| 12 | 16 | | |
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| 13 | 17 | | |
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| 14 | 18 | | |
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| 15 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Sterling Hunt, a highly admired member of the Portsmouth community who was well known for his determined advocacy, died on January 16, 2025; and |
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| 16 | 20 | | |
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| 17 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt was born in Chesapeake and began his journey in faith at a young age as a member of Zion Bethel United Church of Christ in Portsmouth; he was active in the youth choir, the youth usher guild, and the praise dance ministry, and he inspired other members of his family to become more active members of the congregation; and |
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| 18 | 22 | | |
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| 19 | 23 | | WHEREAS, as a young man, Marquise Hunt also cultivated a passion for public speaking and won a gold medal for oratory in the NAACP's Area II ACT-SO Achievement Program; after graduating from Churchland High School, he matriculated at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned the respect of his peers, teachers, and administrators for his commitment to excellence in every endeavor; and |
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| 20 | 24 | | |
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| 21 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt was elected as the president of the Tougaloo College chapter of the NAACP and the Youth and College Division of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference; he served as the youth civic engagement coordinator for Mississippi Votes and earned many accolades for leading voter registration drives and hosting workshops and panel discussions throughout the region; and |
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| 22 | 26 | | |
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| 23 | 27 | | WHEREAS, in recognition of his achievements, Marquise Hunt was selected to serve as chair of the NAACP National Youth and College Task Force, in which capacity he guided civic engagement strategies that reached more than 25,000 young people nationwide; and |
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| 24 | 28 | | |
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| 25 | 29 | | WHEREAS, after graduation, Marquise Hunt made it his personal mission to confront societal injustices, using his skills as a public speaker to raise awareness of important issues and advocate for people in need; and |
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| 26 | 30 | | |
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| 27 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt supported racial and gender equity, police accountability, prison reform, workers' rights, voting rights, and affordable housing, giving generously of his time and talents to help enhance the lives of others wherever he could; and |
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| 28 | 32 | | |
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| 29 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt was inspired to visit the site of Emmett Louis Till's 1955 murder and gained more than 11 million views on social media for his reactions; the experience led him to establish the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, which educates and empowers young people to make a difference in their communities; and |
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| 30 | 34 | | |
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| 31 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt was a trusted advisor to officials at the local and state levels, and he was a sought-after speaker and presenter who was featured on MSNBC, supported the Biden-Harris presidential campaign in 2020, and offered his insights to several other organizations; and |
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| 32 | 36 | | |
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| 33 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Marquise Hunt will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his parents, Christina and Edrick; his siblings, Maiya and Myles; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 38 | | |
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| 35 | 39 | | RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Marquise Sterling Hunt, a passionate community leader in Portsmouth; and, be it |
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| 36 | 40 | | |
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| 37 | 41 | | RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Marquise Sterling Hunt as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory. |
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