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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The nonprofit organization Miles of Freedom |
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| 6 | 7 | | provides invaluable services to individuals and families in the |
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| 7 | 8 | | Dallas area who have been impacted by incarceration; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Miles of Freedom was founded by Richard Miles, who |
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| 9 | 10 | | spent 15 years in Texas prisons on a wrongful conviction for murder; |
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| 10 | 11 | | he was free on bond for two and a half years before he was finally |
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| 11 | 12 | | exonerated by the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals in 2012, and |
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| 12 | 13 | | during that time, he experienced firsthand the difficulties that a |
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| 13 | 14 | | person who has been incarcerated may face in finding a job and a |
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| 14 | 15 | | place to live; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Miles of Freedom works to offer support and dignity |
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| 16 | 17 | | to such individuals in South Dallas through a series of |
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| 17 | 18 | | initiatives; the group's three-month Job Readiness Workshop equips |
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| 18 | 19 | | participants with training in financial literacy, resume building, |
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| 19 | 20 | | interview training, and other life skills, and its graduates are |
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| 20 | 21 | | provided with job placement assistance; the Men/Women of Future |
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| 21 | 22 | | program mentors young people affected by incarceration, either as |
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| 22 | 23 | | inmates or as family members of inmates; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, This noteworthy organization also offers a shuttle |
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| 24 | 25 | | service twice a month to prisons in the Tennessee Colony area for |
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| 25 | 26 | | the families of those who are incarcerated, and it provides job |
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| 26 | 27 | | opportunities through its lawn care business; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Through its unique and compassionate approach to |
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| 28 | 29 | | breaking the cycle of incarceration, Miles of Freedom has made a |
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| 29 | 30 | | positive and lasting difference in many lives, and the staff and |
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| 30 | 31 | | leadership of the organization may take pride in all that they have |
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| 31 | 32 | | accomplished; now, therefore, be it |
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| 32 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 33 | 34 | | Legislature hereby commend Miles of Freedom on its efforts in |
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| 34 | 35 | | behalf of individuals impacted by incarceration and extend to all |
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| 35 | 36 | | those associated with the group sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 36 | 37 | | success in their important work; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 38 | 39 | | prepared for Miles of Freedom as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 39 | 40 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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