HR1647: HR1647 Edwards, Shelia; receiving the 2026 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award; commend

26 LC 129 1360 House Resolution 1647 By: Representatives Cummings of the 39 th, Campbell of the 35 th, Jones of the 60 th, and Beckles of the 96th A RESOLUTION Congratulating and commending Shelia Edwards for receiving the 2026 Yellow Rose Nikki1 T. Randall Servant Leadership Award; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, in 1999, Representative Nikki T. Randall became the fi rst African American3 female elected to the General Assembly from middle Georgia, and over her 17 years of4 service as a legislator, she held numerous leadership positions, including chair of the Georgia5 Women's Legislative Caucus; and6 WHEREAS, every year during Women's History Month, the Georgia Women's Legislative7 Caucus recognizes outstanding women in Georgia who exemplify th e leadership and8 inspiration embodied by Representative Randall; and9 WHEREAS, in her home community of Cobb County, Shelia Edwards i s a highly visible10 advocate on quality-of-life issues, housing, and public safety, and is widely sought after for11 her community advocacy and proven record of grassroots impact; and 12 WHEREAS, she successfully organized residents to prevent a wast e company from13 expanding operations into an already overburdened neighborhood near the Chattahoochee14 H. R. 1647 - 1 - 26 LC 129 1360 River, demonstrating her commitment to environmental justice and community protection;15 and 16 WHEREAS, as Publicist for Olympic Gold Medalist Mel Pender, Shelia works closely with17 Mel and Dr. Debbie Pender to elevate the visibility, credibility, and impact of the Mel Pender18 Foundation; and 19 WHEREAS, in addition to leading media strategy, Shelia helps position the foundation for20 grants, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships that support s ustainable growth and21 community impact; and 22 WHEREAS, from executive positioning to crisis communications, s he serves as the23 foundation's trusted voice–bringing strategic clarity, reputati on management, and a24 solutions-driven approach to every engagement for a hometown Olympic hero; and25 WHEREAS, Shelia is also the Publisher of Spotlight South Cobb N ews, a weekly online26 publication dedicated to informing South Cobb and Metro Atlanta communities about issues27 that impact their lives; and 28 WHEREAS, a proud first-generation college graduate, Shelia earned her Bachelor of Arts29 in Communications from Benedict College, completing her degree in three and a half years,30 and later completed leadership and management certifications at Emory University Goizueta31 Business School; and32 WHEREAS, she is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the Andrew Young33 School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University; and 34 H. R. 1647 - 2 - 26 LC 129 1360 WHEREAS, beyond her professional work, Shelia is deeply engaged in civic and35 philanthropic leadership; and 36 WHEREAS, she currently serves as Co-Chair of the UNCF Mayor's Masked Ball, working37 with various Mayors during their terms in office, and helping r aise millions of dollars38 annually to support students attending HBCUs; and 39 WHEREAS, she has served on the boards of Women Looking Ahead, A MAC, and SGF40 Foundation, as well as remains active with numerous organizations, including the National41 Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (Metro Atlanta Chapter); Atl anta Neighborhood42 Development Partnership; Cobb County Democracy Center; Cobb SCLC; Atlanta Chamber43 of Commerce; Atlanta Business League; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and the United44 Negro College Fund; and45 WHEREAS, with expertise spanning communications, government and community46 engagement, campaign management, operations, budgeting, fundraising, event planning, and47 digital strategy, Shelia Edwards continues to be a powerful for ce in shaping policy,48 strengthening communities, and elevating voices that too often go unheard.49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that50 the members of this body congratulate and commend Shelia Edwards for receiving the 202651 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award and exten d best wishes for her52 continued success.53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized54 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Shelia55 Edwards.56 H. R. 1647 - 3 -