Ann Richards

Ann Richards

What is a hero? To me a hero could be anyone from someone who helped you on the street to someone who changed the whole wide world to make it a better place. To me, Ann Richards is a hero.

Ann Richards made Texas a better place by being an inspirational national leader. She started the Texas Lottery because she wanted the money to go to education. She was educated at Baylor University, where she got her bachelor’s degree. Ann also went to the University of Texas at Austin and there she got her teaching certificate. Ann was a teacher at Fulmore Junior High School in Austin. She taught social studies and history before raising her family. In 2005 Ann taught a class at the University of Texas at Austin called “Women and Leadership.” Twenty-one female students were selected for Ann’s class. This makes me realize how important education is.

Another passion Ann had was women’s rights issues. She appointed women to statewide posts. Ann was the first women elected to statewide post. In 1982, she was elected State Treasurer.

Ann loved to go to Lady Longhorn Texas basketball games. She would sit in the front row, sometimes with Barbara Jordan, and they would scream at the top of their lungs. Ann was good friends with Jody Conradt, the Texas Lady Longhorn basketball coach. “It’s getting pretty empty at one end of the bench – first Barbara and now Ann. It was such a sense of pride to have had people like Barbara and Ann support our team. They have helped give us credibility when we had none. They were people of courage who wanted to make a difference. There’s no higher calling than that,” Jody sadly commented after Barbara and Ann both died.

Ann Richards had a witty speaking style. She was funny, but always got what she needed to say out. For example, Ann made a famous quote about George W. Bush. It was, “He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.” By saying that I think Ann meant George W. Bush was born into wealth and could have had everything handed down to him. George W. Bush is known for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and for stumbling over words. I never thought speeches or a person’s speaking style could be so important in politics or being elected to anything in their government. But I’ve learned that it certainly is.

As you can see Ann Richards made Texas a better place. She was a great woman. Ann has shown me anyone can make a difference.