H.R. No. 897

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The life of a legendary community leader and public
	servant drew to a close with the passing of Ada Jean Edwards on
	March 23, 2023, at the age of 80; and
	WHEREAS, Born on January 7, 1943, Ada Edwards was raised by
	her grandparents in San Diego, California; soon after moving to
	Houston in 1979, she made a name for herself as the head of a
	coalition of anti-apartheid protesters who persuaded the city and
	the University of Houston to financially divest from South Africa;
	she served as a field coordinator for the Harris County Democratic
	Party in the 1990s, and she went on to cofound the AFL-CIO Community
	Union Fund and to establish the Houston HIV/AIDS Action Coalition
	and the Ida Delaney-Byron Gillum Justice Committee, which called
	for greater police accountability; she also served on the boards of
	organizations such as Mothers for Clean Air and the Joint City
	County Commission on Children and Youth, in addition to hosting
	news and public affairs talk shows on public radio; and
	WHEREAS, Ms. Edwards made a successful bid for a seat on the
	city council in 2001, and she represented District D for three
	terms, from 2002 to 2008; over the course of her tenure, she chaired
	council committees that addressed affordable housing, flooding
	issues, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic; along the way, she demonstrated
	a keen ability to communicate with people from both sides of the
	aisle and to earn the trust of residents who had historically been
	underrepresented, which helped make her a champion for the Third
	Ward and Sunnyside neighborhoods and a powerful advocate for
	progressive causes; following her tenure on the city council, she
	continued to be active in civic affairs and was appointed by Mayor
	Bill White to be the assistant director of Houston's Housing and
	Community Development Department; and
	WHEREAS, Blessed with a loving family, Ms. Edwards was
	devoted to her 5 children and 11 grandchildren; her kind nature,
	intellect, and sense of humor made her a joy to be around, and she
	was a dear friend to many; and
	WHEREAS, Ada Edwards devoted herself to the goal of making
	Houston a better place for all, and her memory will be a continuing
	source of inspiration in the years ahead; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ada Jean Edwards and
	extend deepest condolences to her family and friends; and, be it
	further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
	Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ada
	Edwards.
	Thierry
	Phelan Guerra Murr
	Allen Guillen Neave Criado
	Allison Harless Noble
	Anchía Harris of Anderson Oliverson
	Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz
	Ashby Harrison Orr
	Bailes Hayes Ortega
	Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson
	Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul
	Bernal Herrero Perez
	Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa
	Bonnen Holland Price
	Bowers Howard Ramos
	Bryant Hull Raney
	Buckley Hunter Raymond
	Bucy Isaac Reynolds
	Bumgarner Jetton Rogers
	Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
	Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose
	Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal
	Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer
	Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline
	Canales Kacal Schofield
	Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen
	Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr.
	Cole Kitzman Shine
	Collier Klick Slaton
	Cook Kuempel Slawson
	Cortez Lalani Smith
	Craddick Lambert Smithee
	Cunningham Landgraf Spiller
	Darby Leach Stucky
	Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson
	Dean Longoria Talarico
	DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper
	Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry
	Dutton Lozano Thimesch
	Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria
	Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris
	Frazier Martinez Tinderholt
	Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth
	Garcia Metcalf Troxclair
	Gates Meyer Turner
	Gerdes Meza VanDeaver
	Geren Moody Vasut
	Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo
	Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle
	González of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson
	González of El Paso Morrison Wu
	Goodwin Muñoz, Jr. Zwiener
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 897 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on April 3, 2023.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House