Community Contributions

By Thomas Spielbauer

Community Contributions of Thomas Spielbauer

Thomas Spielbauer has been involved in the Community in which he resides. During the years of 1987-1988, he was President of the Santa Clara County Chapter of La Raza Lawyers Association. In November 1987, under Mr. Spielbauer's leadership, the association hosted its first ever "Evening for Education." The purpose of the "Evening for Education" was to raise money for schools in low income areas of San Jose. As a result of the successful Evening for Education, he raised (first time ever) over $8,300 net for and distributed to 11 elementary and middle schools in San Jose.

Thomas was President of the California State La Raza Lawyers Association in 1990. He vigorously opposed the illegal INS raids in the Tropicana Center in San Jose, and other illegal INS raids throughout the state, by distributing statewide over 65,000 legal rights sheets and cards in both English and Spanish. The cards were additionally available in other languages.

Mr. Spielbauer has also been involved as member of the Board of Directors of the Volunteers in Parole as well as has been a mentor-match to a parolee from the California Youth Authority. He began his involvement with the Volunteers in Parole in 1993 in that organization although he is currently inactive.

Mr. Spielbauer has also sat as a board member for the Center for Southeast Asian Refugee Resettlement. Mr. Spielbauer has also been a lecturer at the neighborhood law school.

Mr. Spielbauer has also spoken at many different schools concerning our legal system, issues of education, careers as a lawyer, as well as a need for young citizens to vote, to continue their education, and participate in our political process.

Most recently, Thomas Spielbauer was a co-founder of the Citizens to Elect Our Public Defender. The activities of this group are many. However, they are designed to:

• Make the Public Defender the equal of the District Attorney;
• Bring the Public Defender into the community and our schools;
• Make the Public Defender truly a "Public Defender" for everyone, particularly for the residents of this county who pay the bill.