2026 SESSION
INTRODUCED
26109641D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 433
Offered March 12, 2026
Commending Sheila Coates.
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Patrons—Keys-Gamarra, Cole, N.T., Martinez, McPike, Rasoul, Schmidt, Shin and Ward
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WHEREAS, Sheila Coates has dedicated more than 40 years of service toward improving the lives of women in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth, and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Sheila Coates observed from an early age that Black women were underrepresented in management roles in education and government, and that a large number of highly educated Black women were being overlooked in the professional world; and
WHEREAS, in response to these early observations and in collaboration with like-minded advocates, Sheila Coates founded Black Women United for Action (BWUFA) in 1985 to organize grassroots efforts focused on promoting women's issues and family preservation; and