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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of a legendary community leader and public |
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servant drew to a close with the passing of Ada Jean Edwards on |
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March 23, 2023, at the age of 80; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on January 7, 1943, Ada Edwards was raised by |
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her grandparents in San Diego, California; soon after moving to |
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Houston in 1979, she made a name for herself as the head of a |
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coalition of anti-apartheid protesters who persuaded the city and |
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the University of Houston to financially divest from South Africa; |
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she served as a field coordinator for the Harris County Democratic |
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Party in the 1990s, and she went on to cofound the AFL-CIO Community |
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Union Fund and to establish the Houston HIV/AIDS Action Coalition |
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and the Ida Delaney-Byron Gillum Justice Committee, which called |
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for greater police accountability; she also served on the boards of |
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organizations such as Mothers for Clean Air and the Joint City |
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County Commission on Children and Youth, in addition to hosting |
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news and public affairs talk shows on public radio; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Edwards made a successful bid for a seat on the |
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city council in 2001, and she represented District D for three |
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terms, from 2002 to 2008; over the course of her tenure, she chaired |
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council committees that addressed affordable housing, flooding |
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issues, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic; along the way, she demonstrated |
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a keen ability to communicate with people from both sides of the |
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aisle and to earn the trust of residents who had historically been |
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underrepresented, which helped make her a champion for the Third |
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Ward and Sunnyside neighborhoods and a powerful advocate for |
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progressive causes; following her tenure on the city council, she |
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continued to be active in civic affairs and was appointed by Mayor |
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Bill White to be the assistant director of Houston's Housing and |
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Community Development Department; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with a loving family, Ms. Edwards was |
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devoted to her 5 children and 11 grandchildren; her kind nature, |
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intellect, and sense of humor made her a joy to be around, and she |
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was a dear friend to many; and |
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WHEREAS, Ada Edwards devoted herself to the goal of making |
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Houston a better place for all, and her memory will be a continuing |
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source of inspiration in the years ahead; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ada Jean Edwards and |
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extend deepest condolences to her family and friends; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ada |
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Edwards. |