HR 12: Community Activist Month; April; designate

House Resolution 12

By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, Schofield of the 63rd, and Cannon of the 58th

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of April as Community Activist Month; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Community Activist Month recognizes individuals with spirit, vision, values, leadership, and transformational activism who create a better tomorrow for generations yet to be born; and

WHEREAS, Community Activist Month will focus on "activism" and "activist," which are terms that date back to the slave revolts of the first century BC in the Roman Empire as well as the civil actions and new social movements of the 1960s in the United States; and

WHEREAS, activists fight the status quo and challenge injustice to balance the scales of justice and have a long history of changing the world through reform; and

WHEREAS, activists gather people together and build coalitions to tap into the power of collaboration and collective strength and demand righteousness and change; collective action that is purposeful, organized, and sustained over a period of time becomes known as a social movement; and

WHEREAS, activists are inspirational leaders and role models who possess a mix of unflagging effort, effective action, and tangible achievement, setting a standard for other activists to duplicate within communities; and

WHEREAS, activists advocate for fairness, transparency, ethics, and accessibility while facilitating equity and diversity; they also advocate for all aspects of life such as social justice agendas, including, but not limited to, civil rights issues, economic development, environmental justice, health policy, education, criminal justice, voting rights, international affairs, labor, and youth development; and

WHEREAS, the month of April is an appropriate month to observe Community Activist Month.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ENACTED BY THE GENERAL

ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the members of this body:

(1) Designate the month of April of each year as Community Activist Month in the State of Georgia in order to celebrate activists throughout history;

(2) Acknowledge unsung heroic activists and their strength, selfless courage, and hopeful actions that create a positive and much improved future; and

(3) Respectfully request the Governor to issue annually a proclamation recognizing the month of April in the State of Georgia as Community Activist Month and call upon the people in the State of Georgia to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to Governor Brian Kemp and the public and the press.