Good afternoon, everyone:
I would like to begin my comments today by giving a birthday shout out to my friend Dr. Gerald Austin, who recently turned 70 years old. I was able to join Gerald and his family to celebrate the occasion at their lovely home in Stone Mountain. Gerald is a remarkable person who has led a life full of accomplishments. I was very honored to be included in the celebration, and I wish Gerald many happy returns.
Those of us of a certain age no doubt remember the roadside store Stuckey’s which seemed to be a fixture on the interstates and highways across this country. Then after several ownership changes and changing economics the familiar chain fell on hard times. But, that has started to turn around.
Two years ago former Georgia State Representative Stephanie Stuckey acquired what remained of her family’s business, and since then has been about the business of turning things around. On June 15, in a program sponsored by the DeKalb Convention and Visitors Bureau at the ART Station in Stone Mountain, I got to hear from the woman herself about how this transformation is taking place. It was very compelling indeed. I would certainly recommend checking out Stuckey's sometime. And I also recommend trying one of their famous pecan log rolls. They are really good. I commend now company CEO Stephanie Stuckey for leading this change and I thank her for sharing this amazing story.
It was great to participate in multiple Juneteenth celebrations all over DeKalb County. Slavery remains this country’s original sin. And it is altogether appropriate that we pause to reflect on the significance of June 19 in American history.
I would like to once again commend my esteemed colleague Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson for leading the push to make Juneteenth a holiday in DeKalb County, which we approved before it became a national holiday. While we have made significant strides in the push for racial equality in this country, there still remains much work to be done. Let us all be about the business of working toward that end.
On June 22 it was a pleasure to attend the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence's Champions for Change Dinner. This wonderful organization is dedicated to creating a world where domestic violence no longer exists. I am fully supportive of the work of this organization. To that end my office recently made an ARP allocation of $50,000.
The dinner was excellent, and the auction was a lot of fun. I would like to thank my good friend, WRCDV Board Member and Tucker City Council Member Virginia Rece for inviting me to join her at her table. I am already looking forward to next year’s event.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may call my office at 404-371-4749, or visit my website at commissionerbradshaw.com. Follow me on all the major social media platforms for updates between the meetings, too.
As always, I will conclude my remarks by thanking the citizens of District 4 and DeKalb County for affording me this opportunity to serve. It is indeed an honor.
Comments