Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards will speak at UNLV on Dec. 9 as part of the Barrick Lecture Series.
Her talk, "Ann Richards -- Straight from the Heart," is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall. The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available at the Performing Arts Center box office at Ham Concert Hall beginning Nov. 22. For more information, call 895-3801.
Richards has had a long career in politics, beginning during her student years at the University of Texas at Austin when she volunteered in local and statewide campaigns and worked for a variety of causes including civil rights and economic justice.
She won her first elected office in 1976, defeating a three-term incumbent for a seat on the Travis County Commissioners Court. She recalls that at that time, "Texas was not noticeably hospitable to the notion that a woman could handle that kind of responsibility."
Six years later she ran for state treasurer and won, garnering more votes that any other statewide candidate on the ballot and making her the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas in 50 years. She was re-elected in 1986 without opposition.
As state treasurer, Richards overhauled the agency's methods and pioneered banking and investment practices that earned taxpayers more non-tax revenue than the amounts earned by all earlier Texas treasurers combined -- more than $2 billion.
In 1988 Richards came to national attention when she delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, reminding the nation that every election represents an opportunity to unify behind the belief that we can do better -- for ourselves, for our children and grandchildren, and for our nation.
On Nov. 6, 1990, Richards was elected governor of Texas. Her administration stressed education, public safety, economic development, and efficiency.
During her tenure as governor, Texas instituted site-based decision-making in its public schools, allowing parents and educators to take charge of their children's education at the campus level.
She increased prison space, cut the release of violent offenders, introduced a nationally respected substance abuse program in Texas prisons, and stood with law enforcement officers in their opposition to assault weapons and "cop-killer" bullets.
During her time as governor she appointed more minorities and women to state posts than the previous two governors combined.
In 1994, Richards ran for re-election, but was defeated by Republican George W. Bush, son of former President George Bush.
Since 1995, Richards has been a senior advisor with Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, a Washington-based law firm with offices in Austin and Houston. She also serves on the boards of J.C. Penney, T.I.G. Holdings, and the Aspen Institute.
She was born Dorothy Ann Willis on Sept. 1, 1933, in Lakeview, Texas. The only child of Ona and Cecil Willis, Richards says she learned from her parents lessons that would shape her life. "My parents never wanted me to have to work as hard as they did, but that was all I ever saw them do. The message I got was that the only things of any real value in life were family and hard work."
She graduated from Waco High School in 1950 and attended Baylor University, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1954. She then completed additional course work at the University of Texas where she earned her teaching certificate.
Richards has four children and six grandchildren.
The Barrick Lecture Series, funded through a grant from philanthropist Marjorie Barrick, presents nationally and internationally known speakers from a variety of fields each year at UNLV. Presentations are free and open to the public.
For additional information, call 895-3801.
