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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Dallas lost a dynamic and compassionate |
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community leader with the death of Bishop Omar Jahwar on March 11, |
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2021, at the age of 47; and |
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WHEREAS, Omar Jahwar was born on April 3, 1973, to Larry and |
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Rosetta Jefferson, and he grew up in the Oak Cliff neighborhood with |
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four siblings, Leon, Roman, Larry, and Fayth; from an early age, he |
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was an avid reader and a gifted musician, and he attended Lancaster |
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High School, where he was the first Black student body president; |
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after narrowly avoiding a prison sentence as a troubled teenager, |
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he committed himself at the age of 17 to helping other young people, |
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volunteering to conduct intervention sessions with gang members at |
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Gainesville State School; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1997, Bishop Jahwar was honored at the White |
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House for his efforts in Gainesville and became the youngest person |
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ever to win the national Achievement Against the Odds award from the |
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Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, and the following year, he |
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founded the nonprofit group Urban Specialists, which works to |
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eliminate urban violence; in 2000, he negotiated a peace treaty |
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between the Blood and Crip gangs in Dallas, and in 2002, he traveled |
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to Russia to consult about gang violence there; in 2019, Urban |
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Specialists launched the OGU program, which trains former gang |
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leaders to mentor at-risk youth, and that same year, Bishop Jahwar |
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embarked upon the national Heal America Tour, which has reached |
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70,000 people in cities across America; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of deep religious faith, Bishop Jahwar was |
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presiding bishop of the Kingdom Covenant of Churches and senior |
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pastor of Kingdom WAR Legacy Church in South Dallas; in 2016, he was |
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a guest of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan at the State of the Union |
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Address, and the following year, Urban Specialists was recognized |
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with the International Humanitarian Award in Dallas; in 2019, |
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Bishop Jahwar received the Rise and Shine Award from WFAA, the |
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Dallas ABC news affiliate; and |
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WHEREAS, Family was paramount to Bishop Jahwar, and he was a |
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loving husband to his wife, Anita, and the proud father of four |
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children, Omar, Tabia, Omni, and Anaya; and |
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WHEREAS, Omar Jahwar lived a full and generous life devoted |
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to his family, his community, and his faith, and his legacy of |
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leadership and his commitment to justice and nonviolence will |
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continue to inspire all those who were fortunate enough to know him; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Bishop Omar Jahwar |
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and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family, his congregation, and |
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his many friends and colleagues; 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 Bishop Omar |
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Jahwar. |
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Sherman, Sr. |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 451 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 1, 2021. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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