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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Keith Downey is being honored with a 2025 |
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Outstanding Texan Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houston, Mr. Downey graduated from |
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Kashmere High School in 1980, and he went on to attend Prairie View |
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A&M University, to major in architecture at The University of Texas |
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at Arlington, and to study servant leadership at Cornell University |
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and environmental justice at Texas Southern University; relocating |
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to New York City in the late 1980s, he began designing affordable |
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housing for low-income families, and he distinguished himself |
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during a longtime career as an architectural designer and as a |
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senior construction project manager for the city; in 2011 and 2012, |
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he was recognized for helping to rebuild more than 20 parks in |
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Brooklyn and in Queens and for assisting with the creation of an |
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accessible playground for children with disabilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Downey subsequently returned to Houston, where |
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he has since earned a reputation for his dedication to community |
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service; a founding director and the director of partnerships for |
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the Northeast Houston Redevelopment Council, he advocates for |
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residents, and he helped found the Northeast Community Farmers |
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Market, which addresses food insecurity in the Kashmere and Trinity |
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Gardens neighborhoods; during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, he assisted |
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in the rescue of hundreds of Harris County area citizens, and he |
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played a key role in establishing a resilience hub for disaster |
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training; moreover, he has worked with ProUnitas to provide support |
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services for area school systems, and he is president of the |
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Kashmere Gardens Super Neighborhood Council No. 52 and a member of |
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the Texas General Land Office citizen advisory committee; he was |
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honored by the City of Houston with the recognition of July 23, |
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2020, as Keith Downey Day, and he has also been named a Houston Hero |
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by the Houston Chronicle and a recipient of the Presidential |
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Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, 2023, and 2024; in all his |
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endeavors, he enjoys the love and support of his wife, Roshida; and |
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WHEREAS, Keith Downey sets an inspiring example of service |
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and achievement for his fellow Texans, and he is indeed deserving of |
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special recognition for all that he has accomplished in behalf of |
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the community of Houston; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature |
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hereby congratulate Keith Downey on his receipt of a 2025 |
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Outstanding Texan Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Downey as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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Senate. |