Governor Abbott Appoints Katz And Umugwaneza To The Texas Holocaust And Genocide Commission
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Lucy Taus Katz and Providence Umugwaneza to the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission for terms set to expire on February 1, 2025. The commission ensures that resources are available to students, educators, and the general public regarding the Holocaust and other genocides, as well as compile lists of volunteers, survivors, liberators, scholars, and members of the clergy for educational program opportunities. The commission also coordinates events around the state.
Lucy Taus Katz of Austin is the Vice President of Customer Service and Sales for Katz Builders, Inc. Katz is a Hidden Child Holocaust Survivor and was hidden by a Catholic Family in Poland during the Holocaust in order to save her from Nazi capture. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Decedents of Holocaust Survivors in Central Texas, lifetime director for the Texas Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Homebuilders, and past president of both the National Association of Remodelers Industry and the National Kitchen and Bath Association, both in Austin. Katz attended Temple University. She and her husband Joel are members of Temple Beth Shalom, Austin.
Providence Umugwaneza of San Antonio is the Founder of the Kabeho Neza Initiative. She is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, where she lost her parents, five siblings, and numerous extended family members. She volunteers with fellow Rwandan Genocide survivors to advocate for the women and girls, who were assaulted and infected with HIV/AIDS during the Genocide, and currently leads educational programs in the U.S. to educate and raise awareness. Umugwaneza received a bachelor’s degree in Administrative Science from the University of Kigali in Rwanda.