H.R. No. 270
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Jessica Shortall of Dallas has rendered exceptional
service to the LGBTQIA+ communities in Texas and beyond through her
tireless advocacy work; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Shortall is the founding managing director of
Texas Competes, a partnership of business owners, industry
associations, and chambers of commerce; the organization helps
ensure the fair treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers and families, opposes
discriminatory policies, and strives to make the state more
economically competitive by promoting inclusiveness; the
organization is a model for America Competes, an entity also
directed by Ms. Shortall, that provides entrepreneurs with
information, legislative analysis, and other resources so that they
can advocate for equal opportunity for the members of the LGBTQIA+
communities; and
WHEREAS, The daughter of Venezuelan and English immigrants,
Ms. Shortall formerly served with the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan,
and she cofounded the Campus Kitchens Project, a food rescue and
hunger relief nonprofit that is active in more than 50 cities in the
U.S.; moreover, she was the first director of giving at TOMS Shoes
and played a key role in building the company's One for One
charitable program; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Shortall earned a master of business
administration degree in 2006 from the University of Oxford, where
she was a Skoll Scholar in social entrepreneurship; she also works
as a strategy consultant, and in all her endeavors she enjoys the
love and support of her husband, Clay, and her two children; and
WHEREAS, By defending the rights of those who are
marginalized, Jessica Shortall is helping to build a more just,
open, and diverse society for all Americans, and she may indeed take
great pride in her many achievements; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend Jessica Shortall
for her dedicated advocacy in behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community in
Texas and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success
with her important work; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Shortall as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
González of El Paso
González of Dallas
Zwiener
Johnson of Dallas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 270 was adopted by the House on
October 18, 2021, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House