| 1 | 1 | | Introduced Version |
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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE RESOLUTION No. ___ |
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| 3 | 3 | | DIGEST OF INTRODUCED RESOL UTION |
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| 4 | 4 | | A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the distinguished |
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| 5 | 5 | | career of Alpha Blackburn as a renowned Indianapolis artist |
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| 6 | 6 | | dedicated to serving her community. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BREAUX |
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| 8 | 8 | | , read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 9 | 9 | | 2023 DR 3844/DI TB Introduced |
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| 10 | 10 | | First Regular Session 123rd General Assembly (2023) |
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| 11 | 11 | | SENATE RESOLUTION ____ |
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| 12 | 12 | | MADAM PRESIDENT: |
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| 13 | 13 | | I offer the following resolution and move its adoption: |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1 A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the distinguished |
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| 15 | 15 | | 2 career of Alpha Blackburn as a renowned Indianapolis artist |
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| 16 | 16 | | 3 dedicated to serving her community. |
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| 17 | 17 | | 4 Whereas, A philanthropist, CEO, magazine editor, |
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| 18 | 18 | | 5 award-winning fashion designer, and former TV host, Alpha |
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| 19 | 19 | | 6 Blackburn's career is remarkable for her achievements as an |
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| 20 | 20 | | 7 interior/fashion designer and for her service to her home |
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| 21 | 21 | | 8 community of almost 60 years, Indianapolis, Indiana; |
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| 22 | 22 | | 9 Whereas, After growing up in Lynchburg, Virginia, Alpha |
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| 23 | 23 | | 10 Blackburn attended Howard University, graduated cum laude, |
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| 24 | 24 | | 11 and earned a BA in design and an MFA in painting and art |
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| 25 | 25 | | 12 history; |
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| 26 | 26 | | 13 Whereas, From 1972 to 1981, Alpha Blackburn hosted |
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| 27 | 27 | | 14 daily and weekly local television talk shows, and from 1980 to |
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| 28 | 28 | | 15 1990, served as fashion editor at Indianapolis Monthly; |
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| 29 | 29 | | 16 Whereas, In 1987, Alpha Blackburn was appointed |
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| 30 | 30 | | 17 Commissioner at the Indiana Civil Rights Commission by |
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| 31 | 31 | | 18 Governor Orr and named Chair in 1990, a position she served |
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| 32 | 32 | | 19 through several administrations; |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2023 DR 3844/DI TB 2 |
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| 34 | 34 | | 1 Whereas, After the passing of her late husband, Walter |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2 Blackburn, in 2000, Alpha Blackburn took over as President |
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| 36 | 36 | | 3 and CEO of Blackburn Architects, completing the National |
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| 37 | 37 | | 4 Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati and |
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| 38 | 38 | | 5 leading the development of a four-million-dollar public art |
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| 39 | 39 | | 6 program for the Indianapolis International Airport; |
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| 40 | 40 | | 7 Whereas, Alpha Blackburn's commitment to Indianapolis is |
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| 41 | 41 | | 8 demonstrated by her position on more than 60 boards, |
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| 42 | 42 | | 9 commissions, and civic committees, including the Indianapolis |
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| 43 | 43 | | 10 Symphony Society, the Indianapolis Cultural Development |
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| 44 | 44 | | 11 Commission, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Indiana |
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| 45 | 45 | | 12 Museum of African American History, among many more; |
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| 46 | 46 | | 13 Whereas, Dedicated to assisting aspiring artists in |
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| 47 | 47 | | 14 overcoming financial and social barriers, Alpha Blackburn |
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| 48 | 48 | | 15 oversees the Walter & Alpha Blackburn Scholarship Fund to |
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| 49 | 49 | | 16 provide high school students wanting to study architecture or |
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| 50 | 50 | | 17 the arts four years of support in college; |
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| 51 | 51 | | 18 Whereas, To provide opportunities for young Hoosiers, |
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| 52 | 52 | | 19 Alpha Blackburn established the Alpha Blackburn Scholarship |
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| 53 | 53 | | 20 for the Arts at Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI and |
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| 54 | 54 | | 21 continues to provide mentorship as a member of the School's |
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| 55 | 55 | | 22 Advisory Board; |
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| 56 | 56 | | 23 Whereas, Alpha Blackburn was honored with an IUPUI |
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| 57 | 57 | | 24 Chancellor's Medallion for her decades of service to the IUPUI |
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| 58 | 58 | | 25 campus and its students; |
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| 59 | 59 | | 26 Whereas, Alpha Blackburn has been recognized with |
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| 60 | 60 | | 27 numerous awards and distinctions, including the IUPUI Spirit |
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| 61 | 61 | | 28 of Philanthropy Award, the Hope Award of the Multiple |
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| 62 | 62 | | 29 Sclerosis Society, the Trailblazer Award from Indiana Black |
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| 63 | 63 | | 30 Expo, the Spirit of Freedom Award from the Indiana Civil |
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| 64 | 64 | | 31 Rights Commission, induction into the Central Indiana |
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| 65 | 65 | | 32 Business Hall of Fame, selection as Outstanding Woman of the |
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| 66 | 66 | | 33 Year, and recognition as one of the Indiana Historical Society's |
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| 67 | 67 | | 2023 DR 3844/DI TB 3 |
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| 68 | 68 | | 1 Living Legends; and |
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| 69 | 69 | | 2 |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3 Whereas, While her many designs throughout Central |
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| 71 | 71 | | 4 Indiana showcase Alpha Blackburn's talent and creativity, it is |
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| 72 | 72 | | 5 her civic service, contributions to charity, scholarships for |
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| 73 | 73 | | 6 student artists, and continued commitment to ensuring a diverse |
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| 74 | 74 | | 7 and vibrant culture in Indianapolis that define Alpha |
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| 75 | 75 | | 8 Blackburn's extraordinary contributions to a grateful city: |
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| 76 | 76 | | 9 Therefore, |
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| 77 | 77 | | 10 Be it resolved by the Senate of the |
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| 78 | 78 | | 11 General Assembly of the State of Indiana: |
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| 79 | 79 | | 12 SECTION 1. That the Indiana Senate recognizes Alpha |
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| 80 | 80 | | 13 Blackburn as a renowned Indianapolis artist dedicated to |
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| 81 | 81 | | 14 serving her community. |
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| 82 | 82 | | 15 SECTION 2. The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed |
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| 83 | 83 | | 16 to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Alpha Blackburn. |
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| 84 | 84 | | 2023 DR 3844/DI TB |
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