Bill Text: PA HR339 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing and honoring Mr. Will Little for his achievements and his contributions to the Greater Philadelphia area.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-16 - Re-committed to RULES [HR339 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR339-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2077
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 339 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY JOHNSON, KIRKLAND, CALTAGIRONE, BROWNLEE, MANN, KORTZ, FABRIZIO, YOUNGBLOOD, HANNA, MIRABITO, V. BROWN, WHEATLEY, READSHAW, BRENNAN, MOUL AND THOMAS, JUNE 13, 2011
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 13, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and honoring Mr. Will Little for his achievements
and his contributions to the Greater Philadelphia area.
WHEREAS, Will Little was born and raised with four other
siblings in a single-parent home in South Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, As an intelligent although misguided youth, Mr.
Little found himself ensnared in the violence and mayhem which
accompany a life of crime and delinquency; and
WHEREAS, At the age of 19, Mr. Little found himself engulfed
by this lifestyle, which culminated in the loss of a human life
at his hands; and
WHEREAS, He was convicted and sentenced to serve a term of
10-20 years in a State correctional institution; and
WHEREAS, During this period, he redirected his focus toward
education and successfully obtained a General Educational
Development diploma; and
WHEREAS, He developed a thirst for knowledge and a desire to
become a righteous and productive individual; and
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WHEREAS, In 1998, after ten years of confinement, Mr. Little
emerged from prison a rehabilitated and redeemed person; and
WHEREAS, He initially confronted many obstacles in his
pursuit of employment but remained determined and steadfast; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Little would eventually orient himself toward
the barber vocation, honing his craft while on the job; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Mr. Little developed a program called
Poetry N Motion, which utilizes the art form of poetry to show
younger and older people how to overcome life's trials and
obstacles through understanding and positive action; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Little and the Poetry N Motion program gained
Statewide success, enjoying such audiences as the student body
and faculty of Girard College, former Mayor John Street, Judge
Mathis, Bill Cosby and actor Charles S. Dutton; and
WHEREAS, The Poetry N Motion program has become impactful for
the youth and citizens of the Philadelphia area by partnering
with other local organizations and providing workshops; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Little and the Poetry N Motion program has
received widespread media coverage, being featured on numerous
local news programs as well as receiving a front page article in
the Philadelphia Daily News; and
WHEREAS, The scope and magnitude of the Poetry N Motion
program and his story inspired his autobiography, I.C.Y. The
Life and Times of Will Little; and
WHEREAS, For two and a half years Mr. Little hosted his own
talk show in an effort to further broaden his message; and
WHEREAS, As a token of appreciation, Mr. Little received
awards and citations from the Philadelphia Mayor's Office, the
Lieutenant Governor's Office of Pennsylvania and the former
Prison Commissioner Leon King, and he was the recipient of the
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2010 Lucien E. Blackwell Guiding Light Award; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and
honor the achievements and contributions of Mr. Will Little to
the Greater Philadelphia area.
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