| |
| |
|
|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Members of the Austin Area Urban League are visiting |
|
|
the State Capitol on May 25, 2011; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Founded on August 12, 1977, the Austin Area Urban |
|
|
League is affiliated with the National Urban League, a civil rights |
|
|
organization that has fought discrimination for more than a |
|
|
century; the Urban League has contributed immeasurably to social |
|
|
progress and remains dedicated to the economic empowerment of |
|
|
historically underserved residents in urban communities; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The Austin Area Urban League began operations in the |
|
|
basement of Wesley United Methodist Church; from that humble |
|
|
beginning, the organization has grown dramatically to meet the |
|
|
needs of area residents; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In addition to job readiness training, the group's |
|
|
Workforce Development program provides GED courses, job search |
|
|
assistance, and office and life skills instruction; the league |
|
|
works with 300 employers to help job candidates find suitable |
|
|
positions, and it conducts after-school computer and technology |
|
|
classes at four different Housing Authority of Austin sites; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The organization offers a first-time homebuyer's |
|
|
class and awards those who complete it a $1,000 grant toward a down |
|
|
payment; moreover, it performs hundreds of emergency and scheduled |
|
|
home repairs annually, free of cost to low-income home owners, and |
|
|
it partners with some 40 other entities, including Dell, Seton, and |
|
|
the Meadows Foundation, to further its important goals; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Today, the Austin Area Urban League remains |
|
|
fortunate in the continued leadership of many of its esteemed |
|
|
founders, including the Reverend Freddie Dixon, who was pastor of |
|
|
Wesley United Methodist Church in 1977 when the church became the |
|
|
birthplace of the Urban League in Central Texas, and the Honorable |
|
|
Harriett Murphy, a retired municipal court judge who was a new |
|
|
attorney working to help found the league in the 1970s; also among |
|
|
this number are Linda Moore Smith, the organization's first |
|
|
executive director, who went on to serve the National Urban League |
|
|
in New York before reprising her role in Austin, and Carolyn Holt |
|
|
Goldston, a longtime advocate for racial justice and civil rights |
|
|
and a lifetime member of the organization; continuing the tradition |
|
|
of excellence established by these local legends are Austin native |
|
|
Scotty Holman, a financial executive, who serves as the 2010 chair, |
|
|
and the Honorable Jeffrey K. Richard, who was elected president and |
|
|
chief executive officer in 2005 and also serves as a trustee for the |
|
|
Austin Community College District; other noteworthy founders and |
|
|
longtime members continue to share their wisdom and experience with |
|
|
the organization and inspire the members of its newest program, the |
|
|
AAUL Young Professionals; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Unwavering in its determination to improve race |
|
|
relations and foster economic and social equality, the Austin Area |
|
|
Urban League has created an enduring legacy, and its efforts in |
|
|
behalf of education, employment readiness, wellness, and |
|
|
affordable housing are greatly benefiting innumerable people and |
|
|
making a lasting, positive difference in the community; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
|
hereby honor the Austin Area Urban League for its outstanding |
|
|
achievements and extend to its members sincere best wishes for |
|
|
continued success; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |