TITLE: Honoring the Austin Area Urban League.

SUMMARY: Honoring the Austin Area Urban League.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Members of the Austin Area Urban League are visiting the State Capitol on May 25, 2011; and WHEREAS, Founded on August 12, 1977, the Austin Area Urban League is affiliated with the National Urban League, a civil rights organization that has fought discrimination for more than a century; the Urban League has contributed immeasurably to social progress and remains dedicated to the economic empowerment of historically underserved residents in urban communities; and WHEREAS, The Austin Area Urban League began operations in the basement of Wesley United Methodist Church; from that humble beginning, the organization has grown dramatically to meet the needs of area residents; and WHEREAS, In addition to job readiness training, the group's Workforce Development program provides GED courses, job search assistance, and office and life skills instruction; the league works with 300 employers to help job candidates find suitable positions, and it conducts after-school computer and technology classes at four different Housing Authority of Austin sites; and WHEREAS, The organization offers a first-time homebuyer's class and awards those who complete it a $1,000 grant toward a down payment; moreover, it performs hundreds of emergency and scheduled home repairs annually, free of cost to low-income home owners, and it partners with some 40 other entities, including Dell, Seton, and the Meadows Foundation, to further its important goals; and WHEREAS, Today, the Austin Area Urban League remains fortunate in the continued leadership of many of its esteemed founders, including the Reverend Freddie Dixon, who was pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in 1977 when the church became the birthplace of the Urban League in Central Texas, and the Honorable Harriett Murphy, a retired municipal court judge who was a new attorney working to help found the league in the 1970s; also among this number are Linda Moore Smith, the organization's first executive director, who went on to serve the National Urban League in New York before reprising her role in Austin, and Carolyn Holt Goldston, a longtime advocate for racial justice and civil rights and a lifetime member of the organization; continuing the tradition of excellence established by these local legends are Austin native Scotty Holman, a financial executive, who serves as the 2010 chair, and the Honorable Jeffrey K. Richard, who was elected president and chief executive officer in 2005 and also serves as a trustee for the Austin Community College District; other noteworthy founders and longtime members continue to share their wisdom and experience with the organization and inspire the members of its newest program, the AAUL Young Professionals; and WHEREAS, Unwavering in its determination to improve race relations and foster economic and social equality, the Austin Area Urban League has created an enduring legacy, and its efforts in behalf of education, employment readiness, wellness, and affordable housing are greatly benefiting innumerable people and making a lasting, positive difference in the community; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby honor the Austin Area Urban League for its outstanding achievements and extend to its members sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Dukes Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 153 was adopted by the House on May 19, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 153 was adopted by the Senate on May 25, 2011, by a viva-voce vote. Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: Date Governor