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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Austin Branch of the American Association of |
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University Women is celebrating its 100th anniversary in November |
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2023; and |
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WHEREAS, AAUW was founded in 1881, when a small group of |
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female college graduates banded together with the goal of promoting |
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women's career advancement and encouraging more women to pursue |
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higher education; the organization's mission is to advance gender |
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equity through research, education, and advocacy, and it has |
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supported the academic achievements of many thousands of women |
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scholars throughout its history; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1923, the Austin Branch of AAUW was organized at |
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the Driskill Hotel by 15 women, including prominent leaders in the |
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civic, religious, and cultural life of the city; over the course of |
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a century, the Austin Branch has distinguished itself as a force for |
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good in the community by forming partnerships with organizations |
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such as the Austin Public Library Association, the Community |
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Council of Austin, the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, |
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and the Texas Freedom Network and participating in such endeavors |
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as the March of Dimes campaign, the College Faculty Program, and the |
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environmental coalition We Care Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Early in its history, the Austin Branch was involved |
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in the founding of the city's first public library, and it was |
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integral to the establishment of a Well Baby Clinic and the Chalmers |
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Nursery School; moreover, the branch's members have taken part in |
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charitable initiatives to provide food and clothing to residents in |
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need and to improve conditions at Brackenridge Hospital; and |
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WHEREAS, The Austin Branch created an endowment fund that has |
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been used to award fellowships to doctoral students at The |
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University of Texas, as well as an endowed scholarship for female |
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students enrolled at Austin Community College; the branch has also |
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sponsored Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics, a |
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conference for middle school girls, and a host of other symposia, |
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workshops, and events with the purpose of fostering dialogue on |
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important issues such as educational and pay equity; and |
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WHEREAS, AAUW's Austin Branch is aligned with its |
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trailblazing parent organization in its efforts to build a more |
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equitable society and to empower women in all walks of life, and it |
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is a pleasure to join its members in commemorating this special |
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milestone in the organization's proud history; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby commemorate the centennial of the Austin Branch of the |
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American Association of University Women and extend to all those |
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associated with the organization sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |