| 1 | 1 | | 89R26095 DSH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Garcia Hernandez H.R. No. 962 |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The Defensive Line is a nonprofit organization |
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| 9 | 9 | | dedicated to suicide prevention, and the group's cofounder and |
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| 10 | 10 | | chief education officer, Martha Thomas, is visiting the Capitol on |
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| 11 | 11 | | May 1, 2025; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, A resident of Coppell, Mrs. Thomas helped establish |
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| 13 | 13 | | The Defensive Line in 2021 after the tragic suicide of her |
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| 14 | 14 | | 24-year-old daughter, Ella, in January 2018; cofounded with her |
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| 15 | 15 | | husband, Chris Thomas, and their son, Dallas Cowboys defensive |
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| 16 | 16 | | lineman Solomon Thomas, The Defensive Line seeks to end the |
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| 17 | 17 | | epidemic of youth suicide, especially for young people of color, by |
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| 18 | 18 | | transforming the way we communicate and connect about mental |
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| 19 | 19 | | health; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, After working in education for more than 30 years, |
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| 21 | 21 | | Mrs. Thomas left teaching in 2022 to devote herself full-time to The |
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| 22 | 22 | | Defensive Line; drawing on her insights into the realities of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | classroom, she educates participants about suicide prevention |
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| 24 | 24 | | through the organization's workshops, which guide teachers and |
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| 25 | 25 | | leaders through the facts of youth suicide, particularly for people |
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| 26 | 26 | | of color, and prepare them to address mental health crises, |
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| 27 | 27 | | initiate difficult conversations, develop an action plan, and |
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| 28 | 28 | | create a safe environment; Mrs. Thomas has led programming |
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| 29 | 29 | | partnerships in the Dallas and Fort Worth Independent School |
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| 30 | 30 | | Districts and at Baylor University and Stanford University, and she |
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| 31 | 31 | | is a popular podcast guest and keynote speaker; she and her husband |
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| 32 | 32 | | serve as faculty members of the American Academy of Pediatrics and |
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| 33 | 33 | | are involved with Project ECHO, its telementoring program; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, The Defensive Line has called much-needed attention |
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| 35 | 35 | | to the issue of youth suicide and to the actions that can be taken to |
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| 36 | 36 | | help save lives, and it is a pleasure to join in recognizing Martha |
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| 37 | 37 | | Thomas and her colleagues for their steadfast commitment to this |
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| 38 | 38 | | worthy cause; now, therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 40 | 40 | | Legislature hereby honor Martha Thomas and The Defensive Line for |
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| 41 | 41 | | their efforts to prevent youth suicide and extend to all those |
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| 42 | 42 | | affiliated with the organization sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 43 | 43 | | success with their important work; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 45 | 45 | | prepared for Mrs. Thomas as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 46 | 46 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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