R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The history of the Lone Star State is in large part 1-2 that of the women and men whose struggles have shaped its destiny, 1-3 and those Texans who have championed justice and equality against 1-4 overwhelming odds are among our greatest heroes; Ruth Kern of El 1-5 Paso is one such individual, and it is indeed fitting at this time 1-6 to recognize her many remarkable achievements; and 1-7 WHEREAS, A longtime El Paso resident, Ms. Kern began her 1-8 legal career at the age of 54, and she quickly became known as an 1-9 attorney of ability and integrity; dedicated to the protection of 1-10 individual liberty, she took on numerous civil rights cases, both 1-11 individually and in conjunction with the American Civil Liberties 1-12 Union, and she was also a cofounder and the first president of the 1-13 El Paso County Women's Bar Association; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Many of Ms. Kern's most noteworthy endeavors have 1-15 sprung from her work as an organizer and activist, and she has been 1-16 instrumental in the creation of both a shelter for battered women 1-17 and a foundation for people living with AIDS; a cofounder of the El 1-18 Paso Older Women's League and the El Paso Gray Panthers, she has 1-19 also served on the boards of El Paso Community College, the Family 1-20 Services Association, El Paso Legal Services, and the El Paso 1-21 Women's Political Caucus; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The high esteem in which Ms. Kern is held by her 1-23 colleagues is evident from the many honors she has been accorded, 1-24 and she has been named an Outstanding Board Member of the El Paso 2-1 Community College Board of Directors and a Civic Centennial Leader 2-2 for El Paso Senior Opportunities and Services; an inductee into the 2-3 El Paso Women's Hall of Fame for Civic Leadership, she has also 2-4 received The University of Texas at El Paso's Mortarboard award; 2-5 and 2-6 WHEREAS, Her many accomplishments are all the more remarkable 2-7 for the fact that Ms. Kern has been legally blind since the late 2-8 1970s, and requires high-tech visual equipment to read and write; 2-9 and 2-10 WHEREAS, Ruth Kern has distinguished herself as a gifted 2-11 attorney, a progressive pioneer, and a lover of justice, and her 2-12 lifetime of service is indeed deserving of special praise and 2-13 recognition; now, therefore, be it 2-14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-15 Legislature hereby honor Ruth Kern for her many contributions to 2-16 her fellow Texans and extend to her sincere best wishes for 2-17 continued success and happiness in the years to come; and, be it 2-18 further 2-19 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-20 prepared for Ms. Kern as an expression of high regard by the Texas 2-21 House of Representatives. Serna _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 925 was adopted by the House on May 21, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House