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Opinion: El Paso’s Jessica Alana Sánchez had a huge impact in her 38 years [1]

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Date: 2024-10-14

By Jose Luis Sánchez

In the midst of a world in crisis because of wars and conflicts; in a region of the globe dealing with natural disasters; and in a country electing a new president and Congress in an atmosphere of spirited and contentious campaigns, the U.S. House of Representatives paused to pay tribute to an El Paso native. She was my daughter, Jessica Alana Sánchez.

She died in June of this year after a four-year battle against cancer. She was 38 years old, and is survived by a husband, a 5-year-old daughter, a sister, parents and extended family.

Congressional tributes last month offered by Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas and Rep. Tony Cardenas of California filled me with a variety of emotions: pride, joy, nostalgia, absence, sadness and grief, among others.

While Jessica was born and raised in El Paso, she spent a few years living in the Washington, D.C., area. She spent time at the U.S. Capitol on many occasions, cultivating her interests in history and government and attending cultural events. She would enjoy exploring Statuary Hall at the Capitol and learning about the statues selected to represent each state. She would have smiled knowing that she was being honored on the same House floor where she witnessed debates over legislation and historic speeches delivered.

Jessica Alana Sánchez, second from right, joined her parents and sister in Washington, D.C., in December 2018. Also pictured, from left, are her mother Estela Mora, sister Jacqueline Sánchez, and father José Luis Sánchez. (Photo courtesy of the Sánchez family.)

All these experiences inspired her decision to eventually attend Stanford University in California and to pursue a law degree from Boston University.

Congresswoman Escobar pointed out that she first met Jessica when they both volunteered on a local political campaign in the late 1990s. The congresswoman recounted that Jessica spoke out at a rally in San Jacinto Plaza in Downtown El Paso when she was a student at Mesita Elementary School.

Rep. Veronica Escobar of El Paso pays tribute to Jessica Alana Sánchez on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

She lent her voice as the student representative among speakers protesting a proposal to construct a low-level nuclear waste facility in far West Texas. She expressed concern about safety and environmental racism by the plan to build a facility near the majority-Hispanic community of Sierra Blanca. She argued about the need to preserve clean soil and water.

After much debate, the proposal was never approved by the state of Texas.

During her remarks, the congresswoman underscored that Jessica, as a student at El Paso High School, pressed upon political leaders on both sides of the border her concerns about drug cartel violence in the region. She joined other activists in demanding action by government officials to address the disappearance and murders of hundreds of women factory workers in Ciudad Juárez and the rise of human trafficking.

Congressman Cardenas highlighted the fact that Jessica was binational and bicultural in her world view, reflecting her border roots. Her first home was in El Paso’s Sunset Heights, a mile from the international border. She had family on both sides of the river, and felt at home in both cities.

Rep. Tony Cardenas of California talks about the legacy of Jessica Alana Sánchez during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

She was not constrained by political boundaries, the congressman pointed out. Rather, she was interested in building bridges of understanding and creating a true sense of community — one defined by a common heritage and a shared destiny.

Both members of Congress explained that as a newly licensed attorney in California, where Jessica had returned with her husband, Rolando, she was outraged by a failed national immigration policy that permitted children to be ripped away from their parents and guardians upon detention by federal authorities.

El Paso was ground zero in national media attention about the issue. This situation influenced Jessica’s decision to leave a corporate law firm where she was working and to advocate on behalf of migrants and refugees with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles.

While Jessica was fiercely passionate about her political activism, her most important responsibility was creating a home with Rolando where they were raising their daughter, Leila. Jessica relished her role as a mother, caregiver and teacher. She worked hard to instill in Leila a pride in her family heritage and to make her feel that she could express her point of view as a woman and as a Latina in the public arena.

Congresswoman Escobar talked about Jessica and Leila singing and dancing and reading books together; about playing in their neighborhood park where they would feed the ducks; about creating arts and crafts together to decorate their family Christmas tree.

Both representatives commented on Jessica’s high ethical and moral standards. They said they reflected positively on her family and on the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez community where she was raised. These standards included a commitment to faith, a dedication to family, and a recognition of the importance of resilience and teamwork in pursuing goals.

I would add to their observations my own special pride in witnessing Jessica participate in a national clinical trial for her type of cancer at the National Institutes of Health. This involved an arduous journey between Los Angeles and Washington taken monthly over a two-year period. She was always so courageous during these trips and fully engaged in pursuing options for treatment.

She was educated about the treatment plans and cognizant of limitations in the research. But she was full of hope and ready to take on the disease on behalf of her family, particularly Leila. She recognized that she was contributing to the science of understanding her cancer for the benefit of others. I credit her attitude in participating in the trial to a spirit of independence and self-reliance gleaned in being raised in El Paso-Ciudad Juarez.

I close with Jessica’s own words expressed during a religious service when she was an intern with the Catholic Community at Stanford. In June 2009, she offered a reflection at Sunday Mass.

Citing a particular gospel passage, she said, “We are chosen by God for a life of discipleship. If we choose to follow, we are called to observe the world around us and respond to the signs of the times. In this process of discernment, we are tasked with utilizing our gifts and talents to enrich the human experience. These gifts and talents are our inheritance from the Lord, there to be used as tools to build up God’s Kingdom. This is how we as a human family prosper.”

God was generous in giving us Jessica Alana for 38 years, but has called her home. Let us follow her words and actions to contribute to the common good and to follow God’s example of love to those we encounter on our journeys.

Jose Luis Sánchez is an El Paso native and retired attorney, congressional aide and lobbyist residing in Los Angeles, California, where he is helping to raise his granddaughter.

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[1] Url: http://elpasomatters.org/2024/10/14/opinion-jessica-alana-sanchez-veronica-escobar-tony-cardenas/

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