Senate Concurrent Resolution 560

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE TO ARTS COLUMNIST JULIA REED AS RECIPIENT OF THE 2019 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR SERVING AS CULTURAL AMBASSADOR FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards Program has announced its 2019 recipients, which includes Julia Reed for serving as Cultural Ambassador for the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Julia Reed is a Greenville, Mississippi, native whose long career in Journalism led her to posts at Elle Decor, Garden & Gun, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek and Vogue. Although she traveled the world in her various roles, Reed has long served as a Cultural Ambassador for the state, sharing Southern traditions, culture and recipes through her popular columns and books. She is the author of seven books, including Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena, But Mama Always Put Vodka in the Sangria, South Toward Home, Adventures and Misadventures in My Native Land, and Julia's latest book, South Toward Home, was published in July 2018. Julia is also an Instrumental Organizer of the Delta Hot Tamale Festival, who has helped attract national attention to the small town festival through her writing and literary connections; and

WHEREAS, Julia Reed is a prolific Columnist and Essayist, best-selling Author, and tireless Cheerleader for the Arts and for her hometown of Greenville, Mississippi. Julia began her writing career at Newsweek's Washington Bureau while still a student at Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, and continued to work there while studying at Georgetown University and American University. Following college, Ms. Reed moved to New York City. She was a Senior Writer at Vogue for 20 years and served stints at U.S. News and World Report and the Orlando Sentinel. In recent years, Julia has served as a Contributing Editor to the Wall Street Journal and a regular Columnist for Garden and Gun; and

WHEREAS, her love for entertaining is accompanied by a passion for the Arts. For seven years, she served as Chair of the Board of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and she is a member of the National Advisory Board of the Eudora Welty Foundation, but Greenville remains her first love. For decades, she has been a vocal promoter of area musicians and artists, as well as area events like the Delta Hot Tamale Festival; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we pay tribute and express appreciation for the talent of a world-class Mississippi Columnist and Author who has made Mississippi a better place and exemplifies the literary traditions of our great state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby extend the recognition of the Mississippi Legislature to Julia Reed as recipient of the 2019 Governor's Arts Award for serving as Cultural Ambassador for the State of Mississippi, and extend our congratulations on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Julia Reed as part of the Governor's Arts Awards presentation, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.