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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Gary Bledsoe of Austin has served as president of |
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the Texas NAACP for two decades, during which time he has changed |
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many lives for the better through his outstanding leadership; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas and the UT |
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School of Law, Mr. Bledsoe works tirelessly in behalf of civil |
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rights; he has served as a member of the national board of the NAACP |
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since 2003 and is currently chair of the organization's National |
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Criminal Justice Committee; Mr. Bledsoe's efforts to fight racial |
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discrimination have helped to bring down employment barriers for |
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minorities and women, furthered the cause of equal treatment of |
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minority youth under the law, and secured funding of a scholarship |
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program for college-bound minority youth; Mr. Bledsoe also helped |
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to negotiate with HEB for the establishment of scholarships for |
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students attending Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M |
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University, and Huston-Tillotson University; and |
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WHEREAS, This accomplished leader is a former assistant |
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attorney general for the State of Texas who is now in private |
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practice, focusing on public interest, civil rights, and employment |
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law; he has received lawyer-of-the-year awards from the Texas |
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Attorney General, the Travis County Bar Association, the NAACP, the |
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Austin Area Urban League, and other organizations; moreover, he has |
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been accorded the Kelly Alexander State President of the Year |
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Award, the Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award for Legal Advocacy, and |
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the Benjamin Hooks Keeper of the Flame Award, among other |
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accolades; in March 2011, he was reappointed as a regent of Texas |
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Southern University; and |
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WHEREAS, Gary Bledsoe has guided the Texas NAACP with |
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exceptional skill and dedication, furthering its mission to |
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eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure equality of rights |
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for all; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Gary Bledsoe for his 20 years of service as |
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president of the Texas NAACP and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Bledsoe as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |