HomeMy WebLinkAboutPFLAG Austin Deirdre Furr Essay Awards Day_04.2016
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Deirdre Ann Furr Essay Contest was inaugurated in school year 2014-15 by PFLAG
Austin to commemorate Ms. Furr and the first Awards Ceremony was held March 4, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Deirdre taught English Language Arts at Georgetown High School for twelve years and
was a dynamic and outstanding teacher who was well loved and respected by her students and fellow
teachers; and
WHEREAS, in addition to her teaching innovations and excellence, Ms. Furr founded Georgetown
High School’s first Gay Straight Alliance, now called Gay Transgender Straight Alliance, and cared very
much about creating a safe and accepting environment for all students; and
WHEREAS, in memory of her legacy, PFLAG Austin sponsored the second annual essay contest in
school year 2016, opening a wider circle to include high school students from Georgetown, Austin and
Leander Independent School districts; and
WHEREAS, PFLAG Austin, as name sponsor, is awarding prizes on April 5, 2016, on the theme of
“Why should the laws be changed to guarantee that transgender people have total equal rights (employment,
housing, public accommodations, etc.) compared to the rights of everyone else?”; and
WHEREAS, other supportive organizations for the Awards Ceremony include the Georgetown
PFLAG meeting, Gay Straight Transgender Alliance chapters and Southwestern University’s Pirates for
Pride; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the PFLAG Austin Deirdre Ann Furr Essay Contest is to promote
education, community involvement and engender advocacy for LGBT inclusion and rights.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DALE ROSS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN,
TEXAS, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, April 5, 2016 as
PFLAG AUSTIN DEIRDRE FURR ESSAY AWARDS DAY
In Georgetown, Texas