TITLE: Honoring Gary Bledsoe for his service as president of the Texas NAACP.

SUMMARY: Honoring Gary Bledsoe for his service as president of the Texas NAACP.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Gary Bledsoe of Austin has served as president of the Texas NAACP for two decades, during which time he has changed many lives for the better through his outstanding leadership; and WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas and the UT School of Law, Mr. Bledsoe works tirelessly in behalf of civil rights; he has served as a member of the national board of the NAACP since 2003 and is currently chair of the organization's National Criminal Justice Committee; Mr. Bledsoe's efforts to fight racial discrimination have helped to bring down employment barriers for minorities and women, furthered the cause of equal treatment of minority youth under the law, and secured funding of a scholarship program for college-bound minority youth; Mr. Bledsoe also helped to negotiate with HEB for the establishment of scholarships for students attending Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, and Huston-Tillotson University; and WHEREAS, This accomplished leader is a former assistant attorney general for the State of Texas who is now in private practice, focusing on public interest, civil rights, and employment law; he has received lawyer-of-the-year awards from the Texas Attorney General, the Travis County Bar Association, the NAACP, the Austin Area Urban League, and other organizations; moreover, he has been accorded the Kelly Alexander State President of the Year Award, the Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award for Legal Advocacy, and the Benjamin Hooks Keeper of the Flame Award, among other accolades; in March 2011, he was reappointed as a regent of Texas Southern University; and WHEREAS, Gary Bledsoe has guided the Texas NAACP with exceptional skill and dedication, furthering its mission to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure equality of rights for all; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor Gary Bledsoe for his 20 years of service as president of the Texas NAACP and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Bledsoe as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Reynolds Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2625 was adopted by the House on May 30, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House