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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Austin residents lost an admired publisher and |
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social justice advocate with the passing of Akwasi Rozelle Evans on |
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April 8, 2019, at the age of 70; and |
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WHEREAS, Born Larry Elvis Dale in Dayton, Ohio, on October |
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17, 1948, Akwasi Evans was the son of Garfield Evans and Bonnie |
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Dale; he was raised in Kentucky by his mother and his adored |
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maternal grandmother, Bertha, whom he affectionately called "Mama |
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Bill"; in the 1980s, he moved to Texas, and he chose a new name, |
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including Akwasi, the Ashanti word for "born on a Sunday," and |
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Rozelle, for his maternal grandfather; he studied journalism at |
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Texas State University and went on to work at the Texas Employment |
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Commission and the Villager newspaper; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1987, Mr. Evans launched his own newspaper, NOKOA |
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The Observer, with a dual Swahili and English title; the |
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publication covered progressive politics and championed activism |
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from an Afrocentric perspective for a multicultural audience; |
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despite an increasingly challenging media environment, he |
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continued to produce the paper for more than three decades; in |
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addition, he cohosted a weekly talk show, The Breakfast Club, on FM |
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radio station KAZI; he was a member of the Texas Publishers |
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Association, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and |
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Alpha Phi Alpha; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Evans served his fellow citizens in numerous |
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other capacities as well; he was a member of the board of the |
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Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, and he worked tirelessly to |
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ensure greater representation for African Americans in Austin's |
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civic life, particularly in regard to development issues; moreover, |
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he enhanced cultural awareness by lecturing at area universities, |
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reciting poetry, and organizing celebrations for Kwanzaa, Black |
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History Month, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and his community, |
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Akwasi Evans made a meaningful difference in the lives of his loved |
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ones and fellow citizens alike, and his contributions will be |
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fondly remembered for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Akwasi Rozelle |
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Evans and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: |
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to his daughter, Sherilyn R. Scott-Blackburn, and her husband, Kirk |
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Angelo Blackburn; to his grandchildren, Dainisha Tache' Scott, |
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Taylor D'Angela Blackburn, Hren D'Angelo Blackburn, and Jordan |
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O'rion Blackburn; to his great-grandsons, Prince Jayson-Alexander |
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Trahan and Caspian De'Marcus Graham; and to his other relatives and |
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friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Akwasi |
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Evans. |
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Cole |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1479 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 10, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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