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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Defensive Line is a nonprofit organization |
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dedicated to suicide prevention, and the group's cofounder and |
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chief education officer, Martha Thomas, is visiting the Capitol on |
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May 1, 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, A resident of Coppell, Mrs. Thomas helped establish |
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The Defensive Line in 2021 after the tragic suicide of her |
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24-year-old daughter, Ella, in January 2018; cofounded with her |
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husband, Chris Thomas, and their son, Dallas Cowboys defensive |
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lineman Solomon Thomas, The Defensive Line seeks to end the |
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epidemic of youth suicide, especially for young people of color, by |
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transforming the way we communicate and connect about mental |
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health; and |
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WHEREAS, After working in education for more than 30 years, |
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Mrs. Thomas left teaching in 2022 to devote herself full-time to The |
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Defensive Line; drawing on her insights into the realities of the |
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classroom, she educates participants about suicide prevention |
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through the organization's workshops, which guide teachers and |
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leaders through the facts of youth suicide, particularly for people |
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of color, and prepare them to address mental health crises, |
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initiate difficult conversations, develop an action plan, and |
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create a safe environment; Mrs. Thomas has led programming |
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partnerships in the Dallas and Fort Worth Independent School |
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Districts and at Baylor University and Stanford University, and she |
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is a popular podcast guest and keynote speaker; she and her husband |
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serve as faculty members of the American Academy of Pediatrics and |
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are involved with Project ECHO, its telementoring program; and |
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WHEREAS, The Defensive Line has called much-needed attention |
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to the issue of youth suicide and to the actions that can be taken to |
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help save lives, and it is a pleasure to join in recognizing Martha |
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Thomas and her colleagues for their steadfast commitment to this |
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worthy cause; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Martha Thomas and The Defensive Line for |
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their efforts to prevent youth suicide and extend to all those |
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affiliated with the organization sincere best wishes for continued |
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success with their important work; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Thomas as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Garcia Hernandez |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 962 was adopted by the House on June |
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1, 2025, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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