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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Harris County marked the dawn of a new era on January |
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1, 2019, with the swearing-in of a record number of newly elected |
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African American women as judges; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the demographics of Harris County have |
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shifted dramatically in recent years, the judiciary had remained |
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dominated by white men; 19 distinguished female, African American |
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attorneys, including 2 sitting judges, recognized the need to |
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broaden the diversity of the courts, and in 2018, they joined forces |
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in a campaign they dubbed "Black Girl Magic," adopting a popular |
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social media theme that celebrates the accomplishments of African |
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American women in all arenas; when all 17 new candidates won their |
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elections, their victory gained national attention; and |
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WHEREAS, The 19 members of the campaign include Judge Maria |
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T. Jackson, presiding judge of the 339th State District Court, |
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Judge Ramona Franklin, presiding judge of the 338th Criminal |
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District Court, and newly elected jurists Judge Sandra Peake, 257th |
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Judicial District (Family), Judge Michelle Moore, 314th Judicial |
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District (Juvenile), Judge Germaine Tanner, 311th Judicial |
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District (Family), Judge Cassandra Y. Holleman, County Criminal |
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Court-At-Law No. 12, Judge Lucia Bates, Justice of the Peace, |
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Precinct No. 3, Place 2, Judge Linda Marie Dunson, 309th Judicial |
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District (Family), Judge Dedra Davis, 270th Judicial District |
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(Civil), Judge Lori Chambers Gray, 262nd Judicial District |
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(Criminal), Judge Tonya Jones, County Criminal Court-At-Law |
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No. 15, Judge Erica Hughes, County Criminal Court-At-Law No. 3, |
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Judge Sharon M. Burney, Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 7, Place |
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2, Judge Ronnisha Bowman, County Criminal Court-At-Law No. 2, Judge |
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Latosha Lewis Payne, 55th Judicial District (Civil), Judge Shannon |
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Baldwin, County Criminal Court-At-Law No. 4, Judge Toria J. Finch, |
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County Criminal Court-At-Law No. 9, Judge LaShawn A. Williams, |
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County Civil Court-At-Law No. 3, and Judge Angela |
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Graves-Harrington, 246th Judicial District; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the most diverse counties in the nation, |
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Harris County now has a judiciary that better reflects the |
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population it serves, and this achievement is a source of |
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tremendous pride to the community; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the 19 African American women |
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serving as judges in Harris County and extend to them sincere best |
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wishes for continued 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 judges as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |