over 9 years in providing services to Polk County. As a leader, Romiald always stands with his community. He would volunteer to assist and help the people with various issues and concerns. He networks, seeks resources, and spots talents as he promotes his rich and colorful Haitian culture on Haitian holidays and especially on Haitian Flag day. Romiald has served as the president of the Haitian Association of Polk County since 2018 and contributes to several educational radio stations such as Radio Kalalou, Radio Tonmtonm Internationale, and Voix Communaute Haitienne to inform, educate, and advise his community throughout Polk County and beyond. Romiald has a very strong academic background. He completed his courses in pursuit of a Doctorate of Business Administration in Finance and is currently working on his dissertation from Walden University. He holds both an MBA in Accounting and bachelor's degree in Government from Liberty University, where he took part in the Student Government Association and other social activities. Romiald Oscar is a respected and well-known name amongst the Polk County, Florida. He is a powerful voice in the community and will continue blazing a trail for the progress of the people in professional settings.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Ashley Figueroa is an award winning leader in social services and a proud Trans Latina American Woman. Among her chosen advocacy roles, Ashley is the Founder and Executive Director of the Gender Advancement Project (GAP) which focuses on the progression and inclusion of Transgender and Gender Non Binary individuals in Central Florida. Ashley also works with several local and national community based organizations to make a positive impact in today's society. Some of the boards she currently serves on are: TransAction Florida Advisory Council, The Contigo Fund Community Board, the National Network Latin Plus, and the Orlando Trans Collective. In 2019, Ashley was appointed by Mayor Buddy Dyer as the Secretary for the City of Orlando Census Complete Count Committee. That same year, Ashley was honored with the Voice of Equality award by Equality Florida and she was also named one of Watermark's Most Remarkable People of 2019 for her advocacy and leadership with the transgender community of Orlando. Ashley's work has also earned her national recognition. Earlier this year, she was chosen as an honoree of the 41 List for being a Latinx LGBTQ+ role model.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Angus L. Bradshaw is a thriving nonprofit leader serving Central Florida. A native of Central Florida, Mr. Bradshaw graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration at Florida Agriculture & Mechanical University (FAMU) with the help of several scholarships. He began his love for community-oriented care after surviving childhood cancer himself. This experience led Mr. Bradshaw to involve himself in his community through routine volunteerism and philanthropy at the young age of 14. Mr. Bradshaw has been supporting the mission of Miracle of Love, Inc. an HIV service organization in Orlando, FL. since 2002. He became its Executive Director in 2016 and is known for his constant smile and fun- loving, compassionate demeanor. A revered leader in the organization and in the community, Mr. Bradshaw is equally known for his fierce focus on making the mission. He believes it is integral to do so with each employee and each client's self-respect, dignity, and morale intact. Mr. Bradshaw is aware that passion is not always enough, and he continually places himself in the position of a student; learning and applying those lessons to improve services and outcomes for those under his leadership. For this, he is valued by each of his team members and is seen as a community champion with upstanding repute. This has also given him expertise in many other areas; including social services, housing, and fundraising. Angus serves on multiple municipal committees in the Orlando Metropolitan area. These include Vice-Chair of the Membership Committee for Ryan White Part A--Orlando EMA Health Services Planning Council; Executive Committee Member for the Housing Opportunity for People with AIDS Advisory Committee; Equality Florida Board Member; an Executive Planning Committee Member of SMART Ride, the second largest AIDS charity bicycle rides in the U.S.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Tommi Pritchett currently serves as the Director of Development and Kissimmee Program Manager for LGBT+ Center Orlando, Incorporated. She is a native of Central Florida, earned her Bachelor of Arts in English at Rollins College, and has received several certificates from the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. Her journey in public service began in 2010 when she volunteered for a local non-profit organization's booth at the Gay Days Expo. She continued as a volunteer with Paws Care for two years as their marketing and events coordinator; to which she attributes her love of event planning and fundraising. She went on to volunteer and then work for Orlando Fringe, the longest running Fringe festival in the United States, and transitioned to the LGBT+ Center in August 2018. In addition to animals and the LGBTQ+ community, Tommi advocates for the arts, women, and BIPOC, among other underserved and underprivileged communities. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Central Florida Chapter and serves on the board of directors for LoveyLoaves Special Needs Rescue and Sanctuary. She is honored to be recognized as an LGBTQ+ Community Leader in Central Florida and is proud to serve such a diverse and deserving community. She owes much of her success to the mentors she has had along her professional journey, as well as the staff, board, and volunteers at The Center, her family and friends, and the great community leaders she feels privileged to work alongside. When she is not busy with her leadership and advocacy responsibilities, she enjoys spending time with her family, dogs, and recently discovered a passion for hydroponic gardening.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Lloyd Phillips was born in Guyana and relocated to the United States with his parents and siblings in 1969. He completed his high school education in Brooklyn, New York where his quest for higher learning led him to enroll at Brooklyn College. He attained a bachelor's degree in Economics and then went to Long Island University where he graduated with an MBA in Finance. Lloyd worked at Barclays Bank before being hired at the number one investment banking firm, Goldman Sachs & Company, where he worked in the Special Accounts Department. Lloyd subsequently worked his way up to Supervising Manager of the Special Accounts Trading Desk. Lloyd's career at Goldman Sachs ended during an economic downturn and decided to embark on a career change, joining the ranks of the Uniformed Services in New York City. He rose to the rank of Captain before taking an early retirement. With a young but growing family, Lloyd and his wife Delilah decided to relocate to Florida, so that their children can live in an environment better suited to their needs. The family settled in Kissimmee, where Lloyd is currently President of the Caribbean and Floridian Association. He was also the President of the Commonwealth Alliance Association, Vice-President of the Guyanese-American Cultural Association, President of the Guyanese-American Diaspora United, and Vice-President of the Strafford Park Home-Owners Association. He was also appointed as an Educational Resource Ambassador by the University of Guyana, awarded a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, presented by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries for his work with the Guyanese Cultural Association of New York, and recognized by the City Council of New York with a Certificate of Recognition presented by Council Member Mathieu Eugene.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, as the Pride Chamber's Chief Executive Officer, Kellie is a leader of Central Florida's LGBTQ economic equality movement. An award-winning photographer and writer, as well as an insatiable learner, Kellie works tirelessly every day, using her extensive experience in business development and journalism, to make our world a better, more inclusive, and equal place for all humans; and specifically, for her rainbow tribe whom she loves dearly. A puzzle solver, pattern reader, and team builder, Kellie has the ability to see the big picture, understand other viewpoints, and seek new ways and solutions that lead to consensus and action. She has a global perspective and an individual approach. Some of her recent recognitions include the Business Equality Network's National Top 40 LGBTQ Leaders Under 40, Watermark's Most Remarkable People, and the inaugural Chamber Leader of the Year Award by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Under her transformative leadership, the Pride Chamber was honored as Chamber of the Year. Last year she spearheaded the effort that led the City of Orlando and Orange County to be the first in Florida to embrace and recognize LGBT businesses in their procurement processes. Kellie serves on the Orlando Mayor's Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission and volunteers with the Central Florida Freethought Community, a non-profit dedicated to the separation of state and church. In the wake of the Pulse Tragedy, she served on the taskforce to formally establish the One Orlando Alliance, a coalition of non- profits unifying Central Florida's LGBTQ+ community. She believes every moment counts, and that together we can create positive change if we show up, speak out, and act with love, which she strives to do daily for the community at large, and for her family, where she is a proud and fierce mama bear.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Pastor Dr. Rudolph M. Hyde is a native of the Caribbean Island of Jamaica who migrated to the United States of America and attended Polk State College; graduating with a degree in Computer Network Engineering. He was also awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Ministry from Isaiah University. Recognizing and nurturing the anointing and calling upon his life, Pastor Rudolph was ordained as an Elder and has served in various leadership positions throughout the years. His love for ministry led him to start the Faith Temple Apostolic Ministries International church in Eagle Lake, Florida in March 2014, and was ordained as the Pastor. He is supported by his wife Marlene and four children. The church in Eagle Lake is a multi-cultural ministry serving the whole individual regardless of challenges or limitations. He believes there is nothing too difficult for God and believes that a voice in the community is a voice for hope and identity. Through the platform of his ministry, he has opened opportunities to work and help in the community by addressing the needs of the people. Over the years, the ministry has been able to provide food, clothing and funds to the general public through the Feed the People Program. For the last 6 years, the ministry has hosted a free public annual event known as Jamaica Day, bringing Caribbean culture, food and music to the community of Polk County which draws in hundreds of people annually. With his passion for giving back, Pastor Hyde also founded Hyde's Academy in Eagle Lake to provide Computer and CPR training to the general community with the American Heart Association's support. He believes that there is nothing impossible that the human mind cannot accomplish if we work and unite together.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, 4th generation Floridian, Jeremy Thomas Lanier has been a lifelong resident of Osceola County. For decades he has worked with his parents, Tom and Sharon Lanier, in their family antiques store located in the heart of Historic Downtown Kissimmee. Raised with a sense of civic duty, Jeremy is president of the Downtown Business Association of Kissimmee, an organization that both of his parents led at one time, and he also serves as a board member of various community organizations including Kissimmee Main Street, the Osceola County Historical Society, the Opportunity Center, and the Osceola County LGBTA. In 2017 Jeremy began his career in public health at the Florida Department of Health in Osceola County working primarily with HIV patients in the ASPECTS clinic. After graduating with a degree in psychology from Rollins College in Winter Park, Jeremy used his education to successfully counsel both newly diagnosed and long-term HIV survivors and assist them throughout the treatment process. In addition to his counseling position at the health department, he also began working in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program where he manages the medication regimens of over 200 Osceola County clients. Jeremy also manages the ADAP Copay and Premium Assistance program; assisting over 50 clients with the acquisition and management of their insurance acquired through the Healthcare Marketplace. Jeremy also assists in the oversight of the PrEP program through which over 100 clients have been afforded access to pre-exposure prophylaxis. Recently he accepted the position of Public Information Officer at the FDOH- Osceola where he manages media relations, internal and public messaging and public outreach for the health department. Jeremy and his partner Christopher May live in the business district of Historic Downtown Kissimmee where they are active in community organizations and proudly support LGBT causes throughout Osceola County.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, today we mourn the lives of over 100,000 Americans who lost their lives and pray for the recovery of over 1.75 million Americans infected by COVID-19. This represents an unimaginable pain, but the numbers really don't tell the story. I want to take a moment to describe four central Floridians we lost by this pandemic: Rob Carlos, Poinciana, a retired Disney cast member known as Pirate Bob; Dr. Neil Powell, Orlando, an Air Force veteran and dentist who made central Florida smile brighter; Bill Smith of Lake Wales, an electrician who worked on national launchpads and the Magic Kingdom; And Virgilio German of Kissimmee, a retired carpenter, who loved to sing Mexican ballads to his wife, Gigi. These and other stories throughout central Florida will continue to be in our hearts as we do everything we can to get beyond and survive this pandemic.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Mital Hall, PMP, LEED APO+M, has 20 years of experience in sustainable development including working with universities, federal, state, and local governments and businesses. Her expertise lies in strategic planning, policy development, and implementation of programs that focus on high efficiency, low impact building design and operations, impacting over 50 million square feet of space, and through the management of small and multi-million-dollar programs. Mital's ability to synthesize the discipline of professional project management with the multifaceted, stakeholder intensive process of sustainability has led her to success in some of the largest institutions in Florida. As Vice President for ecoPreserve, Mital oversees all programs and strategic direction. Her skill set includes the incorporation of cost- effective and sustainable solutions into organizational structure, policy development, energy efficiency program administration, and much more. She is also responsible for helping to create a company environment that embodies social responsibility through decisions that are both tactical and strategic in nature. Her leadership style is distinguished by a team-oriented approach that uses solutions-based strategies paired with a high level of positive morale. Mital is a published author and currently serves as President on the US Green Building Council--Central Florida. She serves on several other boards including University of Central Florida's (UCF) India Center; UCF's Global Economic and Environmental Opportunity Center; University of Florida Sustainable Design and Construction; SmartCities Chair for the Indian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; Airports Council International--Sustainability Working Group; ARCP Environmental Impacts Review Committee, and Project Management Institute. She has even served as a United Nations Delegate, representing Orlando and offering a private sector perspective to sessions. She has also recently been accepted into the National Renewable Energy Lab Energy Executive Program.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Pauline Ho is a U.S. Certified Public Accountant in both Florida and Washington, as well as a U.K. Chartered Accountant. Besides having a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Hong Kong, her hometown, Pauline has obtained a master's degree in administration from Andrews University of Michigan, and a master's degree in accounting from the University of Central Florida. In 2008, she founded Laus Consulting Services LLC, a company providing accounting, payroll, tax, and consulting services to small businesses. During this COVID-19 pandemic, she proactively seeks to assist her clients by helping them navigate loans and secure financial assistance in these challenging times. Pauline is highly active in the local communities as well. She is the former President of the Chinese American Association of Central Florida, Vice Chair to both Finance and Business Development Committees of Asian American Federation of Florida in Central Florida, and a Board of Directors member at Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. Furthermore, Pauline actively holds the positions of Advisor of the Chinese School of CAACF, Auditor and Past Scholastic Award Chair of Asian American Heritage Council of Central Florida, Chair of REACH of Central Florida, which is a high school non-profit organization dedicated to serving the local communities, Board of Director of Mills 50, Board of Director of the Sharing Center, Board of Director of United Against Poverty, and CPA of numerous nonprofit organizations.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, born in East Pakistan, Dr. Mehr Rahmatullah grew up on a farmhouse surrounded by coconut trees, cattle, goats and poultry. Growing up, she watched her mother volunteer much of her time to those in need and became inspired to seek a profession in which she could do the same. While studying medicine at Dow Medical University in Karachin, she donated blood frequently to the patients who could not afford care. She also worked to transport patients from her village to the University Hospital in order to be treated by her professors during her clinical rotations. As a Medical Officer, she volunteered treatment to impoverished patients with T.B. using her own meager salary and enforced a practice of supervising patients receiving their medication to ensure that they took it. Although she didn't know at the time, this method was actually the now-famous Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) practice, which was made the standard practice for T.B. treatment by the World Health Organization. She moved to America right after getting married in 1988, and soon thereafter prepared for the United States Medical Licensing Exam. After passing, she completed her first-year residency training at St. John's Mercy in St Louis, an affiliate of St Louis University. In her second and third year of residency, she moved to serve in Internal Medicine at Orlando Health in Orlando, Florida. After almost 25 years into practice and having received certification as a Diplomate from the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Rahmatullah continues to practice as well as volunteer her time at Shepard's Hope Clinic for economically disadvantaged patients and serves as an Honorary Member of a local School Board at MAGO (Muslim Academy of Greater Orlando). She has also served as Chairman of the Credentials Committee at Osceola Regional Hospital in Kissimmee, Florida.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Grandmaster Chan Pui is one of the leading pioneers in introducing martial arts to the United States. After immigrating to the United States in 1968, he began teaching the Wah Lum Kung Fu System in Boston, MA. In 1980, he moved the headquarters of the Wah Lum System to Orlando, FL where he built the first kung fu temple in the United States, the Wah Lum Temple. He was the first person to begin the tradition of Chinese New Year celebrations in Central Florida and used these events as an opportunity to educate his community on the Chinese culture. Grandmaster Chan has been featured in magazines and documentaries for his revered style and prowess in the martial arts industry. Most notably, his life is captured in a documentary directed by his daughter titled Pui Chan: Kung Fu Pioneer. Along with this documentation of his work, his skill and prowess are also exemplified through his inductions in several martial arts Halls of Fame. In addition to his many accolades, Grandmaster Chan has also trained a professional demonstration team that performs at all the major theme parks in Central Florida. Through his philanthropic efforts, he has raised over $30,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Recognized and esteemed by many, Grandmaster Chan has been an integral part of contributing to and preserving martial arts knowledge in the world. Of all his endeavors and accomplishments, most important to him is his love for his family, his pride in his students, and his whole-hearted practice of his system's motto of integrating respect, kindness, fellowship, and strength in martial arts. In his life, actions, and practice of martial arts, his philosophy is evident, it's not just a job, but a way of life.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Simon Choy was born and raised in Southeast Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as the eldest child of three. At the age of 11, he made up his mind to come to America, fascinated by the culture and opportunities the country had to offer. He firmly believes that America has so much to offer to those that are willing to explore new territories without any boundaries. Unafraid to break tradition, he left the only life he knew and flew to America to continue his undergraduate and graduate studies. Simon earned an undergraduate degree in Finance and Computer Science and a graduate degree in Systems Management. Currently, he is working at the Tupperware Brands corporate headquarter in Orlando, Florida, as Vice President of Human Resources Worldwide. He has been with Tupperware Brands for over 19 years and has held progressive and high impact positions at the company. Prior to Tupperware Brands, he worked in the high-tech telecommunication, healthcare and hospitality industries. Simon's passion is developing and mentoring others to help improve and change their lives. During his free time, he works with various organizations to serve and help people, especially young people, to build their confidence. He is very active in the local community, volunteering in various non-profit organizations like the Junior Achievement, Salvation Army, and the United Way. Simon is also active in the business community, he is currently, the President-Elect, of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Simon is married to his best friend, Belinda, for 30 years and has 3 beautiful children, Samantha, Samuel and Spencer.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Ching Ka Lau, a native of Hong Kong, has been a resident of Orlando since 1999. In 2005, Mr. Lau and his wife, Shally Wong, first published Asia Trend Magazine, which has become a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission of strengthening understanding and communication for the local Asian American community. Over many years, Mr. Lau has worked tirelessly together with local volunteers and commnunity leaders to organize enriching cultural events in Central Florida, including the very first annual Dragon Parade in Orlando's Mills 50 District during the Lunar New Year, the Asian Cultural Festival during May, and the Asian Cultural EXPO in October. These cultural events have helped bridge together thousands of members of the community in sharing the culture of Asia with local Central Florida residents, particularly the youth, and helping to foster pride, inclusion, and diversity. For his work with Asia Trend, Mr. Lau received the Ellison S. Onizuka Humanitarian Award at the 2010 Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida Golden Dragons Awards. Mr. Lau and Asia Trend work together with many groups of amazing and passionate volunteers who come together to educate, connect and engage the community in discussions about Asia's history, arts, and cultures. Ching Ka Lau is also one of the founders of CHARGE Dragon Boat Team, the first Asian American team to promote the ancient Chinese sport of dragon boating in the community for team building, unity, and a healthy lifestyle.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Dr. Ejaz Ghaffar graduated from Khyber Medical College in Peshawar, Pakistan. After graduation, he completed his residency at North Shore Community Hospital in Forest Hills, New York. Having a longstanding passion for inpatient medicine, Dr. Ghaffar joined a Hospitalist group and moved to Orlando. For the last 20 years, he has worked as a hospitalist and was elected by his peers as chairman of the Department of Medicine at Osceola Regional Medical Center. He would later be elected as the Chief of Medical Staff and would play a critical part in overseeing the rollout of numerous quality improvement and safety projects. Dr. Ghaffar is currently the Site Director for Graduate Medical Education at Osceola Regional Medical Center and has played a key role in starting the Internal Medicine Residency program at Osceola Regional Medical Center. He is glad to be part of the amazing journey that transformed Osceola Regional Medical Center from a small community hospital to a major teaching facility in Central Florida.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Amish M. Parikh, M.D. is a Central Florida native and University of Miami alumni. Dr. Parikh attended medical school at the University of South Florida, completing his residency at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital and his Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Florida--Shands Hospital in Jacksonville. He currently practices cardiology at Premier Cardiology in Maitland, Florida. In addition to being a talented physician, inspired entrepreneur, and a devoted husband and father, Dr. Parikh considers meaningful and consistent service to his community a vital responsibility. Dr. Parikh is President of Premier Cardiology and serves on the Board for the Orange County Medical Society. His long-term leadership involvement with both CAPI (Central Florida Association of Physicians from the Indian Subcontinent) and AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) was taken to a new level when he served as the Convention Chair for the 33rd AAPI Convention and Scientific Assembly held in Orlando in June 2015. Dr. Parikh prides himself on taking a hands-on approach to positively impacting healthcare and education for children, both as a board member for A Gift for Teaching and as part of community outreach initiatives addressing childhood obesity and healthy eating programs. He is also a devoted cultural leader to the Indian- American community, serving each year as the chair of the official India Day Celebration in Downtown Orlando, which was recognized by the NBA as the ``Best Heritage Night in the NBA.'' In recognition of his ongoing enthusiasm to support arts and culture in Orlando, Dr. Parikh and his wife Beena have recently been added to the ``Donor Wall'' at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Blending his skills in healthcare with his passion for his community and family, Dr. Parikh is honored to serve and support the Central Florida Community through the Parikh Family Fund.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, I don't need a magic minute to say the obvious, that President Trump's response to the coronavirus has been a colossal and utter failure that has left 36 million Americans without jobs, 87,000 dead, and 1.5 million with this disease. You can drone on and on about conspiracy theories all you want, but we are going to clean up the mess. That is what the HEROES Act is about. That is what we are doing here today: backing up first responders, funding new tests, and making sure we put dollars into the pockets of millions of struggling Americans.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I be removed as a cosponsor from H.R. 6494.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. The true question we face in this pandemic is not when we will get out of this crisis, but how we will get out of this crisis. And the keys to our economic freedom lie in this bill: $25 billion for testing and monitoring; $75 billion for treatment, a national testing strategy; finally, additional business help for our small businesses, including $370 billion and $60 billion for our smallest, most vulnerable businesses. If we commit to continue to focus on how to survive this pandemic, then, my fellow Americans, we will.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, as I rise here today, the United States has more coronavirus cases than any nation on the planet. This is an unprecedented crisis that requires an unprecedented response. This bipartisan bill is a promise that help is on the way, that help is on the way for families with $1,200 checks and $2,400 for married families for food assistance. For the unemployed, help is on the way with $600 in unemployment benefits on top of State benefits. Help is on the way for our seniors and our veterans of financial assistance. Help is on the way for small businesses through payroll grants and other costs. For first responders and hospitals, help is on the way to confront this crisis. To our farmers and to our students, help is on the way. It is time to pass this bipartisan bill and send a message to central Florida and every American across every corner of this Nation that there is help because help and hope are on the way.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of my longtime friend and mentor, Alvaro Cifuentes. On March 2, Puerto Rico suffered a tragic loss. Born in Mayaguez, Alvaro graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico in 1972, earning a bachelor's of business administration. He then went on to graduate from law school from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, earning a J.D., again magna cum laude, in 1975. He came from a long line of wise politicos from Puerto Rico who helped navigate the island over decades. Alvaro practiced law for 17 years and became a managing partner at the law firm of Goldman Antonetti in San Juan. In 1992, he managed Pedro Rosello's successful race for Governor of Puerto Rico, a man who would go on to win two terms, a hard task in the history of the island. After serving as Governor Rosello's chief of staff for 3 years, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he focused on building the Democratic Party within the Hispanic community. From 2001 to 2005, he served as the chair of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus, where he increased the party's Hispanic membership by over 30 percent. As chair, Alvaro rebuilt an unprecedented Hispanic campaign network and called for John Kerry to work toward winning Hispanic votes. In 2004, he earned the honor of being named one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States by the Hispanic Business Magazine. Anyone who crossed paths with Alvaro knew he was a true man of the people and a fearless champion of Puerto Rico statehood. I remember the first time we talked about how important statehood would be for Puerto Rico. He recalled the story of the mighty pung, a story in Chinese folklore that talked about a huge bird that played with other smaller birds on a tiny island and had a wingspan over 500 meters. They would laugh at this giant bird, the mighty pung, with his awkwardness. He found out, through the hawk, that through thermal glides, he would be able to potentially fly like the other birds. He set off, needing a year to reach the height required. When asked about this difficult task and his inability to fly, he said: ``It is okay. We have a long way to go.'' That is where Alvaro talked about statehood, about how it has been over 120 years, and about how we have an island that is larger in population than 26 States, yet it is taking over a century for us to even get to this point, but it is okay. Alvaro passed before getting to see it happen. We have a long way to go. He is survived by three children, Alvaro, Carolina, and Natalia Isabel. Alvaro, you will be dearly missed by myself, by so many in Florida, and on the island of Puerto Rico, but the fight will continue to live on.

Mr. SOTO

Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I would like to recognize Yasmin Flasterstein. Yasmin Flasterstein is the cofounder and executive director of Peer Support Space, Inc., which serves as a hub for diverse peer communities in central Florida. She also works as a wellness recovery action plan facilitator, is a board member and the Community Engagement Committee chair for the One Orlando Alliance, is a founding leader of Orlando Trans Collective, and sits on the board of directors for Central Florida Cares and Peer Support Coalition of Florida. Yasmin has been in social justice leadership positions since she was 14; and in college, she brought membership of a mental health advocacy group, UCF Active Minds, from 20 to over 200 members in one semester. Yasmin has worked in various clinical roles at La Amistad Behavioral Health Services and at the Mental Health Association of Central Florida. Yasmin was a leader in the mental health response to the Pulse tragedy, working as the program director for Orlando United Counseling, providing long-term counseling for those affected directly and indirectly. During this time, Yasmin also set up events to destigmatize mental health in LGBTQ+ communities and Latin, Black, and immigrant communities as well. She has since shifted from working in clinical environments to the peer professional environment. She believes in the power of peers with similar lived experiences, particularly from within marginalized communities, and works to train and support them in using their own experience with mental health in order to guide and support others. She is passionate about breaking the mental health stigma that leaves people suffering alone and uses her experience as a suicide survivor living with PTSD and dissociative disorder to help others. Her nonprofit, Peer Support Space, has helped over 2,500 individuals with free services during its inaugural year, and they have recently opened central Florida's very first peer respite in my district. And for that, Ms. Yasmin Flasterstein, we honor you. Honoring Catherine Haynes