House Resolution 123

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING APRIL 15, 2024, AS "DON'T SUGARCOAT IT DAY" AT THE MISSISSIPPI STATE CAPITOL.

WHEREAS, the brainchild of newly crowned Miss Mississippi State University 2024, Miss Morgan Alexis Nelson, "Don't Sugarcoat It: Facing Our Healthcare Crisis, One Rural Area at a Time" is her community service initiative platform aimed at facing Mississippi's health challenges in the rural outreaches of the state, one community at a time; and

WHEREAS, a junior biological science/pre-med major at Mississippi State University, where she is a presidential scholar with a 3.91 GPA, Morgan, a Vicksburg native and daughter of Attorney Omar and Melanie Nelson, has made an appeal to the Mississippi Legislature to designate, Monday, April 15, 2024, as "Don't Sugarcoat It Day" at the Mississippi State Capitol, garnering legislative support to challenge Mississippians to consume low amounts of sugar, and to increase awareness of Mississippi's recurring high rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other diseases linked to unhealthy dietary habits; and

WHEREAS, a Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholar recipient, Miss Nelson plans to attend the University of Mississippi School of Medicine upon her graduation from MSU, to further the pursuit of her medical aspirations to become an OB/GYN physician to ensure quality healthcare to the far reaches of the state which have consistently experienced disparities in access to healthcare; and

WHEREAS, diabetes is a disease with serious health consequences, affecting 1 in 7 Mississippians, placing the state in the top five nationally for diabetes rates, as it accounted for 1,083 deaths in Mississippi in 2016, and Morgan's initiative, seeks to provide insight on the negative implications of poor dietary decisions upon those who are genetically pre-disposed to diabetes and other health deficiencies impacted by sugar intake; and

WHEREAS, heeding a call to action, as indicated by her affiliation and memberships with the MSU Dance Team, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Brickfire Mentoring, Spark, Biological Science Ambassador, IDEAL Woman and More Than Numbers Youth Program, Miss Nelson's decision to build upon her "Don't Sugarcoat It" platform evidences her innate passion for all Mississippians to experience a quality of life premised on healthy lifestyle choices and access to optimal healthcare services; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to advocate for all Mississippians, especially when it relates to relaying information that would prove beneficial, the health outcomes, as promoted by Miss Nelson's "Don't Sugarcoat It: Facing Our Healthcare Crisis, One Rural Area at a Time" community service initiative:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby designate Monday, April 15, 2024, as "Don't Sugarcoat It Day" at the Mississippi State Capitol, and encourage all Mississippians to acknowledge its observance by increased awareness of low sugar intake on that day.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Miss Morgan Alexis Nelson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.