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Home My WebLink AboutResolution - 2017-R0396 - Eric Emmerson Strong Memorial Grove - 10/26/2017Resolution No.2017-R0396 Item No.6.11 October 26,2017 RESOLUTION WHEREAS,Lubbock native,Eric Emmerson Strong,in addition to being a poet, a writer, and an educator,will be remembered first and foremost as a storyteller;and WHEREAS,Eric Emmerson Strong's Western,African,and personal stories were featured on nationally syndicated programs on the Discovery Channel,BBC Radio,and NPR;and WHEREAS,Eric Emmerson Strong used his gift of storytelling to serve the Lubbock community through his work at Texas Tech University,the Freedom to Succeed Event, the Tomorrow's Leaders Program,and the Roots Historical Arts Council;and WHEREAS,on May 18,2017,in memory of Eric Emmerson Strong,several Golden Rain trees were planted in Mae Simmons Park along Canyon Lake 5 in east Lubbock;and WHEREAS,in order to honor and acknowledge Eric Emmerson Strong's sustained contribution to the City of Lubbock,on September 26,2017,the City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Board approved a recommendation to name the area containing the Golden Rain trees the "Eric Strong Grove";and,NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK: THAT the City Council hereby adopts the recommendation of the City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Board to name the area containing the Golden Rain trees at Mae Simmons Park along Canyon Lake 5 in East Lubbock,the "Eric Emmerson Strong Memorial Grove", with such name becoming effective upon the execution of this Resolution. Passed by the City Council on _ October 26, 2017 DANIEL M.POPE,MAYOR ATTEST: !/JW*L4r Rebecca Garza,City Secreta APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: Faulkenberry, Director of Parks and APPROVED AS TO FORM: tt, Assist4nt City Attorney ccdocs/RES. Adoption — Parks Board — Eric Emmerson Strong Memorial Grove October 11, 2017 19 City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Park and Facility Naming Application Applicant Name: Monique Coleman, NELCDC Executive Director Mailing Address: P.O. Box-- - 3893 City: Lubbock, TX Z. 79452 zz� — - - -- - — ------ --------- - Home Phone: n/a Work Phone: (801) 747-1137 Cell Phone: n/a Email Address: mc-netcdc@outtook.com Organization: North & East Lubbock Community Development Corporation ("NELCDC") Proposed Park or facility to be Named: Eric Strong Grove Address or Location of Park or Facility: Mae Simmons Park (adjacent to Canyon Lake 5) Suggested Name: Eric Strong Grove Category: Outstanding Individual(s) Acknowledges the sustained contribution that has been made by such individual(s) to the Citv of Lubbock and' or the Parks and Recreation system. Neighborhood Identity y Acknowledges the geographic location or common name that gives a particular identity to a riciahborhood. Historical Event, Person, Place Preserves and honors the history of Lubbock, its founders, other historical figures or local landmarks. Natural or Geographical Feature to the Area Acknowledges a prominent or unique natural "or geological feature in the surrounding area. F-I _ Benefit/Organization Acknowledgement Acknowledges the significant benefit of a major donation or gift. BY: SMNA FURE: Printed \arne and Title 0!"." 1. tie Only City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Park and Facility Naming Application Suggested Name: _Eric Emmerson Strong Grove Please provide a written narrative that supports the nomination for consideration. If proposing to name a park or facility after an outstanding person, a biography must also be attached and include material that identifies the individual's significance and notable reputation in the City of Lubbock. Attach additional pages if needed. F,ric Emmerson Strong is a native of Lubbock, Texas, who was raised just a stone's throw from the park area that is a part of this request. A bio od Eric is attached for your consideration. Please take time to view a very special website of the storytelling times of Eric at www.ericstrongstorytelter.com, as well as, a short video dedicated to his life at https://youtu.be/rvgVgYAtaxY. Thank you for your time and consideration to affect and impact a community, that has known the power and greatness of Eric Emmerson Strong and now desire to share his power and love through the naming of a grove in his honor. City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Park and Facilit-• Naming; Application Suggested Name: Eric Emerson Strong Grove ERIC EMERSON STRONG BIO Eric Strong received a Bachelor's Degree from Prairie View A&M University and a Master's Degree from Texas Tech University. In 2007, after 26 years in a job he absolutely loved, Strong retired from the director's position of the nationall} acclaimed Texas Tech Upward Bound Program to volunteer for a community he also loved, the community of his childhood, East Lubbock. In 2009, Strong helped to spearhead the Freedom to Succeed Event, a successful test -day skills workshop, targeting 75 eight - grade students who'd been unsuccessful on the TAKS Test helping them those 75 students to achieve a 100% pass rate on the subsequent test. In 2010, Strong helped found the Tomorrow's Leaders Program, a mentoring initiative for at -risk fifth grade boys with incarcerated fathers. Today, both fifth grade girls and boys meeting the program's requirements travel with their mentors on a national science, history and arts tour to St Louis, New York City, DC and Memphis. In 2011, as Director of the Roots Historical Arts Council, the group accepted the challenge of transforming the 60-year-old Caviel's Pharmacy Building into the region's first African American Museum. Today, the Roots Council is seeking to change perceptions of East Lubbock by developing a three -acre, landscaped gateway into East Lubbock near the intersection 19`h Street and Avenue A, book -ended by the museum on the north end and the Council's Community Revitalization Center on the south end. In addition to his passion for students and community, Strong also had a passion for stories and for storytelling. He has been recognized as a nationally acclaimed storyteller for over 25 years and has been featured on NPR. BBC, Tony Brown's Journal, and.the Discover} Channel, as well as being featured at numerous national conferences, historic sites and festivals. In 2007, Strong was named the Writer's League of Texas State Oral Storytelling Champion, the 2010, he was named champion of the West Texas Liar's Contest, and in 2013, he became a national finalist in the Stand Your Ground Against Violence National Storytelling Competition. As a volunteer, Eric Strong has been the recipient of the 100 Black Men of West Texas' Role Model of the Year Award, the Spirit of Cesar Chavez Award, the Delta Sigma Theta Man of the Year Award, the National Business League of Texas' Man of Distinction Award, and the National Thomas Jefferson Award. In 2016, the North & East Lubbock CDC recognized Mr. Strong as the 2016 Visionary Award Recipient. Mr. Strong was interviewed upon being infonned he was being recognized. His thoughts of a visionary were documented here, in this short video: littp-s%'youti r� 2VgYAtasY Mr. Strong passed away on March 11, 2017; he was 64 years old. Mr. Eric Emerson Strong was married to his best friend, Maria Lopez -Strong for 36 years. Mr. and Mrs. Strong have three children, Jerbran, Tizoc, and Destiny. There were several Golden Rain trees planted in Mae Simmons Park along Canyon Lake 5 in honor of Mr. Eric Emerson Strong. If approved, the grove will be named in his honor. The north and east Lubbock community hosted a tree dedication on May 18.2017 to honor Mr. Strong, as well as so many others who donated trees to be_planted in Mae Simmons Park. Thank you in advance for your consideration. ERIC EMMERSON STRONG STORYTELLER ERIC EMMERSON STRONG is a poet, an educator, a writer, an historical arts activist and a nationally recognized storyteller. He is the first -place winner of the 2007 Writers League of Texas Oral Storytelling Competition. Strong's stories speak to issues of tolerance, hope and self-esteem. His repertoire includes stories of the Old West, African and African -American folktales, peace tales and personal stories; and is at times punctuated with music, song, dance, poetry and puppetry. A former university administrator with over 25 years of experience in higher education, Strong garnered state and national recognition for innovation in college -prep programming for classroom teachers and limited income students. Strong holds a Bachelors Degree from Prairie View A&M University and a Masters from Texas Tech. His service in the arts and humanities has led to his being named "Man of the Year" on two occasions, once by the Confederated Women's Clubs of West Texas and a second time by the area chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. He was awarded "Texas Man of Distinction" by the National Business League of Texas and "Top Techsan" by the Texas Tech University. STRONG'S SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE: • Nationally Syndicated TV Talk Show, Tony Brown's Journal • Discovery Channel's, Rediscovering Our Roots with David Hartman • BBC Worldwide's international radio program, Meridian Arts • NPR's Black History Month Series, Discovering Our Roots • Rosa Parks Foundation's, Pathways to Freedom Tour • National Association of Bilingual Educators • National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration • National Park Service — selected museums and historical sites ERIC EMMERSON STRONG o 2305 84T" LUBBOCK, TEXAS 79423 (806) 745-0088 o WWW.ERICSTRONGSTORYTELLER.COM d Cin- of I.ubbock Parks and Recreation Park and Facility Naming Application Suggested Name: _ List eligible members of the public who support the nomination. Include name, address. telephone number and signature of fifth (50) indi% ideals. ages 18 }ears or older wilo live «ithin the immediate area of the park/facilit.. 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