Author speaks to students about her new book

Author Cecilia Garcia-Akers '70, IWA alumna and daughter of renowned Mexican-American civil rights leader Dr. Hector P. Garcia, spoke to first through fifth grade students on Feb. 2 at the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Center about her new book “The Inspiring Life of Texan Hector P. Garcia.”

Garcia-Akers’ book, which chronicles the life of her father’s journey to America, discusses Dr. Garcia’s struggles being a Latino in the U.S. Army, the difficulty he had obtaining his medical license, as well as his devotion toward bringing better health care and education to veterans and students for over 50 years.

After discussing who her father was and the role he played in American history, Garcia-Akers took questions from curious students who inquired how long it took the author to write the book, what lessons she learned from her father, as well as if she has any immediate plans to write another book in the future.

The opportunity to visit her alma mater and discuss the importance of proper education and tolerance, both strong virtues her father believed in, is something Garcia-Akers said she “could do all day.”

“I think the children [at IWA] are so disciplined,” she said of her recent trip to the campus. “They work so hard and they study so hard and that’s very, very important. Now they’re learning about a very important person that they can follow and emulate and want to be just like him.”