Irma Rangel is famous for being the first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives, a significant milestone in the state’s political history[1][2][3]. She began her political career in the mid-1970s, ultimately serving in the Texas Legislature for 26 years, where she was a powerful advocate for education, minority rights, and social welfare[1][5].
Rangel was a trailblazer in multiple respects:
- She was the first Mexican-American female attorney in Kingsville, Texas[2].
- She became the first woman to lead the Mexican American Legislative Caucus in 1993[4][5].
- Rangel was instrumental in passing the Top Ten Percent Plan (Texas House Bill 588), a law that automatically admits the top 10% of each Texas high school graduating class to public universities, promoting diversity and increasing educational opportunities for underrepresented students[1][2][5].
- She helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for higher education in South Texas, including the establishment of the Texas A&M–Kingsville Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy—the region’s first professional school, which was named in her honor after her death[1][2][5].
- Throughout her career, Rangel championed policies benefiting women, children, and minority communities, including legislation for educational and employment programs for mothers, centers for domestic violence victims, and improved voting access[3][6].
- She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her public service and leadership[1][2][3].