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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, Dr. Brenda Risch has been a leader in the fight for |
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| 6 | 7 | | social justice for members of the LGBTQIA+ communities in Texas, |
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| 7 | 8 | | and their efforts have made a positive difference in numerous |
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| 8 | 9 | | lives; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In order to address the needs of LGBTQIA+ |
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| 10 | 11 | | communities in El Paso, Dr. Risch led a campaign to establish the |
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| 11 | 12 | | Borderland Rainbow Center, which opened in 2016; they currently |
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| 12 | 13 | | serve as executive director of the organization, and its many |
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| 13 | 14 | | initiatives include support groups, therapy on a sliding scale, |
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| 14 | 15 | | casework, a food pantry, and a variety of social and educational |
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| 15 | 16 | | events; in addition, members of the organization promote equality |
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| 16 | 17 | | in the wider community by training local allies and advocating in |
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| 17 | 18 | | behalf of LGBTQIA+ residents; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Prior to working with BRC, Dr. Risch served as |
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| 19 | 20 | | director of the Women's Studies Program at The University of Texas |
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| 20 | 21 | | at El Paso and oversaw the development of internship and research |
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| 21 | 22 | | programs for gender and sexuality studies; they also founded the |
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| 22 | 23 | | Frontera Pride Film Festival in El Paso as well as Engendering |
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| 23 | 24 | | Community, a museum exhibit highlighting LGBTQIA+ people in the |
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| 24 | 25 | | Paso del Norte region; Dr. Risch holds a bachelor's degree in |
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| 25 | 26 | | comparative literature from Northwestern University, a master's |
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| 26 | 27 | | degree and a doctorate in comparative literature from the |
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| 27 | 28 | | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master's degree |
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| 28 | 29 | | in social work from The University of Texas at El Paso; moreover, |
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| 29 | 30 | | they are a licensed clinical social worker and therapist; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Through their myriad endeavors, Dr. Brenda Risch |
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| 31 | 32 | | has helped further inclusion and equality in the Lone Star State, |
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| 32 | 33 | | and they may indeed reflect with pride on their many noteworthy |
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| 33 | 34 | | accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend Dr. Brenda Risch |
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| 36 | 37 | | for working in behalf of the LGBTQIA+ communities of Texas; and, be |
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| 37 | 38 | | it further |
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| 38 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 39 | 40 | | prepared for Dr. Risch as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | House of Representatives. |
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