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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Acclaimed R&B artist John Legend has demonstrated a |
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| 6 | 7 | | deep commitment to justice and equality, and he is making a positive |
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| 7 | 8 | | difference in the world around him through his music, his advocacy, |
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| 8 | 9 | | and his philanthropic initiatives; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Building on the tradition of engagement established |
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| 10 | 11 | | during the Civil Rights era by performers such as Nina Simone, |
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| 11 | 12 | | Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder, John Legend has combined stardom |
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| 12 | 13 | | with a determination to address contemporary problems; he joined |
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| 13 | 14 | | with hip-hop band The Roots to release Wake Up!, a Grammy-winning |
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| 14 | 15 | | album of politically engaged soul songs from the 1960s and 1970s; |
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| 15 | 16 | | after scoring a massive pop hit with the love ballad "All of Me," he |
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| 16 | 17 | | delivered a powerful message about the continuing struggle for |
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| 17 | 18 | | human rights in the anthem "Glory," a collaboration with rapper |
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| 18 | 19 | | Common that closes the historical film Selma; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, "Glory" won the 2015 Best Original Song Oscar, and |
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| 20 | 21 | | in his acceptance speech, Mr. Legend spoke movingly about the |
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| 21 | 22 | | legacy of slavery and the current high incarceration rates of |
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| 22 | 23 | | African American men; moreover, in magazine editorials and other |
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| 23 | 24 | | venues, he has raised awareness of structural racism and |
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| 24 | 25 | | opportunity gaps; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, In 2007, Mr. Legend founded the Show Me Campaign, |
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| 26 | 27 | | which strives to interrupt the cycle of poverty and close the |
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| 27 | 28 | | school-to-prison pipeline that has devastated low-income |
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| 28 | 29 | | communities; the organization supports and sponsors educational |
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| 29 | 30 | | programs such as the LNRG Innovation Challenge, which is also |
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| 30 | 31 | | sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation and the National Writing |
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| 31 | 32 | | Project; dedicated to ending mass incarceration, the campaign |
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| 32 | 33 | | promotes public policies that will allow the nation to redirect |
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| 33 | 34 | | funds from the prison-industrial complex to education, |
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| 34 | 35 | | rehabilitation, and effective reentry services; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, John Legend has traveled to the Lone Star State to |
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| 36 | 37 | | unite his efforts with those of the Texas Criminal Justice |
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| 37 | 38 | | Coalition, a nonpartisan group working to eliminate the costly |
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| 38 | 39 | | overreliance on incarceration; he shares with the organization a |
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| 39 | 40 | | profound desire to advance solutions that will strengthen families |
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| 40 | 41 | | and communities, and it is truly a pleasure to honor him for his |
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| 41 | 42 | | contributions to social progress; now, therefore, be it |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | Legislature hereby welcome John Legend to the State Capitol and |
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| 44 | 45 | | commend him for his endeavors in behalf of education and criminal |
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| 45 | 46 | | justice reform; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 48 | | prepared for Mr. Legend as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 48 | 49 | | House of Representatives. |
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