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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has announced the death of former city councilmember Ada Edwards, who died this week at the age of 80.

The beloved community servant had five children and 14 grandchildren, according to a bio posted on the University of Houston’s website.

Edwards, a respected spiritual leader and ordained minister, was a humanitarian who fought for the rights and empowerment of all people.

Turner said Edwards “never forgot where she came from or who she represented.”

He released a statement that read, in part:

“During her time as the District D Council Member, she worked to find solutions without compromising her beliefs and was steadfast in fighting to improve the lives of all Houstonians. She advocated for affordable housing, social justice and community empowerment. She cared deeply about people living in historically under resourced and underserved communities.

“Even after she left elected office because of term limits, Edwards remained active and dedicated her time to connecting people to education and employment opportunities, mentoring youth and working with nonprofit organizations.

“Houston is a stronger city today because of Ada Edwards’ tireless advocacy and dedication to public service throughout the years. May Ada Edwards Rest In Power.”

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Edwards was elected in 2001 to Houston City Council to represent the district she calls home (District D), and re-elected two subsequent times, thus serving the maximum three terms (six years). As a council member, she chaired three of the city’s most critical committees: the Housing and Community Development Committee, the Flooding and Drainage Issues Committee and the State of Emergency HIV/AIDS Task Force. Edwards also served on six other committees while in office.

As the assistant director for the City of Houston’s Department of Housing and Community Development, Edwards was motivated by a commitment to develop partnerships of service within neighborhoods and organizations in Houston. To this end, Edwards worked diligently to strengthen and preserve the character and history of Houston communities.
Within the framework of the Houston HOPE program, Edwards was working with city departments and community organizations to revitalize Houston’s neighborhoods by recapturing their historic significance utilizing structures and archived information.

Before being elected to District D on City Council, Edwards founded the Free South Africa Movement. In the late 1980s, she founded the Ida Delaney/Byron Gillum Justice Committee, a grassroots community advocacy coalition that provided both legal and social-action support to residents.

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis released the following statement:

“Ada Edwards was a force of light. Driven by a radical love of justice and an unwavering faith in the power of the people, she was a fierce and fearless servant leader who changed Houston for the better. She lit a path for us to follow in pursuit of a better, more just world for all.  She was Houston’s Ella Baker, an African-American civil rights and human rights activist.”